One, Two, Three, Sleep Skincare Routine

I feel like I've mentioned it before, and I'll very likely say it another hundred times, but I love my bed and making things as simple as possible so that I can stay in longer/get into it sooner.

Re-building my skincare stash

Since January I've been doing that thing we all talk about doing but then never actually end up doing; using up all the products I have before buying new ones.

Lazy Girl Beauty Must Haves

We've all had a case of the CBA's and for many it's a daily occurrence. Well, if you're one of these people. This post is for you.

Here are my three favourite things that I think every lazy girl needs.

1) Orgins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask - So for those evenings where the thought of a fully blown skincare routine leaves you edging towards sleeping in your make-up, use this guy. All you need to do is get the make-up off, give your face a wash and slap this on. (Then fall into bed.) You'll wake up with nice hydrated skin and a feeling of getting an extra five minutes sleep.

2) Bourjois Quick Dry Polish - If you're like me and love having painted nails but hate the process of doing it, then this guy is a life saver. Paint your nails in the colour of your choice, plop a drop of this on and your nails will be dry in about 2 minutes. It's perfect.

3) Batiste Dry Shampoo - I'm sure you've heard of this, and it's a morning lifesaver. Washing your hair can be a right chore, and an arm ache too if it's long. Sometimes you need to eek it out an extra day before washing and this is your guy. When it comes to dry shampoo, Batiste is the only way to go.

What are your lazy beauty faves?

Skincare: Favourite Budget Buys

Over the last couple of months I've been really good and have actually been using what I already have, rather than buying new things. I know, it's a novel concept purely driven by the fact Jan/Feb were very tight months.

In that time I've used products that I couldn't wait to get to the end of, and found products that made me think, ah, maybe I don't need to drop £50 for a can basically filled with water to spritz on my face. Here are three of the products I've used that are budget friendly, and actually good!

Good Things Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser - This has been the only cleanser I've been using since I left my Origins cleanser in a Travel Lodge in London back in November (sob!) It's a nice mixture of thick without being to heavy and light whilst still being moisturising. It smells lovely, which we all know is important and is a pleasure to use. A good morning and evening cleanser.

Clearasil Superfruits Refreshing Pads - Caroline Hirons recommended these so of course they're going to be good. I think they're around a fiver and they're the only acid toner I plan on using again. So cheap, so easy to use and I love that they're their own little pads. My skin looks brighter and clearer and loves using it. Twice a day is too much, but once in the evening is perfect.

Garnier Micellar Water - Stop buying Bioderma immediately. This is just the same (or I imagine so, I've never tried Bioderma) and you can get Boots Points with it. It removes every trace of make-up, is gentle on the skin, and well it's a cleansing water and I don't know what else to say about it. Just that it's cheap!

What are your budget skincare faves?

Review: Yes to Cucumbers Sensitive Skin Calming Facial Mask

I love me a good face mask and when I noticed that the Yes To range had hit my local Boots I thought I'd give this guy a go.

This mask is a mud like consistency aimed for soothing and calming sensitive skin. For me that ticked the boxes I was looking for that day. I didn't want anything too harsh and wanted something that would calm down my spots and reduce my blemishes.

Spots wise, it's no miracle worker, though I do see them reducing slightly after using. Soothing wise I find it great. I like to take a good scoop (a bit of a negative to me as I don't really like scooping out products!) and slather it all over my face.

After a couple of laughs from family members and once I feel its dried a bit I wash it off and notice my skin is feeling a lot softer and any redness has gone down.

It's not the best mask I've ever used, but it's fairly priced and nice to use! If your budget is a bit restricted it's definitely worth giving a go.

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Laura

The Lazy Girl Skincare Routine

I've become pretty lazy with my skincare routine. 

My mask a week is more like a mask a month, and I find myself drawn to my bed more than I am drawn to the sink. But I still want my skin to look presentable. (I know, I ask a lot.) So here I present to you my lazy girl skin care routine.

AM 

In the morning I want little to come between my bed and me, so I can get up and ready in about 15 minutes. I've mentioned before that I no longer wear make-up in the week, which helps, but my simple streamlined skincare also really helps.

To wash off the nights grime and get me feeling ready for the day I use the Origins Make A Difference Cleanser which I really love. I then dry my face off and then apply the Origins OverNight Mask with a drop of the B. Oil.

PM

Most days I do try to do a full evening routine, but if I'm barely keeping my eyes open the Avene Cleanace K. This stuff rocks. It's an exfoliating and hydrating hyrbid that leaves my skin looking clearer and brighter come the morning. 

You're welcome for the extra sleep you're going to get now.

Review: Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum

When it comes to buying skincare these days the words hydrating and soothing sure do reel me in. Gone are the days where I'm grabbing every spot busting product I can get my hands on. I've learnt that the reason I was getting spots and make-up was looking crap was due to the oil stripping products I was using.

When I heard about the Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum I knew it was something I wanted to try. I find Avene to be very well priced and their products enjoyable to use, and this product has definitely been a plus in my collection.

I've found that this makes my skin feel nice and plumped and hydrated! Make-up applies smoothly over the top and when left overnight I wake up with plump skin full of hydration.

The consistency is smooth and light but it's a dream to apply.

I really recommend you pick this up if you're suffering from dehydrated skin.

What do you think?

Laura

Review: Benefit's They're Real Remover

They're Real Remover // Normal Remover

I'm sure you're all aware of Benefit's new releases. The Push Up Liner definitely has everyone talking, however alongside that release also saw the arrival of a new eye make-up remover, the They're Real Remover*. Due to the skincare lover in me, I was actually just as excited to receive this product as I was the liner.

Now the liner really does cling to your lashes meaning it's quite difficult to get off of your eyes at the end of the day, however I've found that using this really does help. The product is almost lotion like in Constancy and is meant to be applied to a cotton pad and swept across the eyes.

However, I've found the best way to use it is to apply a bit to your finger and rub it in yourself. This is because I find you have to use a lot of product to get the cotton pad to work, or else it kind of breaks the cotton pad, whereas you can use a smaller amount to make it work just the same. As you can see it really gets rid of much more eye-makeup than using a normal cleanser. The above picture is using it via a cotton pad too.

I found that this really does break-up your eye makeup and leave you with lovely clean eyes.

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Laura

*This item was kindly sent to me, I have not been asked or paid to review it and all opinions are my own.

Review: B.Enriched Restorative Facial Oil

Today I want to share with you a product I really cannot get enough of at the moment. Around mid-May time my skin was looking really dull and a bit lack lustre, and when I was applying make-up it just wasn't sitting well. I had a little sort out of products in my cupboards (I feel so guilty having to use the plural) and found this oil I purchased way back at the start of the year.

Now when I first got this product I thought it was breaking me out, so put it away and decided it wasn't for me. Turns out, it doesn't break me out, and it's actually quite lovely. I don't use this product on it's own, instead I get to feel like a scientist and add a few drops of it to different serums and moisturisers. It's actually rather fun, as well as being beneficial to my skin. Win Win!

I've found that by adding a few drops (or more depending on how my skin feels) to either my Origins Overnight Mask or moisturiser of choice I'm wearing that my skin is left looking really luminous and glowing and my hydration levels are back up too. I won't use this if I'm wearing make-up but I have noticed make-up is applying much more easily now.

So for me, this product has turned out to me just what my skin needs.

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Laura

Review: Good Things Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser and Mask

I feel like this Good Things Manuka Honey range has been getting quite a lot of attention lately and was high on my list of to try items. I've been using these products for just over a month now so thought I'd give you my opinions on them.

Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser - I really like this cleanser. It has a really nice thickness to it and lathers (not in a stripping foamy way) really nicely on the skin. After I've finished using this my skin feels so soft and nourished after. It comes out as a thick white almost cream that spreads across the skin and has a really nice Royal Jelly smell. which I personally love. I find it's great both morning and evening, meaning it's a good all round cleanser.

Manuka Honey Radiance Mask - This product is a little harder to review. Part of me really likes this product, it feels nice on the skin, but it doesn't deliver the results I was expecting. I was hoping it would make my skin feel glowy and hydrated, but instead I feel that it just brings my blemishes to the surface. Maybe I'll be converted, but at the moment I'm a bit on the fence.

Have you tried either of these?

Laura xoxo

Bad Skin Be Gone

Recently my lovely bloggy friend Rachel (who's no longer blogging at the moment, boo) asked me what products I love when my skin is going through a tough time. Now hey, I'm no Caroline Hirons, and I don't have perfect skin, but over the last few months I've really noticed a change in my skin, which in turn has made me feel more confident. So, I thought why not make a blog post and talk about the products I rated highly enough to recommend to one of my bestest friends, as I class you guys (if there's anyone reading this) as my friends too.

Origins Make A Differance Plus Rejuvenating Treatment - If you have oily, dehydrated skin and purchase one thing from this post then it has to be this. Make sure you pick up the treatment and not the moisturiser as they moisturiser isn't as great. I treat this as serum, putting it on after toner and before Hydraluron and moisturiser. It has a lovely cooling effect and really smooths out my skin. It works at hydrating whilst also fighting blemishes, how I don't know. But it's an amazing product!

REN Clear Calm 3 Clay Cleanser - This cleanser is sort of like a mud mask in consistency, due to the clay I guess. It works really well at exfoliating the skin (without any rough abrasive salts or sugars) whilst also deep cleansing. Whenever my skin is producing extra oil or producing extra blemishes I like to whip this guy out. It's also great if you want your makeup to last all day as it mattifies the skin (without drying it out), Super duper cleanser right here.

Origins High Potency Night A Mins - This moisturiser is great at rejuvenating the skin overnight. When I wake up in the morning my skin is left feeling hydrated, brightened and blemishes reduced. It has fruit acids in it which renew the skin whilst it's on, and the lovely thick consistency makes it feel super luxurious to apply.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask - So I actually tend to use this daily as a day moisturiser at work as it just feels so darn nice and makes my skin feel so soft. However, most normal people tend to use it a couple of nights a week overnight. When you wake up the next morning your skin is left feeling extremely hydrated, skin tone more even and just more plump. I would say no matter what your skin type this product is a fantastic.

An exfoliating toner - I've tried a couple of exfoliating toners and do find that they really do help clear up blemishes. I'm currently using the Boots Botanics Exfoliating Toner which I must say feels a bit too harsh to use everyday. However the previous exfoliating toners I've tried from Clarins and REN have both been amazing, which leads me to think I should stop being cheap and repurchase one of them. Anyway, Ms Hirrons is correct, don't miss this step.

A hydrating toner - There are two toners I love for their hydrating qualities; first up the Dr Weils for Origins Mega Mushroom Skin Relief. This is particularly good if you suffer from redness as it really does reduce it, especially blemishes. My current favourite is the Khiels Ultra Facial Toner. It has a really thick consistency that you can feel sink into your skin and boost your hydration levels.

So here are my top skincare products that I would recommend. Of course that's not my entire skincare routine, but it's the products I really love. 

Have you tried any of these? What do you think?

Laura xoxo

For the record my skin is blemish prone and dehydrated with oily patches in the centre of my face and dry skin on my cheeks. What might work for me may not work for you, and I'm not a skincare specialist.

Review: The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

I love a good cleanse in the evening. There is something oh so relaxing about getting in and giving your face a good deep clean, knowing it's refreshed and ready for a good nights sleep. I've used and loved the Emma Hardie Moringa Face Cleansing Balm before, but the price tag has prevented me from re-purchasing it too much.

I then saw through the blogging grapevine that The Body Shop had created their own cleansing butter at a more reasonable price. Now, this in texture this is quite different to the Emma Hardie cleanser, as this turns to an oil once it is rubbed between your balms rather than staying thick on your face.

I really like this when I've worn make-up and I want to start breaking it down. The oily consistency is great at really massaging into the skin and breaking down all the dirt and grime on your face.

Whilst it isn't the most luxurious product to use, it definitely does the job of getting rid of any make-up, which makes it a winner in my opinion.

What do you think of this product?

Laura xoxo

The Make-Up Removers

I've made it no secret on this little space of the Internet that I rarely wear makeup on the daily. However there does from time to time happen to be an occasion where I need to put ma face on. It's quite sad to say it, but one of the reasons I love putting makeup on is the fact I know I can do a full skincare routine after. I know, I'm pathetic. Anyway, here are my makeup removing loves.

The liquid - The Garnier Micellar Water is a recent addition to my stash but a good'un at that. It's great at breaking down makeup and start the process of makeup removal. A couple of cotton pads soaked in this stuff and my face is starting to look like its usual barefaced self.

The oil - Surprise, surprise, an Origins product has wrangled its way into a skincare post. The Clean Energy Facial Oil is fantastic at really breaking down your makeup, even the toughest mascara. Plus, due to the fact it's an oil, it's great at allowing you to give yourself a facial massage too.

The balm - that's also kind of like an oil. The Bodyshop's Sumptious Cleansing Butter is a solid oil that breaks down once you rub it between your palms. Due to the oily quality it gives, again it is great for a facial massage and you can really work it into your skin, allowing it to remove all of your makeup.

What do you use to remove your makeup? Do you like any of these?

Laura xoxo

Review: No7 Beautiful Skin Dry Skin Rescue

Whilst my skin has always leaned towards the oiler side of things, recently it's becoming much more dry. What I didn't know was that my skin was actually dehydrated, and for a long time I was making it drier, and consequently more oily, my stripping my skin of natural oils that it needed. 

Over the past six months to a year I've really gotten a handle on my skin care and I've stopped stripping it of things it needs and tried my best to feed it with the nourishment it does need. 

Whilst my skin is looking a lot better and I've begun adding hydration and nourishment to my regime, the sides of my face are still quite dry and I feel my skin losing her moisture I put on in the morning by the afternoon. So on a perusal of the Boots near work I picked up this little guy.

I like to use this as almost a serum, working it onto my dry patches in the morning and evening before moisturiser, and even in the day if I feel my skin getting dry.

I do feel that it adds moisture to my skin, and I am seeing a slight improvement, but I think I could find better out there. It's not a bad product, but I do think it lacks the lock-in factor that I feel many products have.

So now my quest for hydrating skincare begins. Do you have any recommendations?

Do you have this? What do you think?

Laura xoxo

Review: Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

This product has been in my bathroom since January, but since I was being a good girl and using up the last of my other Garnier cleansing water (it was a mix of blue and water and I loved it) I didn't get round to using it until a couple of months ago so I've only just got round to doing my review on it.

Now this got a lot of attention when it first came out, and I'm not surprised, hailed as a cheaper dupe for the elusive Bioderma, which I'm still yet to try! What I think impresses me most about this product is the size, it's a whole whopping 400ml, double the size of the standard 200ml of product most brands give us.

I've tried many a Bioderma dupe, and I have to say this is my favourite cleansing water. It doesn't leave my skin feeling stripped, it takes my make-up off well and it's a great first step in my cleansing routine when I wear make-up.

I would say a second/third cleanse with an actual cleanser should be done as it's not a miracle worker, but for late nights or when you're wearing a bit more make-up than normal this is a great product to get the cleansing cycle going.

I really recommend you give this product a try if you're on the lookout for a cleansing water.

What do you think of this?

Laura xoxo

Review: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner

A couple of month's ago I was meeting someone and had some time to kill beforehand and happened to find myself stumbling into Harvery Nic's, perusing the Kiehl's counter and leaving with this product. I'd always wanted to try something from Kiehl's and with my trust Origins Dr Weils Mega Mushroom Skin Relief running out I saw this as my opportunity.

First Impression

First of all the bottle comes with a little seal over the top which I really like as I know it hasn't been opened by anyone else, and that it's fresh. The liquid is a white milky colour and came out much thicker than I was expecting. Usually I associate toners with a watery texture, however this gave the feeling of a very light cleanser (think the Simple cream cleanser you get, it reminded me of a weaker version of that.) Whilst at first it baffled me slightly and got me re-reading the bottle to make sure I definitely picked up a toner I actually really like it. I find this extra thickness means that it applies much more easily and I can really feel it sinking into my skin rather than gliding across it, however it doesn't leave my skin feeling heavy or greasy which could've happened.

Overall

After having this in my collection for a while now I can safely say I really like it. The thickness of the product means it is hydrating and it leaves my skin feeling plump sand fresh after use. The effects are pretty similar to the Origins toner that I love and this is only £16.50 compared to the £25 Origins sets you back by. (I can't believe I'm saying only for £16.50)

If you're looking at getting into Kiehl's than I would definitely recommend you give this a try.

Now, what's the next Kiehl's product I need to get my hands on? I'm thinking their sunscreen?

Laura xoxo

Everyday Items

Ever since blogging my eyes have been opened to a whole array of products that I never would've found if it wasn't for this hobby of mine. Due to that I have collated a rather large amount of products. Whilst I like to chop and change what I use on a daily basis, there are somethings I find myself using everyday without fail. 

As I don't wear make-up daily most of this list is skincare. Although my skin does get oily I try really hard to keep my hydration levels up so I use Hydraluron to keep all my moisturising products locked in. A product I use either as a day moisturiser or as an evening treatment is the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask. It smells amazing and really does mean your skin is fully hydrated after use. When I'm not using the mask I like to use the Origins Make A Difference Plus Rejuvenating Treatment under what ever other moisturiser I'm using. It really has helped clear my skin up. At least once a day I like using the Origins Make A Difference Cleansing Milk as it is soft enough to sooth my skin whilst also harsh enough to rid blemishes too.

The final two products I reach for daily are the Batiste Dry Shampoo which helps me eek out the number of washes I have to take part in, and my deodorant of choice from Mitchum. 

So that completes my daily products. What do you use daily?

Laura xoxo

Review: Garnier Miracle Skin Cream

So this product is another hopeful Origins VitaZing dupe. I purchased it just a few days after getting the Soap and Glory Glow Job as I wanted to see how the too compared.

Firstly this one contains SPF which the Glow Job didn't, so it already had my attention due to that. Again I first used it in this video, and as you can see I definitely preferred it to the Soap and Glory one.

This products boasts many more skin-care qualities too. It aims to hydrate your skin whilst removing signs of ageing over time. Now I am young, but I don't see any harm in using this product now, prevention is much better than a cure after all.

Hydration-wise it definitely is above and beyond the Soap and Glory offering. As soon as I put it on my face I can feel the hydration sinking in. It also has a nice fresh smell, which I tend to associate with Garnier products. I will say that it doesn't last 24 hours, especially in these cooler months. Some times in the after it does start to rub off my skin due to dryness, and I would say I have slightly oily skin; something to consider if you have a dry complexion.

Pigmentation wise, it can look a little orange at first, but does blend out well and is definitely a fierce contender for my loved Origins VitaZing.

This is me with this moisturiser, some concealer and a bit of powder on.

Overall I'm really happy with this product and would most likely buy it again.

What do you think? Have you tried it?

Laura xoxo

Friday Focus: Origins

If I could only use one skin care brand I would have to choose Origins. There is just something about the brand that I, and my skin, loves. Whilst it certainly isn't cheap and cheerful it doesn't break the bank either. I was going to do a 'top five products' post but I just love too darn many of them. There are a lot more products from the brand I've tried and liked, but these are the ones that I wouldn't want to be without for too long.

Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask - A mask most bloggers have tried or at least heard of. The aim of this mask is to moisturise your skin overnight, leaving you with plump and soft skin come the morning. Whilst I do love using this overnight when my skin is feeling particularly parched, I also love using it in the day over winter as it keeps my skin more hydrated than any moisturiser does.

Make A Difference Rejuvenating Cleansing Milk - This was a whim purchase but one I will continue to make. This is a great all round cleanser, I like to use it in the morning when I want more moisture in my skin, or in the evening for a gentle second cleanse. It isn't harsh on the skin but it also isn't too heavy to create spots either.

Clean Energy Cleansing Oil - I love using this whenever I'm wearing make-up as I feel it really removes every last scrap of it. I just pour it into my hands (definitely getting a pump next time as it can get messy) massage it on my face (which feels ah-mazing) and then wash it away. It comes off clean and doesn't leave my face feeling greasy.

VitaZing - Ah, the not quite tinted moisturiser that people seem to either love or hate. I began in the hate category but now stand firmly in the love. I think it's a great I'm going out in public, but don't want to make an effort product. This and a bit of concealer and you're away to go. For me it's more of a summer product as it does lean a bit orange in the winter, but one I love using. I also find it great to wear under foundation if my skin is going through a rough patch.

Make A Difference Plus + Rejuvenating Treatment - The latest and probably one of my favourite products, this treatment injects moisture whilst also clearing up blemishes at the same time. For someone with dehydrated but blemish prone skin this product has done wonders for my skin. I can't pin-point exactly how it works or what it does but I never want to be without it. It is one of those products you can really see making a difference to your skin.

High Potency Night-A-Mins - This is hands down the best night time moisturiser I have ever used. It has fruit extracts that aim to exfoliate your skin whilst you sleep, however it also has a thickness to it that hydrates your skin too. I find that I wake up with clearer and plumper looking skin. What more could you want?


Dr Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief - I like using this as my 'hydrating' toner as it has a real soothing quality to it. It soothes angry blemishes and leaves my skin feeling soft to touch. I also found this was really helpful when my skin had a reaction to a product I was using. (Although it's not pictured as I ran out and couldn't get a replacement before this post, I still wanted to include as I really rate it as a product.)


Have you tried Origins? What are your favourite products?

Laura xoxo