''I feel like I really love Jamaica''

Hello All

Hope you're all well and are enjoying the 4 day weekend. Today seems to have been very pleasant here in the UK, although I hear Mr Weatherman 'rabbiting' on that this weather isn't here for long. So better make the most of it, folks! lol Anyway I thought I would share some snaps with you all of my quick trip to Jamaica from a couple of weeks ago. I didn't do anything tourist like this time as I had not long come back from my holiday there, but I took the chance to just explore the local surroundings and just chillout for the remaining few days after the funeral. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

 

 

Insect Repellents

Hello All

Sincere apologies it has been a while since I last posted. Some of you may be aware that I have recently just returned from Jamaica (again) as I had to attend the funeral of my Grandad, who passed away peacefully a few weeks ago. It was only 10+weeks ago I saw him whilst on holiday, and although he wasn't too well then I was hoping that he would pull through but God was ready to take him home. Anyway, I am now back and ready to blog again. The topic I thought I would blog about is something I always battle, fight with when ever I visit Jamaica, and that's mosquitoes/biting insects in general. https://slovenska-lekaren.com/red-viagra-na-predaj-bez-receptu/

 

Jamaica as many of you have seen from holiday brochures, TV adverts, family/friends photos is a beautiful island. Glorious sunshine, amazing food, great culture and etc. However the small 'annoying' downside is the biting insects which are an absolute pain in the 'freaking' derriere! When I was holiday back in Feb/March, I only escaped with just a few which I feel is down to a 'trick' my mum and I mastered. However this time I wasn't so lucky due to having to fly out so quick. 

If you've ever been observant you will see in supermarkets and highstreet stores, the holiday section is always fully stocked with insect repellent products; usually ranging from store brand to expensive brands, such as Jungle Formula. Now I won't lie these products sure do carry the price tag, but let me tell you they work! I decided to go a bit mad and just pick up a selection of products to try, as each of them all have something a little different.

Boots Repel Once Insect Repellent Lotion 60ml £7.95

My mum absolutely swears by this product and I can see why. This product comes in the form of a white lotion, which is quite thick in consistency, with a little bit going along way. I found the smell of this product to be quite strong but that soon wore off. I often applied this first thing in the morning (after my shower), and I found I didn't have to apply again until the evening time (2nd shower). Of course with the heat, my skin often got sweaty, or I got wet from going into the sea, but the product has great staying power and certainly does beat the biting insects. A trick my mum and I sussed was to start applying this product at least one week prior to travelling to your holiday destination. What my mum and I discovered, by doing this it actually enables the product to work into your skin, and by the time you get to your holiday destination the insects don't really bite. Of course, areas you miss/don't apply product, the insects will 'sniff' out and 'nip' you one. But on the whole, I found this product to be amazing. Will I be repurchasing? Absolutely.

Jungle Formula Maximum Insect Repellent Pump Spray 75ml £8.30

I remember my mum using this product on my brother and I when we were children, and back then it seemed to work. Jungle Formula is a few pennies more than the Boots own brand insect repellents and seems to be rather popular with many travellers. I did find this product to be quite effective in deterring the insects but I found it incredibly strong to the point where I was choking. It smells incredibly strong, although this does fade with time. I did find however due to its oily properties (deet), that it was best sprayed either into the palm of your hands or lightly onto the skin and then rubbed in well to the skin. In comparison to the Boots lotion, I did find myself applying this product a lot more during the day due to its not so good staying power. This is a good product but if I am being honest I don't think I'll be repurchasing this in a hurry!

 Jungle Formula Maximum Insect Repellent aerosol 75ml £8.15

As with the pump spray, this is exactly the same apart from in aerosol form. Again, found it very strong to the point of choking, and I often sprayed into my hands and rubbed on my skin. I did find this one however had a bit more staying power than the pump spray and it wasn't as oily. That aside, would I purchase it again? I'm not sure.

In a bid to try and prevent the bites from developing into blisters, and treat those that were sore and itchy, I picked up 2 products that would deal with both issues.

After Bite 14ml £3.99     Anthisan 25g £4.09

After Bite is a product my mum discovered in Boots a few years ago. This is a little pen which contains Ammonia (smelling salts), which biting insects do not like. Dab this on the affected area/bite, and it'll instantly vanish (no kidding). But the trick with this product is the minute you get a bite, you have to apply it in order for it to work. The pen contains 14ml which does last for quite sometime as all you're doing is dabbing the bite, and a little does go along way.

Anthisan is a cream raved about by many to soothe bites and stings. My mum use to use this and I decided to follow pursuit but if I am honest, it did absolutely nothing! If anything, I got more relief from Hydrocortisone cream or applying ice to the affected area!

Other products used:

Boots Repel Once Aerosol 125ml £9.25

Boots Repel Insect Repellent Pump Spray 120ml £7.25

Iodine (antiseptic)

 . .And there you have it! With the holiday season about to 'kick in', I hope many of you have found this blog post helpful in someway shape or form. I do urge you however to check you're up to date on your immunisations, and research holiday destinations for tropical areas with high risk of the following:

• Malaria.
• Yellow fever.
• Dengue fever.
• Other insect transmitted diseases. 

 If in doubt, seek medical advice from your Doctor's surgery.

Marks and Spencer 'Pure Natural Beauty' - Lip Balm

A few weeks ago I popped into Marks and Spencer and decided to have a little mooch around. I was given a £20 gift voucher for Christmas, but just didn't know what to spend it on. The clothes aren't really my cup of tea, so I thought I'd take a look in the Lingerie and Beauty department. At the time of visiting the store, there was some offer on the beauty products, and I thought I'd take advantage this. Obsessed with lip balms, the Pure Natural Beauty lip balm product caught my eye, and I instantly thought ''Hmmm, I have to buy it''. I hold my hands up I am a lip balm junkie. I have a whole basket full with lip balms, I didn't need this one, but I was intrigued by it.

Marks and Spencer 'Pure Natural Beauty' - Lip Balm 10g £5.00

''This ultra-soothing lip balm comforts, moisturises and conditions dry lips'' 

First impressions of this product it looks rather impressive; expensive with the cardboard outer packaging. The outer packaging has information on all four sides of the box, which I think is really good. However once you've opened the box there is more information about the product and the ingredients used to create the lipbalm. It is a very plain and not very eye catching product; I only saw this because something next to it was bright orange! The lip balm comes in a tiny pot, with screw on/off lid, which forces you to use your fingertips to apply. The lipbalm is not heavily scented but you get a slight tingle when applying due to the peppermint.
 

Having used the product for a few weeks I am 'sat on the fence' with this one. The smell of it is ok, the packaging is ok, but I just don't feel that the product itself provided enough moisture or soothed my lips. I often found myself reapplying within a few minutes after applying, and I just felt perhaps I was winning a losing battle!

As much as I wanted to love this lipbalm, unfortunately for me it's one that hasn't lived up to what it claimed to do.

Have you tried the Marks and Spencer lip balm?

 

REVIEW: Elemis Freshskin 'Make-up away cleansing wipes'

''Elemis make-up removing wipes are enriched with Elderflower extract and Chamomile, to gently sweep away impurities whilst softening and conditioning the skin. This formulation acts as a purifying cleanser and is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin''.

(Elemis, 2013)

Hello all

Hope you're having a good day?

Anyway back in March I blogged to you about the Elemis Freshskin set that I was fortune enough to win in a giveaway. I have gradually been ploughing my way through the products (I blogged about 3 of the products here), and today I bring you another review; 'Make-up away cleansing wipes'. 

I am very picky when it comes to make up removers due to sensitive skin. But after seeing the Freshskin set I received contained make up wipes, I was a little dubious as face wipes and I have a love/hate relationship. But I thought seeing as Elemis is a brand who have a very good reputation amongst many in the blogging community, I thought I would give them a try and see.

The wipes (like many on the highstreet) come in a packet, with a sticky self seal-able lid. The packet is bright purple and contains 25 wipes. The wipes themselves have a slight scent but are not overpowering. I went out a few weeks ago with just the basic make up products on my face; foundation, blusher and mascara. I figured this was a good opportunity to try the wipes and see how effective they really were at removing make up.

I used 2 x sheets in order to try and remove every single trace of make up. I did find however that mascara was very difficult to remove, which in the end I used a cleanser from another brand to remove it. I found after a while my skin felt sore and began to tingle which is a shame as I was hoping it would be gentle for my skin. That said, the wipes did contain sufficient product without being too heavily saturated to the point of having to 'wring' it out!

I know many say that make up wipes aren't good for the skin, which I have to agree as from my experience all they do is make my skin sore and tingle. But if you're after that quick wipe away product that takes your make up off in a 'jiffy' then this is the one. Although I perhaps wouldn't use it on a day to day basis, I'd be inclined to suggest a cleanser which is kind and gentle to skin.

Elemis Freshskin 'Make-up away cleansing wipes' are currently RRP £6.00.

Have you tried Elemis make up away cleansing wipes?

Monthly Wishlist #1

Hey Everybody

Hope you're all having a good week. The weekend is almost here - YAY, well kind of! Anyway I don't know about you but as of late I seem to be surfing the good ol internet and finding fabulous things which I instantly think ''I need/want''. Of course, towards the end of the month, I am always skint (standard), and with bills coming out of my ears, it's not always possible to go out and purchase everything I see. So I thought as an incentive to myself to save and get the items I'd like, I've decided to do a 'Monthly Wishlist' feature on my blog; showcasing items I'd like to own. So kicking off for May, here goes . . .

1. Oasis Colourblock Fit and Flare dress £60.00

I featured this dress on my 'All in One' blog post a few days ago, and I absolutely love it. I don't normally go for dresses of this style (don't know why), but for some reason I am in absolute awe with it. It's plain yet rather stylish and classic, which also makes for styling really easy (I think). The dress can either be worn to work or perhaps for social drinks at the end of your working day. However as with most Oasis items of clothing it is slightly pricey, but as with most items of clothing from Oasis the quality is amazing (I have jeans which I purchased 10+yrs ago from them, and they are still in a great condition). 

2. H&M Leather Court Shoes £40.00

I will be honest I did not spot these shoes originally, the beautiful @chicbeauty instagrammed these shoes, and immediately I thought ''I must have these''. The style of the shoe is unusual; the inner part is cut out, revealing your arch, the heel isn't too high and the best bit? They're leather. Leather shoes for me personally do my feet the world of good; I am able to mould my shoes and they last an incredibly long time. I just think these shoes are great for either work or an evening out.

3. MAC 'Ruby Woo' £14.00

I'm very fussy with lipsticks; I hate shades that are too dark or too bright. The MAC 'Ruby Woo' I know is a 'raved' about colour within the blogging community, and I can see why. It is a colour that will suit anybody regardless of skin tone, eye colour and etc. With its red blue undertone, I just love the shade it creates, making it distinctively different from many shades I have seen in the make up world.I did try to get this lipstick at Gatwick duty free in February, but was told ''Sold out'' which to be honest did not surprise me.

4. Dune 'Metallic Trim T-Bar Sandal £65.00

My beloved sandals broke on holiday (Mr Sea took them!) so I have come back to the UK sandals-less! I have since been on the prowl for a pair that are simple yet still have a bit of detailing without being OTT. I came across these gorgeous pair of sandals on the Dune website and I just think they are fabulous. Of course, there isn't really much to them but the diamante just give the sandals that bit of 'bling' without being too much or tacky. I also figured they can be worn as casual or perhaps part of an evening outfit if heels were a no go that particular day. However at £65 they are a 'wee' bit expensive, so I will be 'watching' for 'Mr Sale' . . .

5. Ted Baker 'Tezz' Skater Dress £129.00

Yellow is one of my favourite colours; it's bright, cheerful and makes me feel so happy. Tanya Burr instagrammed a picture of herself in this very same dress last week, and I instantly thought ''OMG love it''. I have a love/hate relationship with skater style dresses as the one's I have seen look gorgeous, yet they don't seem to be very accommodating for those who are tall (very very short)! Nevertheless, this dress certainly is on my list of 'need to purchase' albeit a little expensive.

6. Dune 'Calm' Ruched Vamp Peep Toe £69.00

I have had my eye on these shoes since last summer. Why haven't I purchased them? That am I afraid I can not answer lol Although peep toe shoes do tend to make my toes wince, Dune shoes I find incredibly comfortable. I think these shoes paired with perhaps a yellow top, white jeans, and these shoes would create a fabulous spring/summer casual look. 

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So there we go . . a selection of things I'd like to one day own. Of course there are lots more things I'd love to own, but for now I thought I'd show a select few items and save the others 'would likes' for another post.

What's on your wishlist?