Baylis and Harding – limited edition

Hi everyone

 

Baylis and Harding is a new brand I have been trying recently as I got a lot of it for Christmas. I have used there hand wash and hand moisturiser for a while now and I love the creamy texture of them and also that they come in so many different colours and fragrances you can coordinate them to your bathroom.

The set I talking about today is the Limited Edition Bayliss and Harding set I got for Christmas. I was lucky enough to get so many new toiletries for Christmas I’m still working my way through them.

Im really impressed with them, there is the Verbena and Chamomile Hand and Body Lotion, the BlackRaspberry and Fig Body Wash and the Peach, Poppy and Vanilla Shower Creme. 

The first product I have is the Black Rasberry and Fig Body Wash. This comes pours out the product in a jelly form and it’s also slightly pink which I love. It smells lovely, quite subtle but very much like Raspberries. I feel like I’m using this quite quickly because it is the jelly format so I’m trying to be more careful when pouring.

Next I have the Verbena and Chamomile Hand and Body Lotion. This doesn’t really have a smell that stands out do I really like it before work. It is also quite light and disappears into your skin so you can rub it in and put on your clothes on straight away. I’ve been using it as a body lotion as its too big to go in my bag but it would work great as a hand lotion also.

Finally is the Peach, Poppy and Vanilla Shower Creme, I love the different ingredients in this. The smell that stands out for me is Vanilla and as this is one of my favourite fragrances I’m really happy. It’s easier to use than the Body Wash as its less jelly like but it’s not pink so still deciding which is my favourite.

All in all I love these products and I love the packaging. It came in a lovely tin which you will have seen before as its now my make up case.

Thanks for reading

AKL

Hangover cures

Hay there everyone 

Now let me just put it out there that I am not a professional, I’m not reinventing the wheel and I am in no way claiming you will be as fresh as a daisy the next day but with New Years Eve in sight these are the things I will be doing before and after I partake in the celebrations.

Before

Drink water….. Doh

Now this is so obvious it’s ‘roll your eyes worthy’, however do you do it? It’s a bit hit and miss for me but when I don’t I massively regret it. So on Thursday I will be drinking water all day before my celebrations, I’m going to attempt to drink in between drinks (this is the bit where I fail normally) and I will be drinking a pint of water before I go to bed. This way I should hopefully limit the dehydrating affects of the alcohol.

Eat..again doh

Again so obvious but I’m very guilty of forgetting this bit as I get caught up in the moment. The best things to eat are food that have natural fats such as salmon and avocado and foods that stick to your stomach (that sounds a bit disgusting but it’s true) such as yogurt. For me I’m going to be going for salmon which I steam with lemon and then potatoes boiled then topped with pepper and a bit of butter. I’ve added the potatoes because I know they will fill me up. I might even be extra good and go with a yogurt to finish.

On the night

Choose your tipple

A lot of people say stick to the same drink all night which in certain cases I think is true but for me it depends on what you start off with. Personally I am very partial to a glass or 2 of prosecco but I know if I drink this all night I immediately regret it the next day as the bubbles give me the worst hangover. So I go for a prosecco to start off with and then move to something like a vodka and cranberry. I’m not sure if the cranberry hydrates me as much as the vodka dehydrates me but it certainly makes a difference to me.

After

Brush your teeth and take off your make up

You will never thank yourself enough for this step, it will take a lot of willpower but it’s so worth it. To make it easier get your toothbrush ready before you go and leave some make up wipes next to your bed. I don’t normally use wipes as they are a little harsh on my skin and I feel they drag but they are perfect if I’m feeling lazy but still want to remove my make up.

Get a good moisturiser

Normally I would class my skin as oily/combination but when I wake up after a few drinks there is only one description and that’s dry. I have a really good moisturiser which I shall be using which I have posted about before and that’s the Naturally Renewing night cream from Superdrug. It smells lovely and is perfect to get my skin back in order.

Get in some hangover food

Have something in the house to snack on the next day. For me that starts off with something plain like toast maybe with cheese or a spread to give it flavour of if I’m feeling up to it (meat free) sausages. Eggs are always a good choice as well as they contain some of the vitamins you loose when you have had a drink. Fruit and fruit juices are also a good option but I’m always a little weary as they could be a little harsh on your tummy. For me these is nothing better to drink that is cold and fizzy which is proberley not recommend but I will be treating myself to a fizzy drink and then moving to water and cordial after to rehydrate me. Finally coconut water, this is really hydrating and to be honest good with or without a hangover.

What are your best hangover cures and what do you do to prepare for a night out? Let me know.

Thank you for reading mine and I hope they help.

AKL

Mens skincare

Hi everyone

So something a bit different…. I’ve not talked about men’s skincare yet but as I have just brought my boyfriend some new skincare products now seemed like a good time.

I have a whole range of different brands here and they are all cruelty free so let’s dive in.

Firstly Lush and the ‘Cosmetic lad’, this product is particularly good for the male skin as it contain Lavender and Aloe Vera to calm the skin after shaving, it also contains anti redness and antioxidants. The smell is very fresh and while you would assume from the packaging it smells like lavender it is actually a fresher orange smell. I really like this and while it is aimed at men I might give it a go also.

Next is a brand neither me or my boyfriend had tried before, I purchased it specially due to it being a cruelty free brand and it is Bulldog. I brought him the Original Facewash, Original face scrub and the Original moisturiser. They also do a sensitive range which is blue. As well as being cruelty free Bulldog products dont contain parabens, sodium laureth sulfate, artificial colours or synthetic fragrances so it will do the job but not leave your skin feeling dry and sore.

The last product is from the Superdrug B. Range and it is the Charcoal face scrub. I choose this one as my boyfriend uses a charcoal face wash from another brand so thought this would be a good addition. Also I have used the B. Products so I know they are good products. I have ‘borrowed’ my boyfriends charcoal face wash before and it is fantastic for a one off deep clean but a bit harsh for everyday but as he will only use this a couple of times a week hopefully it will fit in nicely with his skincare routine.

Thanks for reading

AKL

Lush skincare and my favourite face moisturiser ever!

Hi everyone

So I’m talking Lush again and as you can tell from my posts I’m well stocked up on Lush right now.

This time it’s skincare that I’m talking about. These are all products that I’ve not tried before but I am very impressed with all of them and there is at least one that I will be using sparingly and most certainly repurchasing and that is the Vanishing Cream facial moisturiser.

Now I’ve only used this product over the last couple of day but I absolutely love it. It’s designed for oily skin and it is very light but does provide enough moisturiser. I am very prone to breakouts around my chin but after a couple of days using this my skin is clearer and smoother.

It contains lavender, neroli and geranium, it’s the lavender scent that comes through but it’s not overbearing. 

Then I have 2 lip products, the first one is Rose lollipop and even the name sounds good. It applies really well and is none sticky, not to mention the smell is amazing. The second is Passion Fruit and again it’s a lovely smooth texture. It does have a much stronger smell but still beautiful and I’m thinking this will be perfect for beach holidays.  

The final product is the RO’s Argan Body Conditioner. I’m looking forward to using this as it says to take it into the the bath or shower. I’ve used these type of in shower products before and really liked them but I’ve not had any since I went cruelty free. Also anything with Argan oil in is a winner in my book.

Thanks for reading.

AKL

Lush haircare

Hi everyone

Hope your all doing well, I’m back again with Lush (I just can’t help it). This time it’s haircare.

I have a shampoo and a conditioner to talk about so let start in the order of use with the Jersey Bounce shampoo. This is another Lush first for me as I’ve never tried a Lush shampoo before. I thought this product was a little weird as when I first opened it as the product has a rough texture like you would expect of a skin exfoliator not a shampoo, however this comes from the sea salt. Despite this I did really like this product as it made my scalp feel really clean, it felt like I was giving my hair a really good scrub. The smell is not one I would normally go for as it contains honey and lemon and these are the 2 stand out smells, I normally prefer a raspberry or strawberry smell but I would still give this a thumbs up.

Next it’s the R n B hair moisturiser and I actually got free sample of this when I brought another full size conditioner in the past so I knew I liked this product. It contains coconut oil and jojoba oil so it’s really moisturising and smells lovely. I have quite long hair so I tend to save this one for a day when I’m giving my hair a treat but I do notice the difference in the look and feel of my hair afterwards.

Let me know what your favourite hair products are and also any Lush recommendations. 

Thanks for reading

AKL

Lush haul

Hi again

I’m back with my new Lush products this time and I’m very excited to use these.  I’ve done the a obligatory poke my finger in and sniff but due to the fact that I was spoiled at Christmas I’ve not had the chance to use all of these yet.

So let’s start with the jellies and it has to be Santas Belly just because the name is great and also it has stars in. I’m a bit of a sucker for anything with sparkles or stars. It smells like apples and contains seaweed which is meant to brighten the skin. Having never used a lush jelly before I didn’t realise it has to be kept in the freezer so that it goes cold into the hot shower. I can’t wait to see how that feels, I might have to be feeling brave on my first icy go.

Next is 93,000 miles and this one is to revive tired and achy muscles, now I’ve go to admit I’m not one for the gym but I am going to save this for after a long day at work and I’m sure I will appreciate it.

Now on to the shower creams and gels and I’ve got The Olive Branch, The Comforter’ and Yuzu and Cocoa.

Let’s start with The Comforter mainly because it’s pink and like sparkles and stars I also love pink. It smells like berries and as it has been described as wrapping you in a warm hug it sounds perfect for winter.

The Olive Branch is next and unsurprisingly this smells like Olive oil, it’s not quite so appealing in colour but makes up for it in the fact that olive oil reminds me of summer (is that weird). As its designed to smooth and unwind this may be saved for a hectic day when I need to relax.

Finally is the Yuzu and Cocoa and again I really like the colour on this, it does kind of remind me of mustard though or piccalilli (if you know what that is) but it smells much better. This one although you wouldn’t think it from the colour it smells of chocolate orange. 

Thanks for reading.

AKL

Sunscreen……in January (almost)

Hello

I do realise that this is a bit random for the time of year given that I live in England and just in case you don’t know … it’s cold … But this was a really thoughtful gift so I had to share.

I got this as a gift from my boyfriend as we are going to Cape Verde in May for 2 weeks and this is the first holiday in the sun since I decided to buy cruelty free products. So this is the Lush Sesame Suntan Lotion. Its really creamy and has a really subtle smell. It’s factor 10 and I’m not sure if they do other factors as unless I’m going mad I can’t find it on the website so I’ll have to check this out when I next go to the store.

Roll on the summer and thanks for reading.

AKL

Dazzling with Magic & Sparkle

Hello everyone

Firstly, sorry for my disappearance over the last couple of weeks. Work has been more than a little stressful and I left work on Christmas Eve and hurtled straight into Christmas so I’ve spent virtually no time at home. I’m not complaining, I’ve had a lovely Christmas but it’s left little time for blogging. However I’m back and I have lots of goodies to talk about over the next few days, some I brought myself and some that are gifts. So here goes…..

With New Years Eve just 2 days away ive been looking for something a bit special to wear and so I was very happy to open this gift. This is the Marks and Spencer Dazzling Nail gift set and Cosmetic bag with lip gloss. 

The nail set comes with 3 different colours a bright pink, a bright orange and a gold glitter which works really well as a top coat on either of the other 2 colours to give them an extra bit of New Years Eve sparkle.

The cosmetic bag ( which actually seems to nice just to sit at home holding cosmetics) comes with a lip gloss in a pearly pink/nude colour and again a really good top coat on a brighter pink or nude lipstick. It’s goes on really smooth and not sticky like some glosses. This will most certainly be part of my New Years Eve make up kit.

On another note I have shopped in Marks and Spencer’s all my life (mainly the food section 🙂 but I’ve never thought of it as somewhere to buy my cosmetic from but it turns out this is the perfect place as there beauty products are cruelty free and have the Leaping bunny logo. So from now on I will be taking a detour on my way to the food hall.

Hope you have all had a fantastic Christmas and are looking forward to a happy New Year.

AKL

The best quick body bronzing products

Hi everyone

Hope you are all having a good week. We are smack bang in the middle of party season and sometimes you don’t always have time for a overnight tan so here are my favourite quick fix bronzes.

The first one is a brand called Jelly Pong Pong and all of there products are 100% cruelty free. The product I have is the Hawaiian bronzer and it’s a powder bronzer with its very own buff puff. It goes on like a face powder so really good for matching your neck and arms to your face if you haven’t had the time to tan. It’s not orange and you can keeping adding more until you get the right colour.

The second product is from Sanctuary and it’s liquid gold. It literally come out as a gold oil and smoothes on to your body leaving a sparkly affect when it hits the light. It’s perfect for your legs and actually sits well under the Hawaiian bronze. It’s perfect for the Christmas season.

Enjoy all your Christmas fun! 

AKL

Christmas sparkles

Hi everyone

So we are nearly at Christmas and I’ve got to be honest I do sometimes find Christmas itself a little stressful (maybe I’ll explain why in another post) however what I do love about Christmas is that it gives me a reason to add sparkles to everything! The first thing has to be my nails and I’ve found a great one this year, it’s the Barry M Nail paint.

It’s really thick so gives a really good coverage and so many sparkles. It come out on your nails a greeny blue colour with silvery bits. The only thing I would say is that’s it is a bit flaky after a few coats.

Also pictured is the Morrisons nail varnish remover which is also cruelty free and very cheap it’s a really good cheap basic. It’s gentle on my nails and doesn’t damage the the top layer

All in all a really ggood Christmas party duo!

Have a good one

AKL