Clinique Almost Bronzer SPF 15

I had to mention this lovely little product that I got during a bonus time ages ago. This is what's left of my precious little sample size:

And this is what you would get if you bought the actual size:

The website says:

'Sheer bronzing duo protects with broad-spectrum SPF 15. Versatile formula lets you customize and build your bronze from sun kissed to suntanned. Provides a natural look all-year round. Long-wearing. Oil free. For all skin types.'

This is bloody fantastic. I am not a huge bronzer fan simply because I just don't know how to use it. But because the duo is very soft, it goes not pretty subtle. I was given the sample in 'light/medium' and I thing its perfect for me. The little angled brush it came with it (it is different to the one in this pic), glides perfectly under my cheek bones to give it a subtle definition. The lighter one is a great highlight. I just think its great to wear at daytime for a natural, glowy and healthy effect. I use the colours individually or swirl both colours together - what ever takes my fancy on the day. 


I'm especially loving it at the moment because I've still got a tan from holiday and my foundation isn't matching so well. So a quick sweep of this over my face just warms me up. 


The full size is definitely on my wish list for when the next bonus time comes around. Plus it comes with spf 15 - what more could you want??!!

£22 for full size.

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Sometimes, I think loneliness is what I fear the most in the world. I can be surrounded by people, and yet I'm the loneliest person in the world.

People always seem happier, more content and settled than me. The advice I give to others, I never take. I think most people that meet me, like me. But none of them really know how jumbled my head is. I don't think I can be happy for too long - I just end up finding small faults to make me sad.

He has been in my thoughts a lot over the last few days. I even tried to think of scenarios to contact him. But luckily I found some inner strength and didn't. I do wonder whether he still thinks of me, and what he feels when he does. But the joke is, I don't even want him anymore so why am I wasting my time in these thoughts? Force of habit I guess - and it seems like I like being self destructive!

Maybe I am incapable of being loved as I am incapable of falling in love?

MAC multi purpose Creme Colour Base - Pink Shock

With flash:

 Without flash:

This is a permanent pro product which you can get for the Mac website or one of their pro stores (I think I picked mine up from the Carnaby Street branch). 


It is a:
'Versatile and multi-purpose, Cream Colour Base can be applied directly to bare skin, or layered over foundation, moisturizer, or powder. Smooth and easy to apply with a brush, sponge, or fingers-colour effects range from a light veil to highly dramatic, depending on method of application.'


I remember going with my cousin to the store, and we pottered around, swatching and giving ourselves a quick make over with the products. She picked up a whole bunch of things and I got jealous so started looking to see if there was anything I could use that I haven't already got. It was the colour in 'Madly Magenta' that initially caught my eye. But they didn't have a fresh one in stock, so I made-do with the 'Pink Shock'. And I haven't regretted it. 


The texture is really creamy blends on really well on the cheek. It's fine on the eyelids as a base but what I use it most for are the cheeks and lips. Considering the intensity of the colour, you'd think its something to wear on a party night. But I actually use it quite a lot in the day time. You just need to pick up a tiny amount on the brush (I use the 116 mac blush brush) and it blends out really well giving a doll-like effect on the cheeks. I also apply a small amount on the lips with a brush and I feel that it gives me an instant youthful pick-me-up. Although I do need to wear a lip gloss over it because it is a tad too drying for me after a little while. I love the way you can build the colour to make it subtle or completely dramatic. This is actually what I wore a lot in autumn to work and it wasn't too much and I honestly reach for it quite often. 


I love, love this and considering that it is multi purpose, its worth the money. 


One thing I should mention is that not all the cream colour bases are multi purpose. For example, some are not suitable for the eye or lip area. So make sure you ask at the store and read up on what you can use each colour for. I think it cost me about £12. 

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elemental herbology Deep Cleanse Summer Body Wash

A couple of friends got me this body wash (amongst other things) for my birthday recently, they picked it up from a Space NK branch. 

The packaging says:
"For a silky smooth, clear and calm complexion all summer long. Our sebum-quenching, ultra-smoothing, mineral-charged purifying body wash will help your skin regain its equilibrium"
It contains

• biodynamic algae (in think this means organic sea stuff) 
• green tea
• fruit enzymes (I think is what will make the skin look more 'glowy' on the surface

This wash costs £16 for 200ml from Space NK, and comes with a very good quality exfoliating mitt. It smells very herbal with fruity tones which will probably make it a pleasantly refreshing experience in the shower in the mornings. 

The whole philosophy of this brand is dedicated to botanical, mineral and marine products with anti-oxidants to help to help with the maintenance of healthy skin. 

The product itself has a gel like consistency which lathers up pretty well and a little goes a heck of a long way. I like showers gels because I can use it with my hands or on a pouf for a quick wash or I'll use a mitt or loofah for a deeper, scrub and exfoliation. So it ends up being multipurpose.


I gotta say, I'm really liking this. When I use it with the loofah, my body feels like it is getting a proper clean though, and it is also really massaging. I came out of the shower feeling really refreshed, squeaky clean and ready to combat another day in the polluted city air.

Since getting this, I've realised that I tend to neglect taking care of my body properly. I tried a bliss scrub once when I was staying at a friend's house, years ago, and I still remember how good my body felt. It is quite pricey, but if I cut back on buying lunches during the week, and start bringing food in from home, I may just be able to justify the luxury!


elemental herbology website
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What helps me sleep: Bach Rescue Night

I have had trouble having a decent night's sleep for years now. Its got worse over the last couple of years, where I've got only a few hours sleep a night. You can only get so many sleeping tablets from the doctor's and even then they prescribe as a last resort. Whenever I've gone on holidays abroad, one of the things I always look for is sleeping remedies (I know, its a wierd thing to bring back as a souvenir). I have usually found that although some work, I do end up feeling drowsy and groggy the next day.

A while ago, I spoke to an assistant at Holland & Barrett about my sleeping problems. Another assistant came over and the three of us had a right little conversation about it on the shop floor. They must have looked at my face and dark circles, and realised this poor lady really does need help! They suggested this:

It says that the:
"Rescue Night is a unique combination of the flower essences of Rock Rose, Impatiens, Clematis, Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum (Rescue) with White Chestnut to aid a natural night’s sleep."


It comes with a dropper and you just place a couple of drops on your tongue. This is definately the best natural sleeping remedy I have every tried (and trust me, I have tried a LOT in my life). When I use it, I get into bed, and just relax into good sleep. It doesn't always give me the recommended full 8 hours but what ever hours I do get, I find that it is solid sleep and just enough for my body. The best thing is, that I don't feel groggy and tired the next morning which means I don't get told off at work - hurrah!


Prices vary in shops, but I found it to be the cheapest in Holland & Barrett (£5.29 for 10ml)

Laura Mercier primer and powder

I was browsing around the beauty counters in Selfridges a while back, looking for a foundation primer and transulcent powder, and settled on the Laura Mercier ones. Firstly onto their primer:

I picked up their hydrating version (they also have a normal and oil-free one). As you can see from the picture above, it has a lotion texture to it but goes on transparent once applied. The website says:

• Specifically created for dehydrated and/or aging skin
• Nourishes the skin with a moisture-rich vitamin formula to soothe and refresh while conditioning the skin
• Holds water in the skin throughout the day, preventing it from evaporating
• Vitamins A, C and E act as antioxidants and protect the skin from harmful, aging effects of the environment
• Use alone without foundation to increase skin's brightness, luster and texture
• Cooling Foundation Primer - Hydrating in the refrigerator is refreshing for the skin & reduces puffiness

I use about a 20p size - which is quite a lot - and rub it on my palms and then smooth it across my face. I wait a couple of seconds for it to sink in and they apply my foundation/concealor. I have swatched the primer on the back of my hand, and applied a foundation lighter than my usual skin tone (my post holiday tan makes this foundation colour look crazy on me) so that it shows up on camera.

The stripe at the bottom it the one that has the Laura Mercier primer underneath whilst the top one is on its own. Without the primer, the foundation blends in much more better and smoother. But but then, I have found this to be the case for any primer I have used. I don't think it helps make my foundation last all day as it claims but it does help provide a brilliant smooth base to apply my make up. 

It costs an eye watering £27 for 50ml but it does work pretty well in the sense that it doesn't seem to suck out any of my natural oils at the end of the day (which can make my skin look very tired and dull when I take my make up off). So the ingredients must be doing their job. Also this tube has last me for well over 5 months. Considering the price especially, I don't think I will purchase it again unless there is sale or great deal going on. Actually, I'm not sure about primers in general. There is one more primer (that costs much less) I want to try after I finish this one and if this one does not work, I probably won't bother getting another primer again. Though the Clinique City Block alleges to be a primer, and this is something I tend to get every summer. 

The Transclucent pressed setting powder cost me £24 for 28oz, and will probably last me a lifetime (its hardly made a dent in the last six months and I use it all the time).

I LOVE this. I have never carried a face powder around with me before this. What it claims to do:

• Contains the highest quality French "Cashmere" Talc and a unique light-reflecting ingredient that creates a "soft-focus" on the face
• Increases the overall wear of makeup
• Controls unwanted shine without drying the skin
• Oil-free

And guess what, it does exactly that! I use it in the mornings with a kabuki or big powder brush to set my foundation. Then thoughout the day, I'll press on a small amount on my t-zones and it just  revitalises my make up look to make it look refreshed. 

I've applied the powder over both swatches of foundation, and you can see it helps the colours blend to my skintone better. I don't like using coloured powder in case I end up looking caked throughout the day. So this one is ideal for me, I'll certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a good quality translucent powder. It doesn't leave white powdery marks, it just does exactly what it claims to do.


I've tried other Laura Mercier products in the past, and overall I think the stuff is pretty good. I love the whole concept behind it, and I think I will start putting a bit of my wages aside every month to to invest in her products (I wanna try out some of the skincare line as well)!

Palmer's Olive Butter Formula with vitamin e

Just wanted to give a quick mention to these gems.

The lotion cost me a bargain £3.22 for 250ml at Superdrugs, and included a free concentrated version in a 1.7oz tube for hands, elbows, knees and feet. Here are some details from the lotion from the web:

"With Vitamin E. Organic Olive Oil for healthy skin. Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Made with Certified organic olive oil. Palmer's Olive Butter Formula™ has the power to transform your skin. Extra Virgin Olive Oil takes care of your skin three ways: Unique lipid structure moisturizes instantly. Loaded with antioxidants to keep skin youthful. Emulsifies on contact for superior skin smoothing. As this creamy lotion penetrates, skin immediately feels soothed and softened. Absorbs quickly and leaves skin visibly improved.

As my skin is quite dry (especially during the hot weather), it does not soak as easily into my body as it claims. However it is totally worth that extra little bit of effort. It leaves my body moisterised for the rest of the day, with a lingering fragrance which I love. I love this smell and sometimes will apply it to my hands just so that I can have a sniff of it! I've actually used nearly all this tube up. To demonstrate the thickness of the products, I have swatched them on my trusty arm. The bottom swatch is the concentrated cream, whilst the top one is the lotion......

Although they both do look thick, it doesn't leave my body feeling sticky or heavy as some lotions may do, and its packed with good stuff that I'm sure my skin will look better in the long run. In fact, it makes my skin feel fresh and more clean. Having said that, the smell may be a bit too overwhelming for some, but personally I love it, and it will probably be a staple product in my inventory for a long time.