Another month has come and gone and I must say I am glad to see this one end. It means we are a little bit closer to spring and March is also the month of my birthday. I am going to be 29 this year and while it never bothered me before I am starting to dread getting closer to 30. One more year left until the big 30. I know its only a number and it doesn't mean much but sometimes I do worry. I have so many plans for my life ahead that I often feel like I running out of time. After all I don't want to be old to achieve some of my life goals. But never mind nobody stays young forever so I should not be worried and 30 is not really old even tough I sometimes feel like it.;-)
Anyway lets not go on about my age, lets look at some of this month favourites!!

Number one has to be the Clarins Lotus Face Oil Treatment. Gosh has this changed my skin. Since using this every night for two weeks now, I have seen a huge reduction of spots and my old acne scars are fading away fast. My skin looks plump and radiant in the morning and putting on my make up has never been easier. It smoothed out my skins texture and helps with any unevenness. The only thing is my husband hates the smell of this and doesn't come close to me after I put this on but I am sorry hubby how can I stop using this lovely essential oil after seeing such amazing results?

The next thing I have been loving this month is my new cleanser. Its the OSKIA Renaissance Cleansing Gel. Its not just like any ordinary gel cleanser that I have used before, no its a gel based cleanser that turns to a luxurious oil and melts into skin to quickly and gently remove make up and any other impurities while it nourishes and brightens the skin. Wash of  with a flannel and you will be left with balanced, clean, fresh and radiant skin that feels soft and smooth.

Make up wise I have been returning to my old and faithful Laura Mercier Mineral Powder. This was my staple foundation last year and it looks like it will continue to be the one I reach for the most. I like that its a powder, so it doesn't have the heavy feeling that most liquid foundations have. It also gives great coverage that you can build up to a full without ever looking cakey or powdery. And it last on my oily skin for up to 8 hours. Pretty impressive for a powder, right??

This wouldn't be a favourites post without me throwing in a lippy! This month I have been loving my Topshop Ohh La La Lipstick. The colour of this lipstick reminds me of the 60s, its mostly because I have been watching season 6 of MAD MEN and wanting to look like the girls in the show! There is just something about that era, women looked so chic and the dresses they wore are just so pretty and feminine. Maybe the fashion will come back some day, a girl can dream!! I like to pair this lipstick with a nice cat eye feline flick and a bit of blusher and I am good to go!

Lastly I want to talk about my all time favourite perfume. If you like floral scents like me you will love the Kenzo Flower Perfume! I remember smelling this for the first time, I knew I had to have it and since then it has become my go to perfume. If there was a smell that would describe me it would be this. Sadly I run out of it but my lovely husband remembered how much I loved it and got me a new bottle on Valentines day! Its a vibrant, fresh and sensual scent that smells of rose and vanilla. Sweet Bliss!!

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Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel

Another Cleanser, I know but I can't seem to stop myself from trying out new ones. There are so many good cleansers out there at the moment that its hard to say no. One of a much raved about cleanser is the OSKIA Renaissance Cleansing Gel.

Normally I would shy away of any gel formulated cleanser but this one is different. Its quite odd because it looks like any other gel cleanser but when you massage it onto your skin it becomes a lovely luxurious oil that melts into your skin. It is super gentle so that you can even use over eyes without giving you any nasty stinging feeling. Make up is removed effortlessly and after a double cleans, there will be no trace of make up left on your face ( the toner is the prove of that).

What I like about this cleanser is that it comes in a tube. Its super easy to control how much you use ( one pump is enough) so there will be no waisting products. Not like other cleansing balms that come in a jar or tub.

But what is most impressive is the ingredients! Its almost like skincare but in a cleanser. It has vitamin A,C, E that can really help with brigthening your skin and improves the appearance of sun damage, pumpkin enzymes to remove any dead skin cells and help with skin cell renewal and chamomile and rose to soothe the skin and nourish.

To me this all sounds amazing and I have to say that it does what it says on the tin (tube)! My skin feels nourished and clean with a slight glow to it. You know how much I liked the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleanser (link here) but this one is definitely the winner of the two. The ingredients to the talking and with only using very little for a big effect, I can see this lasting me for quite some time.

The only down side to this cleanser has to be the price. Its £32.50 which is quite a lot for a cleanser but I still think it is worth the money. And you are in luck OSKIA are giving you a £10 discount with your first order so this is the perfect time to go and try it out yourself! Just enter WELCOME when you check out online! You won't be disappointed!!

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Budget Buy Of The Month

You all know how much I like a good hair products but when it comes to heat protection I can be a bit lazy. Its quite odd that I like to spend my money on expensive styling tools and shampoos but completely neglected the fact that it also needs protection from all the heat.

I think it was mostly down to the fact that I tried some of the heat sprays before and most of them either weight my hair down and made it look greasy or they made styling more difficult by being sticky so that my hair didn't feel soft and bouncy anymore.

So I gave up on them for quite some time until I came across the Loreal Elnett Satin Heat Styling Spray.

I like to spray a few pumps in my damp hair, brush it through with my hairbrush an then start blow drying it with a round brush. What I love about it is that its completely weightless and doesn't make you hair feel sticky or greasy. We all want that soft bouncy clean feeling on the day we washed our hair and this does just the trick. It even helps with flyaways and humidity and for £4.49 is an absolute bargain. As for the Volume, it says that it can "lock in volume for up to 3 days" but I think that's just a little bit to much of the advertising. While I do think it give you a little bit of hold throughout the day it certainly can not life up to a 3 day volume promise. My volume only ever last for one day, as soon as my head hits the pillow, that volume is gone!!

But as a heat protection styling spray its definitely doing a great job! Will be a repurchase!

Have you got a heat protecting spray that I need to know about then leave me a comment, I would love to know!

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Clarins Lotus Face Oil /First Impressions

I recently had a little bit of a skincare revolution or AHA moment when I read Caroline Hirons blog on what she uses on her skin. If you don't know who she is then where have you been? She is a renowned beauty insider that has worked with over 100 beauty brands over the years and knows a thing or two about skincare and ingredients. If you want to know more about skincare then check out her blog, I guarantee you will find some good advice on her site. link here 

That's exactly what happened when I got stuck on her site and found out what I should and what I shouldn't be doing with my acne prone skin.

One of the main things that struck me was that she recommended a face oil made from essential oils. I always thought that an oil would clog my pores and even if it didn't clog would not do much of a difference. Boy was I wrong. It turns out that that's exactly what my skin has been crying out for, some hydration. 

What I have been doing wrong all the time was thinking that I need light creams and moisturizers that don't clog my pores to get hydration but with using deep cleansers and detoxifying mask my skin was getting a bit dry and the light moisturizer wasn't quite enough anymore. My skin was making more oil and I got more spots. Sometimes my skin was just fine and I thought I was doing the right thing but then a week later it would look all spotty again. So I was kind of giving up on skin care and thought that I would have to life with the fact that my skin would never be great again.

Then came along this little gem, the Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil. Now I must admit that I took a little leap of faith and trusted Caroline blind heartedly on buying this oil but I am so glad I did. Normally it takes a while for skincare to show its true effects but not with this one, I saw results the next day. My skin looked smooth and even, fully hydrated (juicy and plump) and the best think is that the spots and pimples are disappearing. This is the best thing that has happened to my skin in a long time and I can't wait to see the full affects in a month time. I have been using it for two weeks now, so far I had not had a new spot since ( that's unheard of for my skin) and my skin looks its best its ever been.

I can't tell you how happy this has made me!! It really boosts my confidence and I am looking forward to the days when I don't have to spend hours concealing my acne or can just go out of the house make up free.

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New in: Nars Blush

A while back I told you about my search for the perfect blush brush and how I struggle not to put to much on ( link here ), as I was checking all the counters I of course came along some blush. And being the make up junkie that I am could not resist umming and ahing over the lovely NARS blushes. And guess what the purchasing of the perfect blush brush was quickly pushed to the back of my mind and instead convinced myself that I didn't have enough of those blushes yet in my collection.

So I got myself two brand new shiny NARS blushers instead. And I don't regret it. I love them!!

I think when it comes to blushes NARS are just simply the best. I love that they have a subtle sheen to them, giving your cheek a lovely glow and making you look healthy and radiant. I used to go to MAC most of the time to buy my blush but now NARS have truly taken over. Not only do they have unique colours in their range but they also last so much longer on my skin. Even coming home after a long days work, the blush stays put. And talking about lasting power, my NARS Orgasm blusher is still going strong after 3 years of using it. Because they are so pigmented you only need a little dab of blusher and you are good to go.

My two new editions are NARS Luster and Douceur blusher and they are both beautiful. Luster is a soft peach colour with few specks of glitter in it. At the moment I am quite pale and I like to use this blusher to give my face some warmth. It looks really natural and I like combine it with a bold lip.

The Douceur Blush is more on the pinker side with a soft brown undertone to it. Its a lovely nude colour that give the perfect amount of pink to my cheeks. This is the one I reach for when I don't know what blusher to wear. It always looks right, especially when I am wearing a smokey eye.

I am super happy with my two purchases and have pretty much not worn anything else on my cheeks this month, now I only need to get that blush brush that I was originally after!!

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HAIR DETOX

Every now and then hair needs a little break and go back to its original state. These days its quite rare for me to actually just leave my hair to its own devices without using any product. Leave in conditioner, hair oil and texurizing spays are all part of my hair routine, I am sure without them my hair would be a total disaster. But there also lies the problem, too much use of these kind of products can leave my hair feel heavy and unmanageable.

That's when I am in need of a good shampoo detox. A clarifying shampoo will clean away all the silicons that most styling products have in them and leave you hair clean and fresh, bringing its back to its normal glory!!
I love having a bath on a Sunday night using this on my hair, it makes me feel like I am doing a little treatment for my hair and getting it ready for the coming week ahead.

Only problem is that they often can feel super drying on hair and scalp and I don't know about you but when my hair gets really dry it becomes super frizzy and nothing in the would will tame that frizz.
Its so annoying because you know you gotta give your hair a good detox but at the same time you are dreading it because of the dryness you will be left with. That's when my mission began to find a clarifying shampoo that doesn't leave my hair crispy and dry. I wanted a shampoo that cleans but also nourish it at the same time. It was not an easy one to find but I got there in the end.

I tried quite a few, high and low end and I have to say that the high end ones performed much better than the lower end ones. I think the cheaper brands put a lot of sulfates in their shampoos making them really foam up, giving you that herbal essence kind of feeling with lots of bubbles and foam but they also really can make your hair feel dry and sad.

Anyway on to the one that really stood out, PHYTO Clarifying Detox Shampoo!! Not only does it really do a good job cleaning your hair and taking all the nasties away it also leaves your hair in a perfect place. It's not drying at all and doesn't make you hair feel stripped. Its a little bit more expensive that most shampoos but then again I only use it once a week so it will last me for quite some time which makes it in my eyes totally worth it. I even noticed that I can go a day longer in between washes and that's always a good thing.
It's definitely one to keep repurchasing!

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BACK TO THE OLD

Liz Earle!! This is where my love for skin care and face cleansers began. I remember trying this for the first time and being amazed how soft and clean my face felt. It was just pure love at first cleanse!!

I loved the smell, how creamy and luxurious it felt on my skin and what a good job it did cleansing my face, not to mentions the affordable price at 13.25 for a 100ml tube. That's exactly why I stuck with this cleanser for over a year and back then would not even dream of  buying anything else.

But as a beauty addict there are eventually always new products to be tried and tested and in the process  I forgot about the old favourite of mine.

So I was really delighted when a friend gave me a little Liz Earle Travel Kit as a present a while back. I thought I would fall in love with it again but this time I didn't to be honest.

I can't quite put my finger on it why but I think over the years I have tried so many cleansers in all their different formulars that I am not that impressed with it anymore.

The things that I loved so much the first time around seem to annoy me now, like the heavy smell of herbs and flowers. I know its an all natural product and there are no nasty ingediens in it but I found that my skin still doesn't like scents from some natural plants and herb extracts and can break out.  And I am not talking of just a spot or two here and there no it can really get nasty with big under the skin cysts and lots of congestion around the chin area. So I like to stay clear of scented cleansers just to be precocious.

Another thing that I didn't like this time was that it left a slight film of cream on my face. I didn't mind it so much when I first used it but after just using the Clinique Take The Day Off Balm (review here) I really noticed the difference. The Clinique one left my skin nourished and  moisturised without any residue where as the Liz Earle one felt like there was some cream on my face. Now this might be a good thing if you have dry skin but my skin is so sensitive and oily in general that I don't like the feeling of something still left on my face.

Moving on to the toner now and I have to say that I still like it despite the fact that its also quite heavy on the scent. I like that it leaves my skin fresh and helps close my pores but thinking about what some of the new toners with glycolic acid can do for my acne scared face I have to say that I prefer them. I think if you tried an exfoliating toner there is no turning back from them. They can really make a difference in you skin tones texture and how your make up will look on you. 

Sorry Liz Earle, while I still think your products are lovely and all I do think that there are much better products out there now. I would love to see her bring out a new cleanser ( maybe a balm) and some more advanced toners too.

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SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE THOUGHT

Sunday is my day! Whats there not to love? Waking up late, having a lovely late brunch with lots of coffee and croissants and taking it slow every step of the day. 

My week can be super hectic and stressful so I always like to make sure that at least on Sunday things are chilled out so that I can face the new week in a relaxed state of mind. 

One of the main things that my Sunday consist of is going to church and trying to get centred and connect to my spiritual side again. I often can get so wrap up about my own life problems that I forget to look to others and not recognise that they need help even in just little things. 

And sometimes it also feels a little bit shallow writing just about beauty things and what people need to go and buy. Don't get me wrong I love writing about just that but I do get that funny feeling in my gut that also tells me that I should write about other things that are more spiritual and come from the heart!!

And then last week after coming from a prayer meeting I had a thought, would it not be nice to share some of my thoughts that I have as a woman and that other woman can connect to. A bit like a post for woman only, about our struggle in this crazy world and our feelings that often can get over looked. And why man simply can not get how we women think.

So what better day to kick of  a post like that on Sunday.  I will hope to write at least one of them per month and I will call them SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE THOUGHT, so that you can hopefully have your own thoughts on the topic when you are have your Sunday morning coffee.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK!!

Think about it! Are we really controlled of our daily thought process? Well, yes I have to put my hands up and say I am. How many times have you thought that you were going to do something and then just moments later think that you are not going to be able to achieve what ever it was you were going to do. And then your thoughts just run away and you find a million reasons why you are never going to do it.

Or do you think that you haven't got any money and the things you want in life are just just not coming your way.

Maybe you are not a person that thinks like that, but when it comes to my thoughts I tend to be more  on the negative side than the positive. So I ask myself where has this thinking led me to in my life?

Well you guessed right, not very far! I mean, yes I have achieved quite a few milestones in my life, like having two beautiful children that brighten up my day and being married to a wonderful and understanding man. Truly I am blessed by God that I have been able to have all this at such a young age. But still I feel like there is so much more out there to do and achieve. So what am I doing wrong? 

MY THOUGHTS!?! I waste them! Instead of thinking what I want in life and that I can do anything I put my mind to it, I think about money, think about what I haven't got or how useless I am at going for the things I love. Quite negative, right?

I need to stop those thoughts in their track! Like going on a diet, I need to discipline my thought process.

When I am thinking that I am weak, stop and think I AM STRONG. Or when I think I am not worthy think I AM WORTHY and people love me the way I AM!

The I AM is important.Why? Because I AM is GOD! That is gods name. When Moses ask the burning bush what he shall say to the Israelites when they ask for the name of who sent him. God simply replied I AM WHO I AM! I AM has sent me to you!

So when you are saying

• I AM STRONG
• I AM WORTHY
• I AM SUCCESSFUL
• I AM LOVEABLE 

You simply are calling on god to be all these things!

That's why you are miserable when you are saying I am feeling miserable. Its true, I mean have you ever felt that you were not loved by your boyfriends or husband and thought about all the reasons what he hasn't done for you or hasn't said that you wanted to hear. How did that make you feel? Did it make you even cry? But it is true? Does he not love you just because he hasn't acted the way you wanted him to. (he will probably not even have the slightest clue that you are having those thoughts and love you just as much, its just something we woman often do).

That's why we need to learn that we are in control of our thoughts. That they are not in charge. We don't have to listen to them and surrender. We have a choice!! Choose the way to positive thinking and say I AM HAPPY, I AM KIND, I AM HELPFUL. Say them out loud. Proclaim them! Yes you will feel quite silly and your inner voice will say " NO YOU ARE NOT" But keep at it and let the feelings catch up on it. They will and you will feel powerful and free.

If you liked this post and want to read up on some of the topic about positive thinking and the effect that it can have in your life. Here are some of my favourits books that have helped me.

~ picture taken from Pintrest

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GOOD NIGHT SLEEP ESSENTIALS

February nights can be a quite dull and blah. For me there is not much going on and feelings can get a bit low. So a good relaxing night time bath can do the trick to perk me up, even if it only last for a while. That's why I have made it a habit to have a bath about 3 times a week.

There is just something so soothing to the soul when you submit your body into super hot steaming water that smells of Lavender.

Pure bliss, right?

One of the things I have rediscovered are bath salts. I used to love the feeling of poring bath salt into the water and get that prickling feeling but then I discovered bath oils and how rich they can smell and stuck with them for a while. Until I saw some new Lavender Bath Salts that Avon are doing now. It sounded just like my thing as I love Lavender so much so I had to give it a try. And gosh is this nice. The smell is just so relaxing and makes any bad day happenings go away.

From the same Avon Planet Spa Sleep Serenity Line comes a pillow spray that reminds me of the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray that I have had my eyes on for some time.

While it doesn't smell exactly like the This Works one because of its Chamomile content, I still think its a great alternative to it. Its only a fraction of the price (£4,50 instead of £16 for the This Works one) and really does the trick into wanting to bury your head into your pillow and close your eyes.

Lavender and me are like the best friends ever and I could never get tired of smelling it.

One more thing I like to do in the evening after I come out of my bath its to put on a good deep cleansing clay mud mask. I have leaned the trick that its best to put on a clay mask like the Origins Clear Improvements Mask when your taking a hot bath or shower and your pores are open. As the mask dries on your face you can really feel how it sucks out all the dirt and gunk that can block your pores. And the Origins one has to be the best clay mask that I have tried yet. It does a brilliant job cleaning my face and doesn't leave my skin dry as some other clay mask can do.

I hope you liked my little bath time routine, I would be really interested what works for you to make your evening stress free or if you also have a little  bed time routine going?

GIVEAWAY WINNER

HAYLEY COLLINGSWOOD !!

Thank you all for taking part in my Giveaway. I loved reading all your comments and hearing about you favourite  Mac lipsticks.

 You really made me curious about other colours from their lipstick range. Watch out Mac I am coming!!

  If you didn't win this time, don't worry there will be more Giveaways coming soon with hopefully more luck for you!! 

 But for now I want to say well done and congratulations to you Hayley Collingswood from headscribbles.blogspot.co.uk , you are my winner and an e mail is on its way to you!!!

JANUARY FAVOURITES

Yes its that time again and a new year brings also new favourites. Well were to start, January is normally a month I can get a bit grim and low in spirits. It always feels like it ages until spring, the post Christmas wallet is still in recovery( the anxious wait until pay day seems to go on forever) and just in general there is not much to do.
Seems like the perfect time to go abroad and escape the doom and gloom. Especially with all the rain and floods we are having here in the south east of England. But if like me you were stuck here and had to endure the wet and cold what better way then getting a few new item in the make up department, to at least make yourself feel good and look glamorous.

First up is my new found love and the star of the month Nars Doucer Blush. You heard me talking about my hunt for the perfect blush brush (here), while I was searching I of course came across some blush and as you do got a little distracted with this beautiful blush. Its such a nice colour, not to intense like some other blushes that make you look like barbie. No this is such a lovely soft pink blush with slightly brown undertones in it. Which makes this the perfect blush to wear for an everyday look or if you are super pale like me. It has not left my cheeks since I got it!

Another make up staple that I can not leave the house with is the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer. This is such a good concealer for under eyes and for the price can not be beaten. That's why it made it into my best budget buy of last month (link here). Its got the right amount of coverage and feels super light on. Some days this month I only was wearing this, to give my skin a bit of a break, it performed really well and got me though the day. If you buy on thing this month give this a try!

On to skin next. As you all know by now, I suffer from acne big time. My skin is constantly breaking out and nothing is really getting to the core of it. I am seeing the doctor next week to have a little talk and maybe he can figure it out. But in the main time the only thing I feel like is helping a little bit is having purifying masks and using glycolic acid serums. One of my all time favourite mask is the Origins Clear Improvement Mask. Its such a good mask and really pulls out all the nasties, its definitely worth the price as it really stands out compaired to other clay based masks.

For hair I have been liking the Percy & Reed Volumising Shampoo. What I like most about this shampoo is that it works. Not all those volumising hair products that claim to give you big hair work. So to find one that makes you hair still feel nice and soft and add volume is quite rare. If you have fine hair like me this is a really good one to try if you after big luscious hair, not quite like Cheryl Cole but half way there if you know what I mean?!

Lastly for my random pick of the month is tea. Three Cinnamon Tea from Pukka to be precise. If you love cinnamon you will have to give this a try. For me this is a match made in heaven. The combination is just pure bliss, the best way to end a stressful day, especially when yours is as mad as mine with looking after two energy loaded boys.

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