February Favourites ’17

I’m not going to lie not only am I glad to see the back of February due to how incredibly shit it was, but I also struggled with my February favourites post this year. I couldn’t think of many products when I was planning this post a week ago but luckily as I sat down to write it, can of cider in hand (oh God…) I’ve seemingly remembered some stuff I have indeed loved this month. YAY!

• Imperial Leather Foamy Banana Shower Cream.

I LOVE this shower cream so much, so much so I have the bubble bath to go with it. I loved foamy banana sweets as a kid and I always remember my mom buying me some whenever we went into our local Woolworths… Oh good ol’ Woolworths eh? This shower cream smells just like them which makes me so happy! I just love the smell of bananas in general and sadly due to an allergy to them I can’t eat them. So things like this make me happier than they should. ANYWAY! Not only does this smell great but it leaves my skin feeling lovely and clean and smelling great. It also perks me up in the mornings if I need to be up at the crack of dawn for work. It’s a bargain at a £1 a bottle so if you fancy giving it a go you know you won’t break the bank buying one on a food shop.

• Reece’s Lip Balm.

I don’t know why but throughout February my lips have been covered in cold sores and blisters and been so damn sore and uncomfortable! I haven’t been able to wear any lipstick which sucked to be honest. But even when using Blistex products nothing was getting rid of the cold sores. I eventually bought a cold sore cream from Boots which helped but THEN another nasty massive cold sore appeared. FUCK! I didn’t know what it could be but when I started using this lip balm during work the cold sores just seemed to heal quicker. So not only was I comfortable, but my lips smelt and tasted amazing too! It just makes me laugh.

• Bath and Body Works Black Cherry Merlot PocketBac Hand Sanitizer.

This is on of the other Bath and Body Works items that my friend Sophi brought me back from America and it’s definitely my favourite item she brought me back! I have wanted to try this scent since it came out a couple of years ago but as of yet I haven’t been able to and oh my it has been worth the wait! It is such a warm and yummy smell, just like black cherries and reminds me of a black forest gateau. I’ll be sad when this runs out. I’m currently not going to pause writing this post to go look for more on eBay… Oh dear… 😛

• Moisturising Foot Socks.

I only have one of these to show off at the moment but at one point I had at least five of these lying around to use. You can pick these up pretty cheap from Body Care for a £1 each and you can pick up all sorts of types. Argan oil, tea tree, coconut, etc. I bought my mom loads of these and decided to get some for myself too. You pop your feet into them for 15-20 minutes and when you take them out your feet will feel soft and smooth. I keep my feet in them for at least an hour to make sure they’re as soft as they can possibly be. As someone who is on their feet constantly due to work these are a lovely treat once a week after a hot bath.

• Bath and Body Works Body Creams in Lavender & Honey and Cherry Blossom.

My friend Sophi went to America in November last year and she was lovely enough to bring me back some goodies from Bath and Body Works, including these body creams as well as a hand sanitizer I’m mentioning in this months favourites too. I’ve been using this as a hand cream instead of for my body and it finds it works really well and keeps my hands moisturised for a long time, although not as long as I would have hoped or wished. They both smell lovely, but my favourite of the two is the Lavender & Honey scent. It’s so refreshing yet comforting to smell. Can’t go wrong!

So now my beauty favourites are done, time to talk about the miscellaneous favourites of the month!

Favourite TV Show – The Last Leg

I know this show has been out for years but I only recently discovered it on YouTube through clips, the one added above caused me to cry with laughter. The show is just hilarious, witty and currently just rips the shit out of Donald Trump, which is always funny. 😛 I just love it and if you haven’t watched it before definitely give it a go! I’ve only watched series 1 and I’m currently up to date with series 10. I need to try and find the other series to watch online!

Another Favourite TV Show – Sex and The City

Sadly I don’t have a favourite film for this month so I decided to talk about another favourite TV show. I mentioned in a post recently about how I was watching Sex and The City again and I’m about a handful of episodes away from finishing the show for God knows how many times now. I re-watch the show at least once a year and every time I do I’m reminded of how much I love all the characters but how pissed off I get at the all too… Apart from Sam. 😛 Dane is watching it with me for the first time which has made me so happy! He’s actually really enjoyed it too which is nice. I’m going to put the films on for us at some point for us to watch.

Favourite Book – Your Lie in April

I know I mentioned this last month on my favourites but I would be lying if I said I was reading anything else other than this… Which I actually finished a few days ago. I haven’t been able to get enough of each volume and during my breaks at work I’ve read a whole book! I’m not even joking. So in a week I got 5 volumes read… Well I don’t know what to say about this manga other than I love it so damn much and it has fast turned into one of my favourite manga and anime series. I can’t really say much about it without ruining it but it’s a very sad story to be honest but with a positive ending which makes you think. I cried to be honest at the end. 😛 I wish it could have lasted a little longer but I’m glad with the way it finished.

Favourite Song – Duke Dumont – Ocean Drive

I discovered this song at the start of the year through a beauty guru on Instagram. She said what the song was in the posts description so I went to search for it on YouTube and here we are. It’s been out for nearly two years now and only now have I heard it! WHAT!? I do tell everyone how I don’t listen to chart music… This is evidence of that! It’s a catchy song which is very chilled sounding and reminds me of something from the 80’s. I love it so much and it’s always something I listen to whilst getting ready to go out and even when doing blog related work. 😛

Favourite Game – Pokemon Moon

 This game came out towards the end of 2016 and during February I actually picked it up and played it constantly! I hardly played it when it came out due to being busy with work, getting ready for Christmas and being an adult. 😛 BUT when I had time in February I picked it up every day when I got the chance. I haven’t finished it yet and I haven’t picked it up for about a week now… But I will… I will…

So those were my favourites for February! It was a long but at the same time quick month and I am so pleased it is done and dusted. I won’t state why but it was shit… Really shit… Stuff still is shit but it’ll get better. Well I hope anyway. 😛

What were your favourite things throughout February? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below!

Until next time take care all and here’s to a new month… and hopefully some better weather. 😛

November Favourites 2014

Christmas is just around the corner and as I say every favourites post, I can’t believe how fast the year has gone. To think in less than a months time it’ll be a New Year, Christmas will be over and I’ll be older.

November went by really quickly and it actually took me ages to try and think about what my favourites were throughout the month, as it just flashed by!

Eventually I came up with my ten favourites and here they are.

 

• Yankee Candle’s Simply Home Candle in Lemon Cream.

I’ve owned this candle for quite a while, but since having the house to myself the past two weeks, my boyfriend and I have been burning this loads as we love the smell and look how low down it is now! This was really cheap too from a market nearby where I live, only £6 and this is a medium jar, which usually retails for £9, so I did get it at a bargain. I haven’t seen this for sale in-store anywhere since buying it, which sucks as it smells delicious. It reminds me of lemon cake, most of all like the one you can get from Costa Coffee, which just smells lush! It’s a really strong candle too and when I first used to burn this I used to have to keep my window open as it used to give me a headache. I’ll definitely buy this again in the future, as well as one of the Simply Home candles again as they’re a great price and are actually Yankee Candles, but under a different name. They’re worth just as much as the Yankee Candles themselves. Check these out if you haven’t before.

• The Body Shop Glazed Apple Shower Gel.

I LOVE the Glazed Apple collection from The Body Shop this Christmas and I’ll really be sad to see this go at the end of the month. I love apple scents and this really does smell of fresh apples, but with a sweet scent too. My friend Mali over on her blog (link) reviewed this not long after it came out in October and described it as smelling like Hubba Bubba apple bubblegum and she’s so right! I love using this shower gel in the mornings before I head to university as I smell of it for a while before I leave the house and the fresh but sweet apple scent really does wake you up. It makes lots of lovely bubbles and a little bit of it goes a long way. My boyfriends been using this loads too and he loves it. I’ve also tried the hand cream from this collection and have literally just ordered the bubble bath too. I’m excited to try it out! I recommend picking up the Glazed Apple products as soon as possible as soon enough Christmas will be over and these will be coming off of the shelves too.

• Angel by Thierry Mugler EDP.

Sadly a few months back I ran out of my Angel and luckily I have a refillable bottle so it doesn’t cost me much to get my star bottle refilled if I want to. So for less than £30 my Dad was lovely enough to go and get it refilled for me and since then I’ve been using Angel once again. This is one of my favourite perfumes and has been since it came out in the early 90’s. My Mom used to wear this loads when I was a kid and because of it, the scent always reminds me of her. I love wearing this throughout the winter season as it’s such a warming scent and it lasts ages too so if I’m busy I don’t have to worry about topping it up every hour or so. If you’re thinking of getting this someone for Christmas, or even yourself definitely pick up the refill bottle! You save so much money in the long run.

• Dettol Moisturise Aloe Vera & Milk Protein Hand Wash.

The Dettol hand wash is back on my sink and boy have I missed it! I love the Dettol hand washes, they’re sure to clean your hands from bacteria, smell delicious and leave my hands feeling moisturised and lovely. This was on offer in Asda for just 95p, which I thought was great considering the Dettol hand washes are £1-£2 usually. This smells delicious and I can’t even describe the scent, other than fresh and like milk and honey. I’ll definitely be picking this up again as it’s made my hand lovely and soft, and not many hand washes out there does that to my hands.

• The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector.

I still own this hand cream and I have to just say how lovely it is! Since picking this up on my 24th at the start of the year it has done nothing but keep my hands soft. This is definitely one for autumn and winter as it’s a very thick hand cream that is designed for dry to very dry hands, which I suffer from terribly at this time due to my eczema. However, as of yet I haven’t had any problems (touch wood!) and I have a feeling it’s because of using this hand cream everyday. I got this for £5.00, instead of the full price of £11.00 and whilst it is expensive it really is worth the money! I recommend this and have written a review for it in the past (check that out here) and I will tell people to try this over and over again as it really is amazing and a real skin saver!

• Bath & Body Works Pocketbac Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel in Graham Cracker Marshmallow.

I love Bath & Body Works, but I hate that they aren’t available in this country, GRR! I usually pick up my Pocketbac’s from eBay and that is where I bought this one from. This hand sanitizer smells of yummy chocolate crackers and it really is delicious. As all Pocketbac’s the scent is really strong and lasts ages. I’m usually asked what perfume I’ve put on whenever I use this as it just smells THAT strong, never a bad thing. As well as that it keeps my hands germ free and clean throughout the day. I love using this in class as my lectures are due to start and it really is a treat to use. I always sniff my hands after use too and it really does smell yummy. If you like the sound of this just go and search for it on eBay, I’m sure you’ll find one on there somewhere.

• Carmex Lip Balm in Strawberry.

I’ve posted about this lip balm various times on my blog and even written about it in the past (which you can check out here) and once again it is rearing it’s strawberry scented head. I love using the original Carmex but as that is seeing it’s last days I have started to use the Strawberry one more. This smells lightly of Strawberries and you can taste it a little when you put it on the lips, but it isn’t anything major. This lip balm is gorgeous and a little bit of it goes a long way. I love using this alone and under lip products. My lips over the years have been dry and chapped throughout the winter season, but since discovering Carmex last summer my lips since have been lovely and soft… I do use other lip balms by the way! I find this one works nice underneath lip glosses but with lipsticks (depending on the formula) it doesn’t work as well if you don’t blot afterwards… But I often do this anyway. I’m going to try the cherry flavour when this has finished, can’t wait!

• Rimmel Glitter Bomb Top Coat in Bedazzle.

This was one of my more recent beauty purchases and it’s a gorgeous glitter top coat. I know I don’t need anymore make up products, I know this but who can deny something as lovely as this? This top coat is a dupe of OPI’s Polka.com nail lacquer and I’d wanted that nail polish for nearly two years, so the fact that I have bought a great dupe for over half the price isn’t bad. I need to post a review of these in the next few weeks before Christmas and New Year roll around, but this is such a great top coat to wear alone or over a nail polish colour. It has purple, blue and pink glitter running throughout and is really girly! Perfect for New Years parties and I can see me wearing this loads in December.

• Vaseline Lip Therapy with Aloe Vera.

Okay I want to start this by saying I don’t use this on my lips, I use it on my eyebrows… Yes I know that sounds weird but hear me out. I have HUGE eyebrows and without a gel or Vaseline to keep them looking neat and tidy they would be an unruly mess! I apply a little of this onto my eyebrows and then use an eyebrow/eyelash comb to smooth them down and make them look tidy and straight. I recommend this if you have thick eyebrows like I do, I wouldn’t wish to use a coloured gel on mine as they’re black so they can’t really become any darker than they are already. Plus Vaseline doesn’t cost much either, which makes my wallet happy.

• Maybelline Color Elixir Lip Lacquer in Raspberry Rhapsody.

I wrote a review (you can check that out here) about these when they first came out and ever since I’ve loved these and have been meaning to order some more for when I go on holiday in the New Year (which I’ll do after Christmas!) as they’re just such lovely shades. This is definitely one of my favourite shades as it’s a gorgeous purpley pink shade and looks beautiful on the lips, leaving a slight stain as well as keeping them moisturised and feeling great. I often opt for these if I’m not in the mood to wear a lipstick as they’re easy to apply and last ages so I don’t feel the need to reapply them often. If you haven’t tried these yet, get from under that rock you’re clearly hiding underneath and give these a go!

So those were my favourite products throughout November! I can’t believe it’s December already. Speaking of which, what do you all think of my new header? Christmassy huh?

What did you like using in November? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, take care all.

August Favourites 2014

It’s September… Really 2014, really? I know I say this every month and I think I always will but bloody hell is this year going quick! They say times goes fast when you’re having fun, but I wouldn’t say this year has been 100% fun… I’m going off subject now!

It was actually really hard to pick my favourites this month, I don’t know why!

• I Love… Cosmetics Hand Wash in Mango & Papaya.

I bought this on a whim as it was only a £1, I needed hand wash, and I rather like I Love… Cosmetics products. I’ve been using this for the past couple of weeks now and it’s a really lovely hand wash to use. It leaves your hands feeling lovely and soft, as well as smelling fresh and beautiful! I would definitely try their other hand washes and I’m sure I will be as soon as this one finishes. A little bit of this hand wash goes a long way, which is great! Try it whilst it’s on offer for a £1 in Boots!

• Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire EDP.

I’ve mentioned this perfume before in a previous favourites post and I still love it! During the cold and rainy weather this has been the scent that has really picked me up when I’ve been feeling a bit sluggish and bleh. I think this will definitely be my scent for autumn and winter this year, as it’s such a lovely warming scent and you can’t go wrong with that, eh? If you want to read more about it, check out this post.

• Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Shower Gel.

I LOVE this shower gel so as soon as some of my shower gels were finished up and thrown away, I was able to pull this out of my toiletries cupboard and pop it on the side of my shower/bath. This smells like key lime pie and due to the citrus scent of it, it really does wake you up when you use it, making it perfect for mornings when I feel really sluggish! I’ve worked a lot of early shifts at work throughout August so this really did help wake me up! I’ve already used quite a lot of this shower gel, which  is hardly surprising and as soon as it runs out, I’m sure I’ll pick up another bottle. You can read more about this here.

• The Body Shop Hand Cream in Coconut.

These are some of The Body Shop’s newest products and I was counting down the days until they came out in store to buy! I randomly popped into one of The Body Shop stores for a look and they had all the samples for their new hand creams out for people to look at and try, but they weren’t for sale. I asked when they would be out, as I was sure I read on a blog that they would be out in August, however I was told by the cashier that they wouldn’t be out until late September. So I let out a disappointed sigh and forgot about it. I randomly popped in for a look and they had them for sale, IN AUGUST! So I picked up Coconut and Strawberry and all I have been using when at home is the Coconut scent. It smells so beautiful and is really relaxing to sniff whilst snuggled up in bed. It leaves my hands gorgeous and soft and even my boyfriend has noticed how it has made my hands feel lovely! This and the Strawberry scent will be reviewed very VERY soon so keep your eyes peeled for it!

• Etude House Peel Off Base Coat.

Peel off base coats are now becoming something new that all nail polish wearers need, especially if you love wearing glitter nail polish! OPI have brought one out but at a high price, and one I don’t wish to pay for myself. SO to eBay I went (as I always do) and discovered that Etude House have a peel off base coat! So for £3.70 (including P&P) I bought this and it arrived pretty quickly too, as I ordered it from Korea. Since then this has been a staple of mine whenever I use glitter nail polish. I’ll be reviewing this in September as it just NEEDS to be spoken about in further detail.

• Bath & Body Works PocketBac in Crisp Morning Air.

This is one of the most beautiful PocketBac’s I have come to own and it’s all thanks to Hollie over at Eating Lipstick, who has recently posted quite a few Bath & Body Works haul videos over on her YouTube channel. She mentioned how beautiful Crisp Morning Air smelt and I knew I had to have it. SO I once again ventured over to eBay and found someone selling it for a good price, so I ordered it straight away and I couldn’t wait for it to arrive! When it finally did I was pleasantly surprised that I hadn’t ordered something that I may not like and it really does remind me of autumn. It has a lovely crisp warming scent to it, apples, cinnamon and just yummy goodness but not like a cake smell. It’s hard to describe but I recommend ordering it, or smelling it if you’re over the pond at the moment or soon. I wrote a post about hand sanitizers recently and this one was mentioned in that post, you can check that out here.

• Maybelline Baby Lips Electro Lip Balm in Berry Bomb.

Another month, another Baby Lips lip balm! This is by far my favourite out of the four I’ve tried! I had seen swatches of this online from bloggers from over the pond so when I heard that it was going to come out in the UK I was super excited! This is a gorgeous purple shade and smells delicious, like dark berries. The only flaw with this is that I’ve bought a shoddy lip balm as this rubs up the side of the tube and before I know it this will break soon, I’ll probably need to buy another one soon. ANYHOO! I love to use this over my purple lip products whilst at work and on the go. Even on its own this shows up really lovely and I really like it. I can see this being a staple, I keep it in my handbag all the time.

• Carmex Lip Balm in Strawberry (review here).

I’ve been using this a lot lately at home, due to the weather being on and off hot and then cold my lips have taken a turn for the worst and got really dry and sore and to be honest I think Carmex is what has helped them go back to being lovely and soft. This tastes vile mind, I won’t lie nothing like strawberry if you ask me and I much prefer the original due to that, however my original is now close to running out and I need to use this lip balm up anyway! This is alright to use underneath some lip products too, especially stains and lip crayons. I can’t wait to finish this mind so that I can try one of the other Carmex flavours, which include Cherry and Mint.

• elf Cosmetics Lip Exfoliator.

I read a review for this lip exfoliator a while ago and thought it sounded ideal! I ended up purchasing it as a treat and I’ve ended up being unsure of how I feel about it. It DOES work and leaves my lips feeling lovely and smooth, but at the same time the stick has actually gone a bit deformed in the tube, making it a little awkward to use. This isn’t a major issue mind! As I mentioned above my lips have been horribly dry during August so this and Carmex have both been lifesavers! If you’ve tried Lush’s lip scrub and found it was too fiddly to use then I recommend this for sure! I find the Lush lip scrubs are rubbish and too awkward to use, so this is much easier and tidier too.

• Collection Lip Butter in Perfect Plum.

I LOVE this lip crayon! I don’t think I’ve ever liked one as much as I do this one. My best friend and I whilst looking around the shops stumbled across these in Boots and we both decided to take up their 2 for £5 offer. I bought Perfect Plum, a near dupe of MAC Rebel and she picked up Vintage Rose. This is so creamy and smooth to apply to the lips and lasts ages too! It’s easy to apply too and doesn’t need sharpening, which makes it great to use on the go or at work. I recommend these to everyone and soon I’ll be writing a review for this as it’s too good not to share and talk about.

Wow I can’t believe it’s September! I’m actually really excited as August was a pretty crap month for me and this month I aim to sort my life out… Well try to anyway, and that’s all you can do!

What were your favourite products for August? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below.

Until next time take care all and happy September.

Germaphobe!

I am a germaphobe, I won’t deny that and I have been for a very long time, if not all my life. I remember as a child my Mom when she first bought hand sanitizer, I hated the stuff. She picked up from school one afternoon and said, “Now you don’t need any water or towels to use this stuff, you just squib a bit on your hand and rub until it’s dry.” So I did as she advised and it was rubbish (in my mind anyway!) and I ended up wiping it off with a baby wipe.

Since then I have learnt that this stuff is wonderful and over the years it’s only got better as companies and shops have brought out more and more different alternatives, aloe vera, moisturising, sensitive, and of course scented!

Scented are definitely my favourite and in the past year and a half I have come to have loads in my possession.

So I thought for today’s post I would write a huge post on which scented hand sanitizers I recommend! It’s really cold lately and with autumn and winter coldness comes plenty of flu and colds, as well as kids and students alike going back to educate themselves once again where germs and freshers flu are all over the place.

Keep yourself germ free with these gorgeously scented beauties!

I’m going to talk about the only bad one first, just to get it out-of-the-way. I bought this hand sanitizer thinking it would be great, as I’ve used Carex’s Strawberry Laces hand wash in the past and it smells gorgeous! However, this doesn’t even smell that much of strawberry, let alone strawberry laces! I’m rather disappointed with it to say the least and I know I won’t be buying it again. I keep one of these in my handbag as a spare for work and on the go, but I’d much rather use one of my The Body Shop ones instead as they actually smell strong! These aren’t worth the money if you’re expecting a strong scent like I was, however if you don’t like strong scents or even a strong alcohol scent then this will suit you down to the ground!

I LOVE The Body Shop’s hand sanitizers and whenever I pop into The Body Shop I usually pick one up to add to my collection, or even try out for the first time. I’ve tried them all now apart from mango and absinthe. I doubt I’ll try mango, as I’m not a fan of that scent myself but absinthe is definitely one I’ll be giving a go next! The ones above are Lemon, Satsuma, Coconut, Strawberry and Pink Grapefruit. Lemon was limited edition and is now no longer available, however if you look hard enough SOME The Body Shop stores will have the odd lemon scent available. I have seen some before in the best and next time I see one I may pick it up. These cost £2.50 each, but are often in deals such as 3 for 2, or even buy one get one 50% off. My favourite of the bunch depends on my mood, but possibly coconut if I don’t want something strong and strawberry if I want something stronger. These are amazing for the money and I always get compliments whenever I wear these at work, or on the go. These are well worth the money and I recommend you give them a go if you fancy updating how you cleanse your hands on the go.

Saving the best until last, these are ALLLLLL my PocketBac’s from Bath & Body Works. May I just add, I have never been over the pond to America, but eBay does that for me, as well as my friend Poppy being my PocketBac dealer!

eBay is amazing for products from Bath & Body Works, but sellers aren’t cheap with these and if you can find a bargain on there then I suggest snapping it up straight away. Whenever I find any on there that I would like and are just under or over £2.00, I make sure to pick them up as they often don’t come up that cheap.

As you can see I so far have thirteen, although three are finished with now. They’re all in the order of which I have obtained them and most of these I have bought myself off of eBay, but as I mentioned my friend Poppy brought me some back this year and being the awesome person she is, she’s going to bring me back some more later this year.

L-R: Party Animal Confetti Cake, Fresh Picked Strawberries and Zippy Fruit Punch (A light refreshment of sparkling fruit punch).

Party Animal Confetti Cake Review

Fresh Picked Strawberries Review

Zippy Fruit Punch Review

Starting off with the PocketBac’s I’ve used up! These are all lovely starter hand sanitizers to start off with and are all fruity scents and were lovely to have over the spring and summer months. Party Animal Confetti Cake is one of my first favourites and smells delicious, definitely good enough to eat! Zippy Fruit Punch wasn’t exactly the nicest scent in the world but it was good enough to keep by my bedside table. I picked up Fresh Picked Strawberries really cheap for just a £1.00, but since then I haven’t found any other PocketBac’s that cheap. 😦

L-R: Twisted Peppermint and Pink Sugarplum.

Twisted Peppermint Review

These are probably two of my favourite scents, and they’re also from the Christmas line. As far as I know these come out every year, but I do know that last year the labels design changed which is a shame as they aren’t as cute as these ones are for sure! Twisted Peppermint is definitely my favourite scent and due to that and the fact its limited edition I don’t use it all that often, only if I fancy it as a treat. Pink Sugarplum is gorgeous and one that is really nice to use to cheer you up on cold winter days. I need to get more of the PocketBac’s from the Christmas range!

L-R: I Love S’Mores, Mr Fox Sugar Maple (The sweet scent of sugar maple, like a perfect drizzle of syrup) and Crisp Morning Air (Breathe in the invigorating scent of mountain pine, fresh juniper and pear).

Some of my newest scents, as well as an old favourite! I Love S’Mores is a definite favourite and it came out last year for autumn, and sadly I don’t know if it will be coming back out this year. I have a feeling it won’t… Although they have brought out Graham Cracker Marshmallow recently, which I want to get. The next two are my most recent purchases and already firm favourites. I recently watched one of HollieEatsLipstick‘s videos on YouTube where she was talking and showing off what she had recently bought from Bath & Body Works, which included Crisp Morning Air. She sounded in love with this scent and I knew I had to find out for myself what all the fuss was about, and I’m glad I did! This reminds me of autumn for sure! Crisp apples show through this and it makes me really happy, I have to say. It also smells like fresh air, just as the scent says and is named after. I love this and I really do want to order more of these to last me through until the end of the year and autumn time. As well as that I have Mr Fox Sugar Maple, which reminds me of maple syrup you get on your breakfast pancakes in Frankie & Benny’s. It smells sugary and just amazing and like something I haven’t smelt for a very, VERY long time. My boyfriend loved this too and the scent lasted on my hands for ages.

L-R: Fresh Picked Garden Strawberries (Succulent scent of sun-warmed strawberries fresh from the vine), Fresh Picked Meyer Lemon (Fresh and clean meets the legendary sweetness of Meyer lemon in this sun-kissed scent), Strawberry Cheesecake, Caribbean Escape (Lightly scented with crushed raspberries, sweet strawberries and warm musk) and Beautiful Day (Lightly scented with sun-kissed apple, wild daisies & fresh pink peonies).

Finally I have some PocketBac’s that my friend Poppy brought me back from New York. It was lovely of her to get these for me and I didn’t even ask her to pick me up any scents in particular, she just went off what scents I have smelt and liked on our days out together. Let me tell you, she did very well! Garden Strawberries smells just like Fresh Picked Strawberries and is one I keep on my bed side table to use before I go to sleep. Meyer Lemon is a beautiful fresh citrus scent that I am saving for winter mornings to perk me up. Strawberry Cheesecake is by FAR my favourite of the bunch as not only does it smell like it says on the bottle but it also have glitter/shimmer running throughout, which makes a pleasant change and also looks super pretty and girly. Now with Caribbean Escape and Beautiful Day I didn’t actually know if I would like either scents or not, but I love these both more than the fruity scents! Caribbean Escape reminds me of holidays as a teen as I used to use a body spritz just like this, it smells creamy and like coconuts, which I adore! Beautiful Day reminds me of spring in my garden, it smells of fresh apples and cut grass, which as a hay fever sufferer you think I would hate but this is delightful and light, something I will enjoy using during autumn and winter to perk myself up.

So those are alllll my hand sanitizers, and Pocketbac’s mostly as you can see. If you have seen any you are interested in finding out more about, feel free to request a review (or two), I’ll be happy to write some up in the future.

Until next time, take care all! I’m shattered, need a cup of tea and some much-needed sleep. Have a great bank holiday Monday!

May Favourites 2014

Wow I can’t believe we’re already halfway through the year and this weekend I’ll be off to Bristol for mine and my boyfriends first anniversary together. I’m beyond excited!

Also I apologise that this post is all of a day late but I had a rather busy weekend and I sadly didn’t get time to get anything written down, apart from notes on which products would be featured on this post this month.

So let’s get on with it!

• Soap & Glory Hand Food Hand Cream.

I wrote about this hand cream a while ago on this post and since then I won’t lie, I hardly used it. It sat in my room being unused for months on end until recently I decided that I would keep it in my hand bag to use on the go and boy am I glad I did just that! This hand cream has the Soap & Glory pink scent to it, which is one I can tolerate in the body spray but not in their body products. This however isn’t so bad and has a lovely conditioning feel to it, I love to use it before I leave the house for work as well as when I’m out on the go as it absorbs quickly and isn’t greasy or sticky feeling so it won’t leave your hands feeling clammy. I recommend this if you want a good hand cream for your bag, this being said I probably won’t repurchase this just because I want to try something new when this is finished.

• Dettol Revitalise Hand Wash.

This was a random purchase during May and one I’m glad that I made! As regular readers will know I love my Dettol E45 hand wash and have always said I will never replace it, however I don’t think this counts as a “replacement” due to the fact it’s by Dettol too, it just doesn’t contain any E45. It only cost 99p from B&M and for that it really does keep my hands soft and smooth, as well as clean and smelling like pomegranate. Can’t go wrong really!

• Phillip Kingsley Flaky/Itchy Scalp Shampoo.

I love Phillip Kingsley’s shampoos and you can’t really go wrong with his products as they suit all hair types and do exactly what they say on the bottle. This one is the flaky/itchy scalp shampoo and whilst I don’t suffer from dandruff as much as I used to when I was younger, I do suffer from my hair getting greasy every few days so I like to try and tackle that with a good shampoo. This shampoo is amazing for that and since I started to use it my dandruff has pretty much disappeared and my hair feels soft and looks beautiful all day long after use. Not only does it leave my hair feeling and look good but it also leaves it smelling delicious as it has an apple scent to it! I love this shampoo so much and this huge bottle should last me ages too.

• Lady Million by Paco Rabbane.

A while ago over on a guest post I wrote for my friend Amy over at Von Dork I announced how I hated the smell of this perfume… I’ve kind of taken that back now as I’ve been using this perfume none stop for the duration May. Yes this does smell of fresh towels and clean bed sheets but that’s actually pretty nice, especially if you’re feeling a little down in the dumps and need a reminder of your nice warm bed. This was actually my Mom’s perfume but she wasn’t getting on with its scent and ended up giving it to me to try out. My boyfriend loves this perfume and when I say to him, “Hey help me pick out a perfume to wear.” he’ll usually pick this one. If I’m not feeling too well I won’t wear this as the powerful scent can give me a headache and a bit of an irritated throat, other than that I love it and it’s become my favourite perfume to throw in my bad so far this summer.

• Sure Maximum Protection Deodorant in Sensitive.

I’ve spoken time and time again of how much I love this deodorant but there is one reason why this is being featured on here this month, besides the fact that I love it anyway. As regular readers or even new readers will know I went to the Lake District with some friends during May and it was amazing! I also mentioned how we all climbed up a very tall mountain whilst we were there and without my deodorant I would have sweated loads, as well as being smelly and shown sweat patches on my t-shirt. Luckily this didn’t happen and if that isn’t some sort of marketing ploy then I don’t know what is! I love this deodorant and I wouldn’t go a day without using it.

• Maggie James Candle.

I have to first add that I don’t actually know the scent of this candle but when I’m sniffing it it does remind me of a latte, a caramel or a vanilla one, a sweet coffee anyway! I bought this from TK Maxx about a year ago and since then I’ve not burnt it all that much, due to neglecting it for my Yankee Candles. However whilst I had the house to myself I’ve been able to burn it, as well as the fact I decided it needed to start being used. It leaves a lovely strong scent behind, which doesn’t fade straight away after blowing it out either, which is always good. Although this is a strong candle it doesn’t leave you a headache or a dry throat, which is always good in my books! Apparently Maggie James do a lot of different scented candles, but where I do not know! I paid £3.99 for mine.

• Bath & Body Works PocketBac Hand Sanitizer in I Love S’Mores.

I love my PocketBac’s and I always make sure there is one by my bed, as well as in my hand bag for when I’m on the go and at the moment the one I seem to be reaching for the most is my favourite, I Love S’Mores. It’s such a yummy cake scent to it but not as strong as the cakey PocketBac scents, if that makes any sense! Sadly this was a limited edition one for autumn last year and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to find a replacement bottle of it on eBay somewhere, which is where I got this bottle from. As well as keeping my hands smelling gorgeous is leaves them lovely and clean, leaving me less worry about germs so I can concentrate more on how good my hand smell!

• Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Lip Balm.

An old favourite and one that’s come back around again for yet another favourites post. My lips have been  pretty dry this month and I don’t know if that is due to being poorly, using too many satin lipsticks on my lips or just the dramatic weather changes. I know there is only one lip balm that can save the day when my lips get really dry and sore and that’s this baby! It’s a thick formula that applies like butter and feels super moisturisng as well as smelling and tasting of chocolate. I had a cold sore at one point in May and this did really help soothe it and calm it down too. I’ve actually missed using it and since beginning to use it again I’ve been making a habit of using it for work.

• L’Oreal Paris Glam Shine Stain Splash in Milady.

This was a new purchase I made mid May and since buying it I have done nothing but wear it out, both day and night! It’s a gorgeous purple lip stain that can be applied light or heavy to get the type of purple you desire. It lasts ages on the lips so I’ve been able to wear this for work and not have to worry about applying anymore, same can be said about nights out and when I’ve been out in the day time with my boyfriend and friends. I’m going to be writing a huge review on this soon, I have the images ready and everything, I just need to get some better pictures of myself wearing it. If you’re after an affordable and gorgeous lip stain then try out one of these by L’Oreal as they’re really worth the money.

• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

I literally finished reading this book today and it has been one of my favourite reads for quite a while now. The film version of the book is one of my favourites and it always makes me cry when I watch it so I KNEW I had to buy the book to read and for £3.99 I knew I wasn’t exactly spending  fortune on it. I’m so glad I bought this as it was such an enjoyable read. I’ll be writing a full blog post about it because I just loved it so much. If you’ve watched the film version then I recommend you read the book as you’ll love it and if you’ve read the book but not watched the film because you’re worried you won’t like it, then I suggest you give it a go as the film is pretty great! Stephen Chbosky who wrote the book also directed the movie, so the film is pretty much how he pictured it to be. Definitely a good way to end May, such a lovely book!

So those were my favourites for May! I hope that June will be full of lovely summery things so when July comes along I hope to have lots and lots of lovely summery things to talk about with you all, if not a few new bits and pieces.

What were your favourites during May? Let me know in the comments!

So until next time take care all and see you soon!

Bath & Body Works PocketBac Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel in Zippy Fruit Punch – Review

It’s been a while since I last wrote a PocketBac review (April to be exact) and in the past month I’ve bought myself two more PocketBac’s to add to my somewhat growing collection.

My bottle of Fresh Picked Strawberries (review here) was due to run out and as I like to apply a scented hand sanitizer when I’m slobbed around my room and before I go to bed, I knew I was due to buy a new one. I ended up buying two and it sounds silly but I still have my Twisted Peppermint (review here) and Confetti Cake (review here) PocketBac’s left, infact still like new, but I don’t have the heart to use them as they’re both so hard to find at decent prices!

There are a few places on the internet where you can snap some PocketBac’s up for yourself, but my favourite place to buy them from is eBay, as some sellers on there sell them pretty cheap and if you can bid on them in an auction, you could get them for next to nothing!

So after having a look around for which PocketBac I wanted to order, I decided to buy two, Zippy Fruit Punch and Pink Sugarplum. I got them both for £2.35 each with free P&P, which I thought was great considering one of them is a limited edition product for Christmas.

Zippy Fruit Punch Lightly scented with sparkling fruit punch

I decided to pick up Zippy Fruit Punch because it sounded fruity and the sort of scent I wanted to use whilst around the house, plus the zebra on the picture looked rather cute. The scent reminds me of a tropical drink I would have had as a child during the summer, or something alcoholic I would have as a cocktail now.

As far as I know this is in Bath & Body Works permanent range, but I do think it’s a new product as I’ve only recently seen it being advertised on eBay sellers stores. It’s more of a summer scent than an all year scent though.

I love fruity smells in pretty much anything and I haven’t really picked up any tropical smelling things lately so I thought I would enjoy this. It’s really nice and reminds me of hot summer days due to the fresh and exotic fruit notes you get when sniffing this on your hands after use.

This is ideal for children due to the lovely scent, as well as the cute packaging, which I really do love about these hand sanitizers! You can pop one in a little ones pocket and feel ensured that they’ll use it just to smell the yummy scent it leaves behind.

The gel is dark red in the tube and stays that colour when put onto the skin/onto your hands and contains dark blue beads that pop and disappear when rubbed into the skin.

This doesn’t last as long as some of my PocketBac’s do, but it lasts long enough for my liking. I can pop some on before I sleep and when I wake up a few hours later to go to the toilet or get some water my hands will still smell slightly.

You can buy an adorable Zebra PocketBac holder to keep your hand sanitizer in, but sadly you can’t get anymore products with this same scent.

Pocketbac’s only contain 68% alcohol and also contain Tahitian Palm Milk, which helps soothe and soften hands. Normal hand sanitizers usually dry out the skin due to their high alcohol percentage and as my eczema is playing up again I could do with a hand sanitizer that doesn’t dry my skin out anymore than the weather is doing already.

For your money you get 29ml of product, which will last ages when you only need a 5 pence or 20 pence piece worth to do a good job. I’ve owned this PocketBac for well over a month now and it’s lasting me quite a while for something I use quite a lot.

These aren’t available in the UK as easily as they are in the USA, which is where they originate from. They usually sell over the pond for $1.75 each or 5 for $5! Bargain eh? You can pick up good deals on eBay, so keep your eyes peeled for those, especially when Halloween and Christmas limited editions come out!

Even though I love it, I don’t think I would buy it again in as much hurry as the other two Pocketbac’s I own. I have loads of scents I want to try yet and I think once this is near to running out, I’ll order myself something new to try. 🙂

If you haven’t yet tried PocketBac’s and you like hand sanitizers as much as I do then I recommend you try at least one PocketBac, they’re really worth the money and come in a large array of scents that will suite everyone.

You can pick them up at bathandbodyshop.co.uk or you can just search for them on eBay, as I mentioned earlier, which is also where I picked this one up from, as I also mentioned earlier.

I hope you enjoyed this review, I know I’ve been meaning to write it for a couple of weeks now!

If you have any questions about Pocketbac’s, feel free to leave them down in the comments for me.

Will you be buying any soon? Or if you own any, which scents do you have? Let me know in the comments down below!

Keep eyes peeled for another PocketBac review new week! Until then, take care all and see you soon.

September Empties

Another month that has passed us by means another empties post is written up and published on my blog.

I didn’t use up a great deal in September, although it feels like I used a lot more… Odd…

On with the empties post!

• Sanex Sensitive Skin Shower Cream.

This was bought for me by my Mom when she noticed the skin on the tops of my arms was looking a little dry and unloved. I wouldn’t say this shower cream was the most amazing I’ve tried but it’s really nice to use on the skin when you want to get your skin back to how it should be naturally. It contains “dermo active 3” which adds protection, moisturisation and rebalance. This did leave my skin feeling soft and smooth but was only something I used if I was quickly going to work, as this  has no scent to it, and I like getting out of my shower with a slight smell in the air, if you know what I mean? This foams up REALLY well though and it feels lovely due to it, but eventually I used this up in my bath and even though it was meant to be a cream for the shower, it worked lovely as a bath cream too.

• Colgate Plax Complete Care Sensitive Mouthwash.

This mouthwash has been mentioned in two separate empties posts (here and here) as well as in a favourites post. I really like using this mouthwash as it does the job, helps out my sensitive teeth and doesn’t break the bank either! I always buy this, only not buying it if I’m in the need for mouthwash and can’t find this one, or if I’m not able to afford it, which has been the case at the moment as I am very poor. If you wish to know more about this mouthwash go and check out my previous posts linked above, as everything you will need to know about it, is there.

• Liz Earle Botanical Shine Conditioner For Fine Or Oily Hair.

My Mom bought me this a while ago to try and encourage me to condition my hair, as since I was a teenager all conditioning my hair has done is make it greasy and limp, however this isn’t the case with this conditioner. I don’t apply this to the top of my head, just the ends and above, the top of my head doesn’t need conditioning to be perfectly honest. This conditioner is light weight, smells of oranges and lemons and rinses off easily by just keeping my head under the shower for a maximum of 5 or so minutes. I really like this conditioner and whilst is isn’t the cheapest it lasts ages and does a better job than anything Boots could sell you. I’ve already started to use my second tube of this and I’m getting ready to buy myself some more, just so I’m ready when I run out on this tube.

• Garnier Moisture Match Revitalising Moisturising Gel in Wake me Up.

This was mentioned back in my June Favourites, which is when I first bought this moisturiser. I really liked using this and I’m sad it’s all gone now. I bought this to try after my Clinique Moisturising Gel ran out and I have to say, it was a nice little replacement for the meantime. I would re purchase this but I do really want to get back into using my Clinique 3 Step, so my Moisturising Gel will be my next purchase me thinks. This gel was lovely and light on the skin and did indeed make my skin look and appear brighter, which I really liked. This is something that would be ideal for the cold autumn and winter months when you skin looks a little dry and dull, but that being said this is also great for the hot spring and summer months as this being a gel really does cool your skin down. It smells really nice too. I probably will re purchase this actually, but only to use when I go traveling as whilst the tube is small, it clearly lasts ages, or in my case nearly 4 months.

• Bath & Body Works Pocketbac Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel in Fresh Picked Strawberries.

I’m sad to see this all used up, but at the same time I’m rather glad. At first I didn’t get on with the smell of this at all as it was really strong and often gave me headaches. I used to use it in my old job in the mornings and I got a mixture of complaints from staff of how strong it was ad compliments from customers how lovely it smelt, some even asking where I bought it from. In the end I kept this next to my bed to pop on before I went to sleep and the strawberry scent was somewhat relaxing after a while. I’m going to keep the little bottle to put normal hand sanitizer in so I can pop this in my apron pocket at work. I wrote a review for this back in April which you check out here. 🙂

• Montagne Jeunesse Tea Tree Face Spa Face Mask.

I love Montagne Jeunesse’s face masks and as I’ve recently discovered the sheet masks, I’ve been using them quite a bit lately. The Tea Tree one is amazing and left my skin lovely and soft, as well as blemish free for a couple of days after use. When I opened the packet I was expecting a really strong tea tree smell but I was greeted with a pleasant light scent of tea tree, which I really liked. I popped the mask on, left it for 15 minutes (even though the packet says 5-10 minutes) and when I took it off my skin looked fresh and felt tingly and clean. It also felt cooling, which I thought was odd but all the same a very nice feeling. I’m going to be stocking up on these face masks and I hope to find more versions of them too, as two isn’t enough for my liking. I’ll be writing up reviews for these in the very near future!

So those were my empties from September, it wasn’t a whole lot but never mind!

What did you use up during September? Let me know in the comments down below.

Until next time, take care all and I hope your October if going off to a good start already.

August Favourites

Really August, really? You’ve already come and gone in the blink of an eye and now it’s September, one of my favourite months of the year and boy, is it going to be an exciting one!

To think in July’s favourites I was excited to starting university this month and now I’m not even going to university anymore. Shame I guess, but it isn’t something to be rushed into and it was certainly planned too late.

I loved quite a few things in August and as usual at the start of each month, I share them with you all.

• Hidden Passion Eau De Parfum,

This is by far the cheapest perfume I have ever bought, but for what it is it does a good job for work. It cost me 99p from a Pound Shop and if it wasn’t for my friend Jacqui taking me in there to have a sniff, I wouldn’t have bought it, which she bought a bottle of too. It smells like a lighter version of Jean Paul Gautier Classique EDT, which I really like but can’t afford to buy. This doesn’t last that long when sprayed on, but I don’t expect it to for how much I paid, but I like to use this whilst at work as I work around food and drink and wouldn’t want to taint the customers orders with my perfume. This stays in my handbag all the time and as it’s a 75ml bottle it will last me absolutely ages, which I like. I never thought I would buy a 99p perfume but it really is ideal for work and has replaced my body spray.

• Possibility Peppermint Ice Cream Ultra Rich Shower Gel, Shampoo, & Bubble Bath.

I’ve mentioned a couple of Possibility products (Orange Cupcake here and here and Raspberry Pavlova here) on my blog before and I’ve loved using them all. I found this in Home Bargains for less than a £1.00 and snapped it up quickly. It smells just like mint humbugs and reminds me of Christmas and the Twinings Tea that we sell at work. It lathers up really well and leaves your skin feeling tingly and fresh, which is really nice as it makes me feel clean. I’ve been using this to shave with and it’s really nice to use, just like Orange Cupcake was too. Time and time again I have recommended the Possibility products on here as well as to friends and I know I’ll continue to do so.

• Garnier Hand Intensive 7 Days SOS-Repair Hand Cream in Dry To Extra-Dry Hands.

My eczema is getting rather bad at the moment due to the change in weather as well as constantly washing my hands at work. I’ve mentioned this before in a monthly favourites here and have been using this product for a year now. It’s really good and lasts ages and I have to keep one in my handbag at all times, as well as in my room for use before I go out. It’s really good for getting rid of my dry skin and is something I use alongside my eczema steroid cream, which I need to get more of from my doctor soon as I’ve run out. I recommend this hand cream to everyone as it doesn’t cost that much and a little bit goes a long way so it lasts ages!

• Outspoken Intense EDP by Fergie.

I got this little sample of Outspoken about a year ago when I bought Outspoken by Fergie, which I really liked. This smells really nice and as it’s in a little dab bottle I like to pop a bit of this on my neck, wrists and behind my knees before I go out. I wouldn’t carry it around with me as I’d worry that the lid would fall off and leak in my bag. This is really nice though and I’d be tempted to buy myself a full size version of this if it is still available to buy.

• Original Source Shower Gel in Lemon & Tea Tree.

I bought this little travel version of the full size shower gel to take with me whenever I go to visit my boyfriend to use in the shower, as I was feeling bad for using his shower gel. However this has just ended up on the side of my bath as it’s so delicious and I’ll soon be buying the huge version of this. Remember the yellow medicine you had as a kid and how amazing it smelt? This smells JUST LIKE THAT and also like lemon pie, which I love. I can’t get enough of it and thus cannot wait to get my full size version of this. I’m going to see if they sell a hand wash and shampoo version of this, as I would love my hands and hair to smell of it too. It lathers up beautifully and leaves my skin smelling gorgeous and feeling soft.

• Bath & Body Works PocketBac in Fresh Picked Strawberries.

I’ve written a review for this product before which you can find here and for a while I stopped using this product and my two other PocketBac’s because I had no money to replace them and wanted to save them for when I did have money to replace them with. I still don’t have the money to replace them with but I know I don’t want them to sit in my drawer rotting away, so best to use them. I like using this one when I’m out and about, occasionally at work and whilst I’m in the house when I fancy the nice strawberry scent. I love the PocketBac’s and I really want to add more of these to my growing collection as they’re lovely. They smell really strong, last ages on the skin and of course keep germs away!

• Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch & Mint Fresh.

Since these came out in the UK and I got them in my mitts I’ve used nothing else but these! Mint Fresh is all I use when I’m at home as it goes onto the lips really easy and is small enough to fit into my pocket and I use Pink Punch at work so that I can keep my lips really soft as well as have the lovely bubblegum pink tint too as I don’t feel confident enough to wear my lipsticks at my job yet. Full reviews of these here for Mint Fresh and here for Pink Punch. I’ll be re-purchasing both of these again in future already as well as the other versions of the Baby Lips.

• Rockstar Super Sours Energy Drink in Green Apple.

Not a beauty related product but I love this stuff and as the shop down the road from me sells this and the shop down the road from work too, I can often can be found drinking a can of this to get my sugar levels back up.

So those were my favourites for August, I loved everything and I can’t wait to see what products will be here next month. I’m really excited for September!

So what products did you enjoy using throughout August? Let me know in the comments down below.

Until next time, take care and talk soon!