28 January 2014

EXCLUSIVE | Cuticura Limited Edition Hand Gel - PRIMARK

lemon sherbet sugar candy cuticura hand gel primark

So how many of you have hand sanitiser somewhere at the bottom of your handbag? *hands go firmly up in the air*. I never use to bother with this stuff as I honestly thought it was a fad. But when the outbreak of Swine Flu many years ago was sweeping across the world, that is when I thought it was perhaps best I invested in a hand sanitiser. I never leave the house without it, especially if I am travelling or visiting places. Cuticura is usually a brand of hand sanitiser I happily invest in; as it's cheap, does the job well and is pretty effective in protecting me against nasties that are lurking about. However Cuticura are launching 2 limited edition hand gels exclusive to Primark; Lemon Sherbert and Sugar Candy. 

primark lemon sherbet cuticura hand gel

Lemon Sherbet* and Sugar Candy* Hand Gel both have the same anti bacterial properties which aid in combating germs which you really do not want to contract. However the scent for both hand gels are pretty good. Lemon Sherbet smells incredible; very refreshing, clean and smelling scrumptious. The fragrance is of course fresh lemon, with a hint of sugared vanilla. Sugar Candy on the other hand has a light aroma of pink grapefruit with sweet vanilla. Both hand gels leave hands feeling very soft and dry with no sticky residue. 

sugar candy primark hand gel cuticura

Lemon Sherbet* 50ml and Sugar Candy* 50ml RRP at £1 each which is a bargain to be honest, at keeping those hands germ free. Both will be available in Primark stores from 1st February 2014.

Do you carry hand sanitisr everywhere with you?


*PR Samples

27 January 2014

The Body Shop | Blackhead Remover

body shop blackhead remover

Whenever I mention that I suffer with blackheads, people turn their noses up at me, and look at me in disgust. *rolleyes*. It is not something that I ask for, or do I encourage, infact I do everything in my power to try and stop them from appearing on my face but it's just something I have to put up with. My method to get rid consists of facial steams once a week, with a squeeze of lemon in the hot water, and then extract with the aid of cotton buds. Some of the blackheads are quite stubborn, which can be quite painful to extract. However browsing in The Body Shop a few weeks ago I came across a Blackhead Remover. I figured seeing as I have had several episodes where I've struggled to remove blackheads, this I thought was a good tool to invest in.

Blackhead Removers are exactly what it says on the tin; it is a manual device that aids in the extraction of ghastly sighted blackheads from the skin. The device has 2 ends which are of different sizes, making it easy to extract the blackheads depending on its size. It is advised to best use this tool when the skin is warm and soft, using light pressure, making it very easy for the blackheads to 'glide' out, without much trauma to the skin. I have used this tool a few times and I have to say I am very impressed.

Before use, I always ensure my skin is warm, failure to do so, you risk causing trauma to the skin, and it can be very painful. If I forget to do a facial steam, I hop into the shower and let the steam in the bathroom do the work for me. Once I have finished steaming, I quickly start extracting with my remover as this for me is when they are less painful to remove. Once I have finished removing I clean the tool with an antiseptic product, and continue with my skincare routine as normal. Should I have any extractions that may bleed, adding pressure using a cotton bud will soon stop the bleeding.

Some people may argue that using this tool and method of extraction is a big no no for the skin. But in my opinion, if you are gentle, carry out sensible practices, I honestly do not see an issue with it. As a sufferer with blackheads, the pain that can be caused by these things and the appearance really is not something you want to be parading around for a number of weeks (trust me). The quicker you can extract, the better!

The Body Shop Blackhead Remover RRP £4.00 which some may say is really expensive for what it is. But the material used to create this tool is really strong and sturdy, durable for its use, and I can see it lasting for an incredibly long period of time. It's also very easy to clean, and light enough to carry around (if you're into extracting whilst on the go - personally I like to extract in the comfort of my own home!).

www.thebodyshop.co.uk

Have you ever used a Blackhead Remover? Or are you not a fan of such extraction?




PS: If you are unsure as to how this device actually works, simply Youtube it!


26 January 2014

NEW! Salcura Antiac Acne Range

salcura acne range

Hey Lovely People

How are you all? Hope you're all well. Cannot believe January is almost finished, how bonkers is that. But on the brighter side, the evenings are beginning to get lighter, and the temperature is starting to get a bit mild . . Spring is slowly en route . . ish! Anyway for the past month or so I have been 'road testing' a few products from a brand by the name of Salcura. I personally I had never heard of this brand so decided to do a bit of Googling to dicsover more.

Salcura is a brand that is packed with natural active ingredients, such as Sea Buckthorn, Manuka , Sandlewood oil, Tea Tree and Rosemary. The products are all free of Parabens, SLS, Steroids, Peroxides, Cortisones, Lanolin, and are not tasted on animals. Salcura has also been rated as one of the best acne products by Channel 4's Embarrassing Bodies. Salcura has a wide range of products, targeted at various conditions, such as Eczema, Psoriasis, Dermatitis, Rosacea, Urticaria, and of course Acne. 

The Acne range has 4 products, which are split into two categories; Daily and Activ. The Daily range is aimed towards ensuring the skin remains clear, with minimal light blemishing. And the Activ range is aimed at overcoming flare ups/persistent moderate/severe acne. 

The Acne range contains:

  • Daily Face Wipes
  • Daily Face Wash
  • Activ Liquid Spray
  • Activ Gel Serum
I have been trialling the above products for the past 4/5 weeks, and I now feel ready to provide a thorough review on each product.

Daily Face Wipes* £6.99/25 wipes
''Rich in natural goodness, this naturally active face wipes are perfect for 'on the go' maintenance of blemish free skin''

I have a love/hate relationship with face wipes; sometimes my skin doesn't mind them, and sometimes they are the most aggravating thing for my skin. But as these wipes are natural, gentle and friendly to skin, I decided to give them a go. The outer packaging is plain; with enough information to help the consumer. The wipes themselves are saturated in sufficient product enough to glide over the entire face, although the smell did remind me of some sort of cleaning product! That said, in terms of noticing any improvement on my skin, honestly? I noticed nothing! Often found the wipe to leave a slight sticky residue which made my skin feel 'clogged' and 'congested'. I can't say I will be using these again in a hurry, which is a shame.

Daily Face Wash* £8.49/150ml

salcura acne range daily wash
''The Salcura Antiac Face Wash forms part of the DAILY range and is for regular use - maintaining clear skin and reducing light blemishing''

Of all the products in the Acne range, this has to be my favourite! The outer packaging is pretty simple; clear, to the point with a reasonable amount of information about the product. The product itself smells amazing; very 'light' on the skin, with no lather, but with a thickish consistency that is pale orange in colour. After use, this left my skin feeling very clean; my skin did not feel sore or taut which some products have done in the past. Prior to using this product I had a zit on my cheek that I could not get rid of since September 2013 . . yep September 2013! I tried every single thing under the sun, but nothing shifted it. I've used this product for a few weeks, and bam, it's gone. I am simply blown away. I am now left with a blemish mark which I am hoping will gradually fade.

Activ Liquid Spray* £9.99/50ml; £14.99/100ml
salcura acne range activ range spray
 ''The Salcura Antiac Liquid Spray forms part of the ACTIV range and is for occasional use - bringing flare-ups under control''

As of late I have noticed that I am not really experiencing breakouts anymore, it's more the odd zit appears if I become stressed, overtired or run down. But during my teens, my skin was moderate/severe with acne breakouts; often being sore, tender to touch and just depressing to look at. This spray is primarily aimed at those with moderate/severe acne, and seeing as I do not suffer with this anymore, I have found it difficult to provide a thorough review. As usual, there is sufficient on the product packaging informing consumer as to what it aims to do. The smell of the spray is rather pleasant; fresh and clean, with no sticky residue. As for soothing and overcoming the breakout, unfortunately I cannot comment as I have not experienced a flare up/moderate to severe breakout. However should I experience such breakout during the year, I will definitely try this product and review again.

Activ Gel Serum* £8.99/15ml
salcura acne range activ gel serum
 ''Works by targeting stubborn spots, whiteheads and blackheads, with visible results in as little as FOUR hours''

When the odd 'pesky' zit raises its ugly head, I usually either tab TCP, Sudocrem or Origins Super Spot Remover on the offender, and by the following day its gone! However this gel serum claims to be able to provide results in 4 hours! That's a rather bold statement to make about a product, but as with everything I sample, I like to road test! The outer packaging doesn't have as much information as the other 3 products but has sufficient to give the consumer an idea as to what they are using. The tube is quite small at 15ml, however seeing as you only require a pea-sized amount, I guess this is an ample size tube. The product itself smells like a cleaning product. But once rubbed into the affected area, the smell subsides pretty quickly. As for visible results in 4 hours, unfortunately I did not see that on the zit I targeted with this serum! More like a few days of continuous use is when I started to see improvements, but it definitely wasn't instant! That side, although not an ''instant'' hit for me, I will continue to use it on zits as it's good enough to help aid the process of reducing those little blighters.

Out of the 4 products, I think the one I will definitely be investing in will be the Daily Face Wash; it seems to be maintaining my skin well and not drying out my skin which is a big winner for me. Ok, I still have blemish marks which over time will gradually fade with the use of my Cocoa butter stick.

If you're curious to try Salcura, but want to try before you buy you can order samples from the website. Or if you decide to buy full size, Salcura offer its customers a 30 day money back guarantee. If you don't like the product, return it and you'll get a full refund. How amazing is that?

If you are interested in finding out more about Salcura and the range, here's the website:
www.salcuraskincare.co.uk

Hope you've enjoyed this blog post.

*PR samples



19 January 2014

REVIEW: Casetagram & Giveaway


casetagram giveaway iphone 5s case personalised

I don't know about you, but I am obsessed with Instagram . . It is the first thing I check in the morning and when I get home from work. I truly believe pictures say a lot more than just words. It is also a great way to share your snaps with family and friends, and with Apps that enable you to edit, putting a different feel to your pictures, some can come out looking really lovely. Casetagram, which I am sure you have all heard of by now, are a company who produce personalised cases with your favourite Instagram pictures. Cases produced can be for either iPhone, iPad, Nexus, HTC, you name it, Casetagram can produce it. I have seen a fair few reviews buzzing around the community about these cases from Castagram, and having read one just before Christmas I instantly had to order.

casetagram giveaway iphone 5s case personalised

Casetagram enable its customers to order via 2 means; you can either produce your case from you phone, or you can place an order via the website. At first, I opted for the iPhone App, as I was on my phone at the time of viewing the review, and I thought it would be straight forward. It's very easy to use, however there were moments where it kept 'freezing' so in the end I ended up using my Laptop. As I have a white iPhone 5s, I opted to producing a case for my phone, selecting the 'Classic Snap, Frosty White'. There is the option to have black (charcoal), but I preferred the clear casing as I thought it matched my phone better. In terms of picture layout, there is a variety to choose from, however I opted for 'Le Corbusier', which has 4 big blocks, and 16 little squares. Personally, I preferred this layout as I wanted to ensure the pictures would not lose their quality, or become distorted upon production.

casetagram giveaway iphone 5s case personalised


Delivery can take between 10 - 20 days, longer if ordering during a busy period, i.e. Christmas. But to be honest, after receiving my case, the wait has been well worth it. Shipping is free worldwide too, although there is an option to use FedEx (at a fee) which guarantees delivery between 3 - 5 days. The case is well packaged, in its little box, with the Casetagram naming on the front and the case itself wrapped in black tissue paper for protection and presentation. Definitely a great gift idea for someone nearest and dearest to you. 

casetagram giveaway iphone 5s case personalised

As you can see the case is of high quality, and the pictures have come out extremely clear. I was worrying that the smaller block of pictures wouldn't come out very clear, but they have in fact shown up really well on the case. Selecting pictures I did find difficult as I have sooo many favourite moments/pictures which mean a lot to me. After much deliberation I whittled down my pictures to my close family, favourite moments in Jamaica, my Gran (RIP), and my close friends. Producing this case has made me realise that although my parents are 4000+ miles away, they are still with me everyday . .albeit on a mobile phone case! Even my mum wants a case now! 

casetagram giveaway iphone 5s case personalised

I absolutely love my case, so much so, I am going to order another for my iPad in the near future. The cost of the iPhone case is $39.95 (approx. £24), which to be honest is pretty reasonable, considering the labour, shipping costs. I ordered my case Christmas Eve, and I only just received it. However I appreciate that there was a backlog of orders due to christmas. But I honestly did not mind waiting, although I would encourage early ordering if you want to have it in time for a special occasion. 

Overall, from the ordering process to actually receiving the case, has been absolutely brilliant. Casetagram can be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

 I very rarely do giveaways on my blog, but when I do there's a reasoning behind it. Although things for me were a little quiet on the blogging front in 2013, I came across so many of you on twitter, who simply have been lovely to get to know and natter with. Many of you making me giggle from tweets, or conversations I have had with you. So I want to say thank you, and here's to another fab year. As a way of saying thank you . .Casetagram and I have teamed up together, and will be giving one lucky subscriber the chance to create their very own phone case.

Rules:
1. Please ensure you follow my blog via GFC. Failure to do so will result in your entry being removed

2. Ensure you comment below telling me what your most memorable moment of 2013 was .

This giveaway is Open Internationally, and will close on Friday 7th February 2014 23:59 GMT. Winner will be notified via email, so be sure to ensure to include your email address in the comments box below.

Thank you and Good Luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
*PR sample 

4 January 2014

''Nothing is impossible, you just have to work at it''

I am a bit late but . . .HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all. I hope you all had a fabulous New Years Eve and Day, and you celebrated bringing in the new year with your close family and friends. I honestly cannot believe how quickly 2013 went, like seriously.....time nowadays just seems to be flying by the older I get . .which is quite a scary thought. Eeeeeek! Anyway before you all huff and puff thinking ''Oh god, not another new year resolutions post'', I very rarely do these type of posts each year but thought this year I would go one step further and give you an insight into what ambitions I have for 2014 as well as my resolutions. If there is one valuable lesson I have learnt from my parents is ''you get out of life what you put in'', and that is such a true saying. Pointing the finger at others and blaming them for things that may not happen for you, is not the way to go, you are in control of your life, and it is up to you how you live it. With that in mind, my aspirations and goals for 2014 are based heavily around those thoughts. 

1. Grow in my career
Some of you may or may not know I work in Recruitment, and although it may sound quite boring to some I really do enjoy my role. I am fairly new to my area of work, but have my sights set on moving up the career ladder and into an industry I have dreamt of being apart of since I was a child. I am also doing a course related to my job in order to help me progress further with my career. When I was searching for a job, my Dad said to me ''Just bide your time until you get what you want . . '', and he was right. So although I am not quite there yet . . I will continue to strive for where I ideally want to be and continue to grow in my profession. 

2. Do more exercise
I know this is a cliche resolution which everyone has on their resolution list, but I feel although I am still Dancing, there is so much more I could be doing. I have a Wii fit which is sat in the corner of my living room gathering much dust *choke*, which has so much potential. I am also looking at doing a Pilates class (great for the body's centre core), to strengthen my back, correct my posture and regain my flexibility (gone are the days of doing the splits multi-ways). I'm not overweight, but I do like to remain healthy and I feel by reintroducing the Wii back into my life and doing a pilates class will certainly help to ensure I keep fit for 2014.

3. Travel
If money was no problem, I'd be jetting off all over the world. However Mr Lottery doesn't quite want to roll out my 6 numbers *prays one day*. Many of you know I visit Jamaica quite often due family, but this year I really want to try and visit one Europe country. It won't be extravagant (dreams of Monaco, one day), but I do want to start visiting a lot more places (other than Jamaica) before I settle down. 

4. Be Happy
At times when I feel rubbish I go through spells of feeling unhappy and miserable. This I try not to rub off on others as quite frankly it's not fair. But for 2014 I will aim to not let negativity get the better of me and remain upbeat, positive and happy. I usually find negative people can sometimes have an impact on me, which I normally 'eject' from my life, as quite honestly said individuals only drain you. 

5. Water, Water, Water
My resolution for 2013 was to ensure I drink sufficient water, and I am glad to say I think I managed to do this pretty well. I even purchased myself a water bottle, which as daft as that sounds, it has actually encouraged me to drink more (you can read about it here). Its not the most exciting thing to drink, but your body will thank you for it in the long run. I find nowadays if I don't consume sufficient water during the day I end up with a raging headache and pains in my kidneys.

6. Continue to build on Courage
Before I worked as a Receptionist at a Drs, I had no confidence whatsoever; I was shy, quiet and timid, wouldn't say boo to a ghost. But the 18 months I spent there was the best 18 months of my life. I learnt a lot about myself but also developing the skills to be confident and find courage. Having the balls (sorry for the expression there) to speak out especially to Drs was the most nerve wracking thing I had ever done, but the more I did it, the more I became confident I could find the courage to do it. With this new found courage, I have been able to take with me into my new job and be firm with Management. It is still a work in progress, something I work on by myself but I am getting there with it day by day. 

7. Blog, Blog Blog
My blogging in 2013 was somewhat a little quieter than I anticipated. With the struggle and determination to find paid employment, blogging kinda took a little back seat. However for the past few weeks I seem to have caught the bug whereby I am itching to blog; ideas are constantly buzzing around my head, I'm forever on twitter nattering with most, and I feel a real sense of enjoyment being part of the community. Although I am working full time and attending college, I am going to do my very best to have continuity on my blog throughout the year, with aspirations of continued growth.

 . . So there you have it . . a small but realistic set of aspirations and resolutions for 2014. I hope you have enjoyed reading the above and perhaps it has inspired you to set some resolutions/aspirations for 2014. If you have a resolutions post, please do feel free to link in the comment box below.



1 January 2014

REVIEW | Mary Kay Cosmetics


A few weeks ago I attended Clothes Show Live in Birmingham and if you don't already know with Platinum tickets and those who are granted press passes, you are given a complimentary goodie bag. The goodie bag wasn't brilliant, but I spotted 3 items from Mary Kay buried at the bottom of the bag.

Mary Kay is an American privately owned by direct sales company that sells cosmetics products directly to its consumers. Founded in 1963 it has since gone on to be one of the largest direct selling companies in the world, with a net profit of USD $2.9 billion (approximately GBP £1.7 billion). If I am honest, I had never heard of this company until a few years ago I was subscribed to one of those beauty boxes and received 2 'teeny weeny' sachets of foundation for dark skin. Of course, not sufficient to cover my entire face, I was impressed by what I had sampled (on my cheek) but at the time there was nowhere to buy the full size bottle of foundation. So to see items from Mary Kay in my goodie bag I was quite a surprise. As mentioned I had 3 items in my goodie bag, 1 being a pack of blotting sheets, but I wanted to concentrate this review on the cosmetics; TimeWise Foundation Primer and the TrueDimensions 'Wild About Pink' lipstick.


TimeWise Foundation Primer 29ml/£14.00


Primers were a product I never use to bother with whatsoever; I thought they were an unnecessary 'fad' to get make up lovers to spend more money. However when I switched my foundation from powder to liquid, I soon realised the benefits of using a primer. Primers, as many of you know are a great way at preparing the skin for the application of foundation, but also 'buffering' away those imperfections to ensure your foundation glides onto your skin smoothly and flawlessly. It also helps to ensure your makeup stays in place and doesn't slide off during the day.


I tried this a few weeks ago with my Chanel Perfection Lumiére and I was pretty impressed with how well my foundation looked. Usually I am reapplying foundation during the evening, but I applied once and that was it. My skin didn't feel or look sweaty (result), or oily (even better). A pea sized amount of this product goes along way to cover the entire face, or the areas you wish to concentrate on. The primer contains SPF 15, suitable for sensitive skin, lightweight and fragrance free. Although I do like the primer, at £14 for 29ml it is rather expensive, if used on a day to day basis. But on the plus side, it does ensure your foundation glides onto your skin well and provides a brilliant finish.


Time Dimensions 'Wild About Pink' Lipstick 3.3g/£14.00


I admit I am not usually one for bright pink lipsticks as they don't suit me, so when I saw the shade of this lipstick I wasn't too keen. However that said, I didn't want to completely 'write off' the shade entirely until I had a good look at it and had the chance to swatch/test it.

First impressions of the lipstick packaging - very impressive, with its silver casing etched with the Mary Kay branding, and a clear push up mechanism (not photographed) that enables you to see the lipstick shade (genius). The lipstick shade has good pigmentation with a satin finish but is a little too bright for me personally, but once teamed up with a nice reddish lipgloss, tones down the shade a little. The formula however is really lovely; buttery smooth texture which simply melts onto the lips, giving moisture. I did notice that once I removed the lipstick from my lips, it left a subtle stain which I also quite liked. 


Considering the cost for a lipstick from a well known brand, the price of this lipstick isn't bad. The formula and pigmentation is really good, the presentation of the product is amazing and so chic. There are currently 10 shades of lipsticks (including this one) in the True Dimensions range. There is however a slightly less fancy range of lipsticks which are only £2 cheaper, with over 20 shades to choose from.

Mary Kay cosmetics give the impression of being a luxurious alternative to Avon. From what I have trialled so far, I am quite impressed with them. However that said, I cannot cast said view amongst all the products sold by Mary Kay. Like Avon, you are able to order products through a Mary Kay representative, however I would 'cut out the middle man', and head straight to the website where you are now able to purchase the products and have delivered right to your front door! In terms of price(s), depending on what you are looking to purchase, some of the items I do feel are slightly expensive for what they are, i.e. primer, as I am pretty sure there is a cheaper alternative that gives the same results on the high street.

On the whole, Mary Kay products are of decent quality; not too expensive or too cheap. I will most likely purchase some lipsticks, but I think that will probably be it.


Will I be purchasing any of the above products? Primer  = probably not, Lipstick = yes (in  different shades).

Have you tried Mary Kay cosmetics before?

www.marykay.co.uk