If you're tired of having dull, lifeless skin, then I might just have a solution for you. It's been just over a week since I purchased this facial brush and I am loving it, so much so it has become a necessity in my morning and evening skincare routine.

I can see why products like these seem like a gimmick: it has a mix of brush heads you think you will never reach for, you envisage clearing out your whole bathroom cabinet to make room for the bulky contraption and then you have to frustratingly rummage around for batteries to power the damn thing. "Is it even worth it?" I hear you ask. In short, YES.

My skin has not been great recently. I suffered a breakout on my left cheek, and the spots seem to spread along my chin and even on my forehead. I don't know the reason why they suddenly appeared, but it left my face in a state. In fact, I was so self-conscious of people noticing that a couple of Sunday's ago, I had a bit of a meltdown and refused to leave the house unless I caked my skin in foundation. That's when I knew I had to take action.

I have never owned a facial brush before. A couple of years back I bought a 'Neutrogena Wave', which was a little pink device that came with attachable cleansing pads. When powered, it would vibrate and the idea was to lightly skim it over your skin in circular motions to deep cleanse and remove any dirt from deep within your pores. I actually really liked this product, but I was looking for something more. 

That's when I came across the USpicy facial brush on Amazon. It comes with four detachable brush heads, it's fully waterproof and they even supply batteries! I use this morning and night with any sort of face wash I can find, and the results are great! It leaves my skin feeling so smooth afterwards. Garnier Micellar Water used to be my one and only makeup remover, but by using this brush afterwards it removes so much more makeup that I hadn't even realised was still left on my skin.

Included with the brush are the four brush heads:

1. Latex Sponge
2. Cuticles Brush
3. Soft Brush
4. Massage Roller 

Currently, I have only used the top three brush heads, though I look forward to trying out the massage roller. I have heard it works great if you apply an oil to your face beforehand, as it works it into your skin and improves circulation for that healthy glow.

Have you ever used a facial brush before? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Chloë

x

(Disclaimer: this was not a sponsored post.)

I've realised just recently that my skincare routine has taken a backseat. I was once that goodie two-shoes who would triple cleanse before bed to make sure every last scrap of makeup had left my face before hitting the hay, but all of a sudden I've found myself reaching for a pack of makeup wipes and totally disregarding any form of acid toner. I've moaned during the past month at the state of my skin; it's been patchy, blemish-y and shiny in all the wrong places. Feeling fed up of the state my face was in, I headed straight onto the Boots website in the hope of finding some super skincare products to give my skin the love (but also the kick up the backside) it needs to get back on the straight and narrow.

Boots have some incredible deals online at the moment, which gave me all the more reason to stock up on some of the products that I used to use time and time again until I forgot to repurchase them. One of those products being the Boots 3 Minute Clay Mask. Priced at £1.50 this is an absolute steal. I find it really helps to calm down my skin thanks to the extract of cucumber in the ingredients and it seems to make it appear much smoother and softer to the touch.

Rimmel's Hide the Blemish concealer has been around for years, and it's one of the first makeup items I ever owned. I remember liking it because it's very yellow-toned and has great staying power. I rediscovered this in my makeup collection the other day but it had worn right down to nothing more than a stump so I threw it out, but I'm glad I've ordered another one and look forward to giving it a go!

There's no better eyebrow pencil than Archery by Soap & Glory. I've tried so many drugstore/highstreet brow pencils and I always find they're too dark or too red-toned, or the nib breaks and never re-sharpens! This one has a super-fine tip so it leaves your brows looking soft and natural and it even has its own spoolie on the other end - perfect for saving that all-important space in your makeup bag.

Ah, the Clearasil pads. Whilst I'm aware i'm no longer a hormone-fuelled teenager, I grew up using these and they seemed to save my skin in times of desperation when a horror breakout occurred. I thought I'd give them another go as I have a few stubborn under-the-skin spots on my forehead and I've completely skipped using any sort of acid toner on my face for yonks. I figured these would do the trick and then some, claiming to not only even skin tone but also exfoliate, reduce shine & oil, unblock pores and remove dirt.

When I think of facial oils my initial thoughts are just "nope". I hate the texture for a start, but after reading the endless list of benefits I gave in and ordered the Botanics Organic Facial Oil. So many people have raved about this in the reviews section on Boots and I figured they can't all be wrong, so I pray this will be a product I fall in love with and banish my dislike of oils for good!

Last but not least, the Botanics Radiance Balm. Not something I necessarily need, but I tricked myself into thinking that this may just I've me the radiance i'm after, and I'm all for looking like a glowing sun goddess. I guess I just envisioned myself being hand-fed grapes while lounging on a sunbed in the mediterranean and, well, that was enough to get me to order it. 

Have you picked up any great beauty bits recently?

Chloë
x


(Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All of the products mentioned above were purchased by myself). 

A chatty mishmash of a blog post for you this week as I'm all out of sync with what day it is! I usually have Wednesdays off work so there's no confusion there, I just can't get my head around working all day tomorrow when I usually spend Thursdays sipping coffee and dawdling aimlessly around the handbag section in TK Maxx. 

Last week it wasn't just the handbag section I dawdled around, though. I ventured down the skincare aisle where I discovered what is now my favourite body moisturiser: Nip + Fab's Hyaluronic Fix Body Gel. I don't usually purchase body lotions all that often as I get incredibly lazy and don't seem to use up the ones I already have, but this one stood out to me as its texture is gel-like and not creamy like most moisturisers. I really cannot stand the greasiness of creams and hate standing around waiting for them to dry for what seems like hours on end, but with this one you don't have to. It glides onto the skin and isn't sticky in the slightest. LOVE.

Juicy Couture's Viva la Juicy has been my go-to perfume for years; this year is no different. I felt I had to include it in with the mix of my current favourites as I find myself (like many people) switching up my perfume according to the seasons. I went through a phase of using the Chloé Eau de Parfum, but have since swapped back to my well-loved, trusty Viva la Juicy.

Much like perfumes and body lotions, I'm always switching up the products I use on my face. I love this L'oreal Triple Active Fresh moisturiser at the moment which I've been using both morning and night. It's another gel-like texture which is super light and absorbs instantly into the skin. I'm sure I've already raved about this in a previous blogpost,  but it's such a lovely product I just had to give it another mention.

I bought this L'oreal #TXT Volume Spray on a whim the other day when I looked in the mirror and caught a glimpse of my hair looking rather depressed and lifeless. Naturally my hair is quite wavy and thick so I don't struggle with volume unless I've straightened my hair too much at the roots, but on this particular day it was just looking lank and weighed down. I spotted this volume spray in Boots and thought I'd give it a try. It's similar to a dry shampoo in the sense that you spray it into sections of your hair and use your fingertips to rub it in, but the great thing about this product is that it doesn't leave your hair feeling starchy and full of powdery residue. I've used it quite a few times now and so far, so good. It adds an instant lift and really helps to perk up the hair.

What are your current favourite products so far this month?

Chloë
x

I don't know if it's just me, but I find it hard to believe it's August already. July certainly flew by! I was about to name this blog post 'July Favourites' and share a few things I've been loving recently, but after scrolling through my previous posts I've since realised that I've somehow managed to get ahead of myself by already writing about my favourite products during July... silly me! Not to worry though, I've found myself obsessing over face products recently so I figured it would make more sense for me to do an updated post focusing entirely on skincare - hope you enjoy!

For some reason I've suffered terrible breakouts lately, which has left me no choice but to frantically rummage around looking for pretty much anything containing plenty of spot-fighting salicylic acid. The 'Rapid Action' scrub by Clearasil is great at removing dead skin cells (gross but true) and fighting any stubborn spots. It's a creamy yet gritty consistency and you can start to feel it working from the very moment you apply it. It leaves the skin feeling soft and freshly cleansed and although I can't say that my spots magically vanished into thin air, it certainly helped to reduce any redness!

Now for something a little gentler on the skin - Champneys Gentle Conditioning Toner. I feel that toners often get given a bad name as they're typically stereotyped as being harsh and drying on the skin, but this one couldn't be more different. I've tried various toners in the past and this one certainly lives up to its name - it's so gentle on the skin and contains natural extracts of cucumber, aloe vera and rose water to name a few. I'd certainly recommend this to anybody in search of a new toner as it leaves your skin feeling hydrated and refreshed as opposed to dry and tight. Oh, and better still, it's available to pick up in Boots for under £10!

Having never owned a face mist, I was pleasantly surprised by The Body Shop's Vitamin C Facial Spritz. It's packaged in a 100ml sized bottle which makes it the perfect size for travelling and taking with you when you're out and about and in need of an instant boost of hydration. I love the scent of this - it's very fresh and smells strongly of citrus. You can spray it directly onto your face or instead onto a cotton pad to use it as a toner, but either way it feels very light and refreshing on the skin. Priced at £11 a bottle, it does seem a little costly for what is essentially just a toner with a spray nozzle, but I loved using this during the summer months so I would definitely consider re-purchasing this at a later date.

I hope this was somewhat useful to those of you who are perhaps thinking about adding some new skincare products into your regime! Have you discovered any fabulous face products recently?

Chloë
x

For those of you who are familiar with my blog, it'll come as no surprise to you that I am quite obsessed with popping into my local Boots and having a little nosey around at all of the makeup and skincare products that they have to offer. Last Sunday was no different - the minute I finished work I just had to go in and suss out the latest offers (and of course have a little rummage around in the clearance section!)

In my mind I had an idea of what I wanted; I was looking for a facial wash to replace my moisturising one from Simple that I've had for literally years. I'd heard great things about the Neutrogena 'Visibly Clear' Facial Wash and read many really positive reviews about it, which persuaded me to go ahead and buy it. But my spending didn't stop there - I decided to get the moisturiser from the 'Visibly Clear' range too as there was on offer on which meant you could get two Neutrogena products for £5, what a bargain!!

As you could probably guess from the names of the products, both the facial wash and the moisturiser smell like grapefruit. The scent is subtle and clean-smelling - definitely not strong or overpowering in the slightest. I like to use the facial wash first thing in the morning to remove any of the moisturiser and spot treatment products that I used on my skin overnight and follow on with the moisturiser. I particularly like that it's oil free as I feel my skin is normal-combination and my T-zone is the one area that gets particularly oily during the day. I've only been using these products for around a week and I feel like my skin is clearing up already - for weeks I've suffered with spots around my nose and chin and have tried so many different products to try and combat them... I even tried products containing natural plant extracts from the Nelson's Pure and Clear range but they had little to no effect on clearing up my skin.

While I am still on the lookout for a super-effective, instant spot-zapping miracle treatment, the Neutrogena products have made my skin look considerably clearer than it was a few weeks ago which i'm verrrrry happy about and so for now, I shall continue using both the face wash and the moisturiser to combat any remaining spots and blemishes until they decide to pack their bags and leave the surface of my face (those little blighters owe me weeks' worth of rent!!)

Hello everyone!

So as I'm sure you are all aware it's getting towards the end of November already... where has the time gone?! Personally I despise this time of the year. The nights are drawing in, the temperature rarely reaches double figures and I'm pretty sure you can count the amount of times you see the sun shining on one hand. All in all, I find this weather can really cause havoc on your skin; making it appear dry, dull and a bit lifeless. However, fear not, as I was having a good rummage around in my make up bag and discovered a few little gems that might just get your skin glowing again through these harsh winter months. Best of all, you can pick all of these little skin-saviours up in your local Boots!

Simple Kind To Skin Light Moisturiser

First up is moisturiser, which is essential for keeping your skin hydrated. I picked up this Simple Kind To Skin Moisturiser a few months back which I like to apply before my make up to prevent my skin from getting dry throughout the day. It's a light consistency and doesn't feel too heavy when you apply it to the skin, which is always something I like in a moisturiser (I hate the greasy feel you get from moisturisers that don't sink in fast enough!) I also find that a good moisturiser will allow your foundation to glide on evenly, instead of clinging to any dry patches that you may have. It's an added bonus that this moisturiser is suitable for sensitive skin, meaning it's free from any harsh chemicals that could cause irritation. All in all this is a great product suitable for any skin type, leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth and nourished all day.

Garnier Caffeine Eye Roll-on

Next up is the Garnier Caffeine Anti-dark Circles Eye Roll-on in the colour Fair. I've been wanting to try this product out ever since it was first released as I have awfully dark under-eye circles that refuse to budge, but I was always persuaded by my mum to just "drink more water and go to bed earlier." However, waking up ridiculously early in the morning is starting to take its toll and I decided enough was enough, so a few weeks back I popped into Boots and picked this up in the hope of banishing the dreaded dark rings that lurked under my eyes, and I'm so glad I did. I have to say I actually LOVE this, the roller ball glides the product smoothly under the eyes allowing you to target the dark circles with precision, and I really like the consistency; it's light but has a high coverage in order to tackle the dark under-eye circles. I like to apply this before my foundation and then set it with a small amount of powder, which I've found is vital if you want to stop it from budging in the day. 

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

Now onto foundation. I bought this back in the summer in the colour 103 True Ivory, as I wanted something yellow-toned to counteract the redness I have in my pink-toned skin. I find this colour a perfect match for my skin; not too dark and not too light. It contains SPF 18 and gives a lovely subtle glow without looking oily. I would say this gives a light coverage, but once you've built up the colour with blusher and bronzer you're good to go!

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

I fell in love with this brush the very first time I used it. It gives the most perfect, flawless finish when used with liquid foundations, and the density of the bristles allows you to build up the coverage on any problem areas. As you can see from the picture, the bottom of this brush (as with many other Real Techniques brushes) is completely flat, allowing it to stand up if you want to reach for it in a hurry or if you want to display your brushes on your dressing table. I honestly think this is the best brush I've ever used for applying foundation. I've used various flat foundation brushes before, but nothing has ever come close to giving me such a perfect finish as the Expert Face Brush does. The Real Techniques Stippling Brush is another close favourite of mine which also gives you a flawless finish, though I feel the bristles on the stippling brush are less dense and so they work better with lighter foundations and BB creams.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

Whether you have dry, combination or oily skin, a powder is a must-have staple that everybody has in their make up bags. I picked this up after seeing so many beauty bloggers rave about it, and for the price I totally agree that you cannot go wrong with this. With combination to oily skin, I notice that my T-Zone in particular begins to get oily throughout the day, but since using this powder I feel my make up lasts longer and the areas on and around my nose appear less shiny than before. I bought this is the colour Transparent, which means that when it's applied over foundation it won't alter the colour in any way. A real essential at an affordable price, you can't go wrong!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Mono Blush in Bronze

This will probably seem really odd, but this is the first blusher I have ever bought.. EVER. *Gasp* Throughout my teenage years I've always steered clear from blusher, mainly because I thought it would just add to the redness in my cheeks and make me look like a clown, but I discovered this when I was mooching around Boots and I found this: a Rimmel blusher in the colour Bronze. That may seem a little bit pointless to some of you as essentially this is a bronzer, but that's what I like about it. In the winter months your skin is generally a lot paler due to the lack of sunlight, and so I picked this up because I thought I could use it for its main purpose of being a blusher for the apples of my cheeks, but also along the cheekbones as a light alternative to a bronzer, as a lot of my bronzers are now too dark or orange-toned for my skin at this time of the year. I wouldn't say it's amazingly pigmented, but in a way I find that a godsend because it means I don't use too much when I'm frantically trying to apply it at 7am in awful lighting. Overall it does a good job of adding colour to the face, which is exactly what you need to prevent yourself from looking washed out in the winter.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Lip Balm

So this next product doesn't really belong in the skincare category, but nonetheless it is an essential. Ever since going to Portugal earlier this year and getting a cold sore from exposing my lips to the sun without having them SPF protected, I've carried a lip balm everywhere with me. The cold weather is equally as damaging to your lips, which can leave them dry and chapped if you don't regularly give them a bit of moisture. I bought this for one reason in particular, which was because of the smell. It smells AMAZING. If you like the smell of chocolate or y ou're familiar with the Palmers Cocoa Butter Body Lotion, you will love this. It's super nourishing and even has SPF 15 if the sun does decide to make a little appearance any time soon!

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick

The last essential I have for you is another not-really-skincare-but-lipcare-instead product: the Colour Sensational Lipstick by Maybelline in the colour 'Choco Pop'. I've never been a huge fan of lipsticks as I find a lot of them are too mattifying, however this one is extremely rich and moisturising, leaving your lips feeling smooth and nourished. I also really like the colour of this one; it's a lovely medium-brown colour which is perfect for this time of year when you want something a little bit darker, and it has a lovely soft, pearl finish. I love the packaging too, the shiny, mirrored casing makes this product look a lot more expensive and high-end; a real must-have for winter.

Hello!

So I've had this product for a little while now, but as you can probably tell this is my very first blog post so I've never had the chance to review it!

I bought this product a few weeks back from Boots out of sheer curiosity after hearing a lot of good reviews about Hot Cloth Cleansers. I did a little bit of research and found out that many beauty bloggers are fans of the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, which I was almost definitely going to try until I found out about the slightly more affordable one from No7.

Usually priced at £9.95, you receive 200ml of product in comparison to paying £13.25 for just 100ml of the Cleanse and Polish from Liz Earle. However I have to tell you that I didn't actually have to pay the full £9.95 for this product; as luckily I had one of the No7 £5 off vouchers making this a complete bargain at only £4.95! Obviously I had to buy it at this price, and to tell you the truth as soon as I noticed that the voucher was due to expire the following day I hopped straight on the bus and made my way to the nearest Boots. (This was on a Sunday too, talk about dedication!)

Anyway, back to the actual review. This product comes in a box along with a muslin cloth. This is used to help lift away any dirt from the face by gently exfoliating the skin. The product itself comes in a bottle with a little pump, which you apply onto dry skin all over the face using circular motions. You then soak the muslin cloth in hot water, before wringing it out and applying it to the face to open up the pores. 

I have to say when I first used this product I didn't experience any kind of 'wow factor'... colour and texture wise it reminded me of just an ordinary, everyday moisturiser which surprised me as I expected it to foam up in the same way that a face wash would; (little did I know this isn't the case with cleansers.) Nonetheless, I carried on using this product every night to remove my make up and it's definitely grown on me... so much so that now I feel like I actually couldn't be without it!

Despite never using a hot cloth cleanser before, I'd definitely recommend this product to anyone. It has an incredibly light texture which makes it easy to smooth all over the skin, and there's no overpowering smell to it either; just a simple, clean scent. I wouldn't say it left my face feeling overly hydrated, but my skin did feel smooth and clean afterwards.

So, there you have it. Long gone are the days where I'd take the lazy option and reach for the nearest pack of make-up wipes. Now I actually cleanse my face properly every single night with this trusty hot cloth cleanser, so thank you No7!