Skincare: Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm

Hi beauties, hope you all had a good Halloween whether it was taking the kiddies out or going to a party! I've been using this cleanser for around six weeks now and I've been itching to write this post for you as I absolutely love love LOVE this cleanser. As a lot of you will know, the blogger hype surrounding the Emma Hardie cleansing balm is massive but there was three reasons why I never gave into this hype yet and went on the hunt for a cheaper alternative. 

1. At the moment I couldn't justify the price tag

2. As someone with combination-oily dry and spot prone skin I was a bit skeptical even trying any sort of oily balm as years of acne products left my skin sensitive...and truth be told I hadn't heard of a cleansing balm before, I'd always just use face washes or cleansing milks

3. After reading Caroline Hirons (Skincare blogger guru) I noticed some of her readers stating they had recently purchased a new Emma Hardie pot and it broke them out and Hirons thinks the ingredients might have changed.

So I went on the hunt for a cheaper alternative and spotted this one in Boots. I loved the fact it stated on the front it was also 97% organic with nourishing rose hip. 

From first use as I had never used a cleansing balm before it did feel very oily on my skin, but I just massaged it in then rinsed it off with a warm flannel and kind of buff it off with a light touch. Every time I use it my skin instantly feels deeply cleansed and this is so moisturising and soothing too. I used to have a few really bad flaky dry patches on my cheeks and nose and this has took them away no problem. I sometimes apply the balm on my face with makeup to remove all my makeup and then follow with a milky cleanser or take my makeup off with micellar water first then use this to deeply cleanse before applying my serums and moisturisers. This is also great for removing eye makeup and removes my mascara effectively without irritating my eyes.

This pot is 70ml and is only £6.99 at Boots which I think is an incredible price for how impressed I've been with it. I've been using a little amount every morning and night for about 6 weeks and still have a third left. It leaves my face feeling baby smooth. I had never tried Boots Botanics range before and I've been that impressed with this I've since bought the organic toner spray and will no doubt start adding more of this Skincare to my collection. I've already got my eye on the Organic Facial Oil until I can afford the Estée Lauder night serum.

Have you tried anything from this range? Do you recommend a certain product? Let me know!

Love Kayleigh xx

Fashion & Life Update : Wedding Outfit

Hi beauties, I actually can't believe it's been 15 whole days since I've wrote a blog post. I think I've had a long break like this as somehow life just got completely in the way. At the time of deciding to have a break I got to the point where I was feeling totally uninspired and demotivated with my blog even though I had lots of posts planned and had photos already prepped, so I knew it was time for a break. Anyhow, while I've been away I'm in the process of booking my wedding abroad which I couldn't be happier about. It's something we've wanted to do for a long time but with me coming out of full time employment over three years ago to begin my nurse training at uni and having our son I suppose that got lost in the priorities list somehow!

 

Anyway, a few weeks ago I attended a family wedding which was stunning and a gorgeous day, I had no idea what to wear and ordered a few dresses online to try but wasn't very impressed. And then I spotted this dress in River Island in the sale section for a unbelievable £8 in my size so snapped it up straight away. Here's me wearing it and my son and fiance in the second photo...how smart does my 4 year old look? We got his suit in the sale at next which the pants, shirt, tie and waistcoat came to £15 I think. I decided to go for the natural makeup look but still wore some false eyelashes which were a total bargain and I actually preferred them over Eyelure (will write a post about them next) and a bright lip. I didn't want to get too dressed up as I wasn't drinking any alcohol as I had to drive our son home at 8pm for school the next day.

 

 

 

Let me know if you have been to any weddings abroad or got married abroad as I'm a bit nervous about planning it in a short space of time - 10 months!

 



Skincare: Skinetica Review

Hello beauties, I was recently sent Skinetica* to review as I have combination acne prone skin. It is a blemish lotion that claims to soothe those angry red spots, blackheads and blemishes within 2-3 days and basically calm your skin down. Skinetica is a fast acting anti blemish lotion that is very gentle on the skin and won't irritate your skin, making it suitable for all skin types. You simply pop the lotion onto a cotton pad and I have been simply dabbing it on my most reddened irritated spots. You can either apply it that way or it can also be used as a super toner all over the skin, used after makeup removal and cleansing.

 

 

Skinetica can also be used as a makeup base and it literally takes seconds to dry and then your supposed to put your makeup straight over without wiping it away, this will remove any traces of dirt and give you a great base to apply your makeup. Having this under your makeup I have noticed my skin is not as oily as normal. To apply, your skin must be completely makeup free, and be completely clean and dry before applying for it to be the most effective.

 

I will be honest and say obviously this is not a treatment that is going to immediately remove spots and make your face spot free in days, but I have definitely noticed a difference in the amount of spots I had, and it really soothes and calms the redness down which is a massive problem that I have at the moment, especially when it's that time of the month so this has been ideal for calming my skin down before makeup application, and also taking some shine away.

 

I would recommend this if you have acne prone skin and either have the odd breakout or to someone like me who has regular breakouts. You can buy your bottle of Skinetica on the Skinetica website here for just £9.99 a bottle or you can try out the FREE 15ml sample bottle which you can see in the picture to try before you buy, brilliant!



Fashion: Casual Saturday Shopping

Hi beauties, a quick post to show you what I was wearing yesterday to go shopping with my fiancé and son. I added in some clip in hair extensions for a long ponytail sweeped at the side, nice and simple but made me feel so much better. All in all quite a cheap outfit:

 

 

Jeans - Primark

Vest top - Topshop

Blazer - Primark

 

The blazers from Primark are really lovely I think and they are normally proced at £20 but amazingly I found this one in the reduced rail a few months back for an incredible £6, I was so happy I had found such a good bargain. I really can't wait to start my job and have a bit spare money and get back into fashion....I need a whole new wardrobe full of staple pieces. The past 3-4 years after having my boy and becoming a student again I've mainly had to go for the casual look all the time and constantly shop in Primark. I can't wait to start mixing up styles again and being a bit more quirky with my style! I get depressed when I look back on photos before having my son and miss the way I used to dress as I could afford to buy more clothes then. So expect to see a lot more fashion posts on my blog after Christmas time.

What do you tend to wear casually for shopping?

 

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Fitness: A health kick that's not expensive

Hi guys, I finished Uni in September and I am now just waiting for clearance to start my new job as a nurse. With my boy starting school in September and me suddenly being at home all the time I decided now was the perfect time to kick start my fitness into gear to stop the boredom. It's also something I've wanted to do for quite a while but could never seem to fit it into my routine with being at uni, working placement full time and having a little one to run around after.

    *Disclaimer - I'm not starting this to lose weight in any way as I'm a perfectly healthy size 8*

I just wanted to put that out there incase people took it the wrong way thinking it's ridiculous for me to lose weight. I think no matter what clothes size you are nobody can be truly body confident and will always think of a niggle about themselves somehow! With me, it's more about toning the top of my legs up, my hips and my tummy, as I've noticed a difference since having my son four years ago. Plus all my jeans are too tight and I find I feel uncomfortable. Also, as I've just finished my training and am now a qualified nurse I am obviously more conscious of the health risks etc of not exercising, and generally just want to lead a healthier lifestyle, with the hope that adding a bit exercise into my routine will relieve stress/tension, will help with my interrupted sleep, my headaches will hopefully become less and to not feel out of breath from walking up the stairs!

I'm also doing it to aim towards my goal of running the Great North Run next September in aid of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) which is something very close to my heart. I will be pledging my money and applying for the Great North Run as soon as I start my job so I've definitely got a great goal to aim for, especially for the days when I'm probably feeling tired and not motivated. I went for my first run last week - bearing in mind I haven't ran properly for years. And it wasn't very pleasant, I was coughing so much, shaking, and my legs felt like jelly and for a few days after they were so sore. But I'm sure if I stick at it it will become a lot easier (so I hope).

Not all size 8's are healthy you know just because they look thin....I'm sure there are bigger sized women who are MUCH healthier than me. I'm not on a 'diet' either, I'm just trying to swap some foods for healthier ones, and I'm sure in the winter months I'll be bringing out the slow cooker when I start work and throwing in lots of vegetables, potatoes and meat instead of thinking ah I'm tired after work I'll order a takeaway! I'm not denying myself of anything, just trying to drink more water, make sure I eat breakfast (I normally skip this) and generally just making healthier snack options.

So...I didn't have that much money to spend with not starting my job so I popped into Primark and Sports Direct where they had some fabulous fitness/gym gear which was a really good bargain. Here is what I bought....

Mi-Fit running pants - Already owned from gym last year

Running top - Primark £6

Trainers - Primark £12

Earphones - Sports Direct - £4.99

Music arm band - Sports Direct - £4.99

Running water bottle - Sports Direct - £2.99
 

The running arm band is basically so I can pop my phone/ipod into it, attach it to my arm so I can listen to music on the go! I also bought these earphones that attach around the ear (Sexy, I know) as my normal earphones always fall out whilst running which is so annoying. The water bottle basically has a massive hole in the middle (sorry about the picture) so you can carry it whilst running. The trainers are super comfy and they are really good value as they feel way more expensive than they are. When I was in Sports Direct I browsed the running trainers after buying these ones to compare, and they looked and felt the same and some of them were £80. So I definitely feel I've got some good bargains. It definitely shows if your thinking of starting it up, it doesn't always have to be expensive.
 

Are you currently on a health kick or thinking of starting one? Let me know.
 

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My September Favourites

My god I can't believe it's nearly Christmas already, this year has well and truly flown over for me. It seems like I've got quite a big favourites this month but in actual fact it's because I was a naughty blogger and didn't do a August favourites post. A lot of these products I will be reviewing in full over the next few weeks as I haven't had a chance too yet.

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub & Foam Girl Body Wash

I've had this body wash for quite a while now as it's lasted me ages even with using it every bath time. I love it as it smells beautiful, I love the girly packaging and the way it makes your skin feeling thoroughly clean. I will definitely continue to repurchase as it's nearly empty now! Since starting to blog back in April I was well aware of the bloggers love surrounding the the Sugar Crush Body Scrub but never really caved in, well that was until a few weeks ago whilst picking up a Soap & Glory plumping lipgloss for my blog giveaway and there happened to be an offer in Boots across the whole range so I quickly snapped a pot up. Oh my....this smells absolutely heavenly I practically have to stop myself from trying to eat it! The brown sugar mixed with the lemon is just beautiful and my skin surely thanks me for this after using it. Plus it's a great exfoliator before applying self tan.

Skinetica* anti-blemish toner and skin care lotion

With having combination and a skin sufferer of acne I was kindly contacted by Skinetica to review this lotion and I'm pleased I was. I won't say too much as I will be reviewing it in full to see the long term difference to my skin but it's a lovely lotion you pop on a cotton pad and simply wipe over your problem areas, after applying your moisturiser. Or you can use it as a toner and after cleansing wipe it over your entire face. So far this has given my skin good things :)

 Origins overnight intensive mask

I've previously done a full review of this face mask but it has to be included in my favourites as with the colder days slipping in this has rescued my dry irritated skin, I love the softness this gives my face when I wake up and the lovely apricot scent is beautiful, I love this face mask.

Origins Ginzing Moisturiser

As a lot of you will know this is a beauty bloggers favourite and after getting fed up with applying makeup to dry tight skin I became determined to give this a try after hearing nothing but positive things. I'm so glad I did because this has completely changed the way my makeup looks after applying and my tightness and dryness are well and truly disappearing because of this. Plus it smells like Terry's chocolate orange, is a light gel formula but really sinks in to the skins layers. Also you don't have to hang around waiting for it to sink in before applying makeup as it only takes a minute...bonus!

Loreal Studio Secrets Primer

After becoming a bit annoyed that my all time favourite primer - Benefits Porefessional was suddenly flaking off my skin once trying to rub it in because of my awful dry skin I was looking in my makeup draw desperate to find any old primers I had to last me before I could buy another one, I came across this one which I used to use in my younger days. Now I know why I never chucked it out, this is amazing I love it and I know I will be repurchasing it soon when it's empty. It's a thick mousse like texture and just glides on lovely leaving my dry skin soft, smooth and a bit of a airbrushed feel to be honest. Definitely new holy grail product.

Soap & Glory Trick & Treatment

I stumbled across this in my old stash too and after applying it immediately wondered why this had taken a back seat in my collection. I think this is a perfect under eye concealer which brightens them and covers any dark circles. I can never seem to get the right shade of concealer to go under my eyes but this one is perfect which makes it look brighter and awake.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder in Medium Plus

Having a MAC obsession and a separate Mac wish list as long as my arm this had been on my to try list for quite some time. I hate powders that make you look cakey and too matte but this one is perfect, no matter how much you apply it never seems to build up too look cakey, it makes my makeup last all day too with it looking pretty much the same as when I left the house in the morning. It keeps shine at bay but still lets your skin breathe through so it looks natural. Separate review to come! I love it! 

Carmex

With the colder air coming I've been reaching for my trusted lip balm more frequently to keep my lips soft and prepared for when applying lipstick. I love it that much I have three of these pots at the moment for back up ha! It's cheap, does what it's meant too and lasts long with a nice scent.

So that's my September favourites, let me know if any of these are your favourites too! 

 

100 Bloglovin Follower Giveaway & A Big THANKYOU // NOW CLOSED

Hello beauties, ahhh I'm so excited to write this post, to be able to say A BIG THANKYOU to all my readers and the fact I have over 200 followers combined and over 100 on Bloglovin which may seem small to others but it is a HUGE deal to me and I can't thank you enough! I started blogging at the end of April this year and have absolutely loved it, I am obsessed with blogging and I am in my element being able to share my obsession with everyone ha :) I chose these prizes just so my giveaway would be a bit different to the standard MAC ones and just went into Boots and picked what I thought was lovely products.

I had always planned to do a giveaway when I got 100 Bloglovin followers, the winner will receive:

1 x Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

1 x Lee Stafford Treatment for hair that never grows past a certain length

1 x Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker lip plumping gloss in shade "Pink Apricot"

This giveaway will be open to UK followers only, sorry to any international followers but I wanted to keep it simple as it's my first one! My next one will be international.

I have paid for this giveaway with my own money and I hope you will like it!

  It will run for 2 weeks & you can enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the post & I will announce the winner by Twitter and Email the winner too

Prizes

There are a couple of things you must do to be eligible to enter, but once you've completed them you can pick whichever other options suit you. And remember, the more ways you enter, the more chance you have of being the winner! There are 10 entries per person available.

1. You must be following my blog via GFC and Bloglovin. If you're not I'm afraid your entries will be removed.

2. You must leave a blog comment. If you're not I'm afraid your entries will be removed.

Thankyou all for reading and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Skincare: Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

I've been using this product a lot over the past few weeks as my skin has been feeling so dry and irritated. I purchased it after hearing lots of rave reviews on different blogs and eventually caved in. I also bought the Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask too which you can read in a previous blog post. I had never tried any face masks before so I purposely only bought the small 50ml's on both these masks which were only £11 each, basically just in case I didn't like them. I wished I bought the 100ml now as I am totally in love with both of them!

This drink up intensive overnight mask is specifically for dry/dehydrated skin and you can use it twice a week or as desired, I have been using it 1-2 times per week. You apply a thick layer of this as the last step in your skincare routine before you go to bed and leave it on overnight. In the morning the mask has completely sunk into the skin leaving it soft, smooth and supple. It is an intense moisture replacement mask designed to deeply quench the skins thirst, making skin smoother and hydrated. It is a thick creamy consistency and you don't need to use a lot of this, just a 5p piece size. And it has the most gorgeous apricot smell to it which is divine.

I absolutely love using this at night and look forward to the nights that I am, and I use it as part of a little 'pamper night' routine where I make time to pop this on as well as a hair mask and paint my nails too. It without a doubt leaves the skin hydrated and really feels like it has totally sunk deep into the skin layers. I would definitely recommend this product to give your dry/dehydrated skin a boost, or even if you want that little bit extra care for your skin as I'm sure we all neglect it at some point, whether it's skipping cleansing routines or not applying moisturiser etc in a rush to work! You can pick yours up from the Origins website and it comes in either 50ml like this one for £11 or 100ml for £22, and currently Origins are offering free delivery too.

Have you tried this mask? What do you think?