Whats the best self tanner?

by lovesandluxuriesJuly 12, 2017July 19, 2017

So lets talk tanning.

For many, laying in the sun all day getting a gorgeous goddess tan is the highlight of summer. For me, I couldn’t think of anything worse. I hate the thought of sitting in the sun cooking and am far to scared of the health implications. For me self tanning is a much better option. Long gone are the orange, over the top tans that leave dirty marks everywhere you sit. Over the years the tans have got better. There is a brand to suit every budget with endless options of what form they come in. The most talked about is without a doubt Skinny Tan

It First became popular in Australia then, after an appearance on Dragons den they became a huge success in the UK . They say they are the first self tanner that combines a natural tanning active with a naturally derived skin soothing actives to tan, contour and reduce the visible appearance of cellulite. Streak, Paraben and cruelty free.

There is a product to suit everyone. 7 day tanners, gradual tanners, oils and mousse.

Pre Tan Primer

£9.99

125ml

Crushed walnut primer is a light cream based body scrub which helps to remove dead skin cells. Its a nice texture, not to grainy. I used this with the exfoliating mitt, and WOW! I am silky smooth.

£7.99

Brown side is for a gentle pre-tan exfoliation removing the dull dead skins cells, allowing the tan to go on smoother and help the tan last longer. The orange side is to remove excess tanning from palms, ankles, knees and elbows.

Before you use the mitt rinse and dry it and make sure you exfoliate a few hours before tanning. You don’t want to be doing it just before.

I apply the Pre-tanner directly onto my skin then buff with the brown side of the mitt in circular motions. Paying particular attention to areas like elbows and knees. Its not too scratchy and its not making my skin all red and sore looking.

Again, wow! The mitt and scrub together are the best things I’ve used for exfoliating.

A few hours after my tanning im ready for the

Express Tan Mousse.

I picked this product over the other tanners in the skinny range because its the quickest.

Leave it on between 1-3 hours depending on how dark you want your tan. I’m only going to leave it on an hour… I’m too impatient!

Initially the colour of the mousse is very dark, but the tan has an instant bronzer so you can..

1- go out with the tanner on.. why not? especially if your using the other tanning products in the range which take longer to develop

2- it helps you to see exactly where you have applied. Which means no random white patches making it obvious you have used a self tanning product.

So, I give the bottle a little shake and apply directly onto the tanning mitt. Starting with my legs (Don’t worry the Skinny tan site has a tutorial). When it comes to my feet I don’t add extra mousse. I use whatever is left over. then I work my way up. Same rule applies to hands as it does feet. Make sure you can see in a mirror while putting on your tan. It helps to make sure you have covered everywhere especially your back. It goes on quickly and effortlessly thanx to the amazing mitt.

I used a little on my face. I blobbed it on like you would a foundation, and blended into my hair line, ears and down onto my neck. Thats it. maybe took 15/20mins to apply. Like I said before it was so easy to apply. The tan doesn’t have a chemical smell you expect from fake tans instead it smells like coconut.

The bronzer in the tan is not too dark. it gives your skin a lovely glow I would be happy to go out like this. It dries on pretty quick, Its a little tacky but nothing transfers off.

Tan mitt £4.99

This velvet, double sided mitt is as amazing as the exfoliating mitt.

Its super soft, and applies the mousse effortlessly. It didn’t seep through onto my hands as it sooo thick! After you have used it you can put it in the washing machine and use it like new the next time.

So an hour later i’m ready to rinse. I jump in the shower and the tanner rinses straight off. Pat dry, apply after glow gloss and all done.

The After Glow gloss

£9.99

125ml

It gives your skin a dewy finish. A little goes a long way. Its not an essential product but keeps the skin looking and feeling amazing!

3 word to describe how I feel about skinny tan…I LOVE IT. it’s a subtle healthy looking tan. Not orange, not streaky just a beautiful natural looking tan. You have full control of how dark it is depending on how long you leave it on for. My knees, elbows feet and hands have blended well, there really is no reason why you wouldn’t think this is a natural tan. I would feel confidant leaving it on longer and having a slightly deeper looking tan.

So I realise now it really would of been better to do a before and after but whats the point on an after shot without a before? I will edit the post next time I tan

Over the week, the tan gradually fades. Its not patchy at all it just fades.

Yes To – Product Review

by lovesandluxuriesMay 14, 2017May 14, 2017

oh look a skincare range I haven’t tried before. Among all the other products on the shelves, this range stands out. And if you’ve read my other blog’s you’ll know i’m a sucker for a new skin care range. This range promises they use minimum of 95% natural ingredients of high quality without the use of silicone’s , SLS and Parabens. Sadly Boots does not stock their full range, so I had a look on line to see what they offer and there is a lot more then I expected. The have broken it down into 6 sub ranges:

Carrots, for normal to dry skin / hair

Blueberries, for mature skin to correct fine lines, wrinkles and signs of aging

Tomatoes, for combination or oily skin to detoxify and minimise breakouts

Grapefruit, for uneven skin tone. Diminishes appearance of dark spots and hyper pigmentation

Coconut, for dry skin and hair. To hydrate

Cucumber for sensitive skin. Hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested

As I said boots don’t hold a large range so excitedly i pick up one of each mask, here’s what i thought…

All About Face

Refine pores and even skin tone with grapefruit and vitamin C.

£4.99

So this is a 2 step treatment, a facial scrub and a brightening peel mask. When you open it there is a fresh grapefruit smell. Its not very overpowering which I like. The first thing I notice is how much product is in the little packet. There is enough product to use it twice. With all scrubs I try them on the back of my hand first. Its very important your facial scrub is not to gritty, this can cause damage to your skin. The grit in this scrub is very fine so I apply to clean damp skin and gently exfoliate using small circular motions. Rinse off with plenty of clean warm water.

I did like it. My face feels cleaner and looks a lot brighter. so far so good, now for step 2.

Again there is a lot of product in the packet definitely enough for 2 applications and smells lovely. Its slightly yellow? not thick like a cream more of a thinner gel like consistency but not sticky. I left it on for 10 mins while I had a bath and didn’t notice any stinging or tingling. Skincare really shouldn’t be making your skin feel like its burning (I’ve experienced that a few times..Superdrug Face Mask Review ) The mask was pretty easy to get off. No mess, no fuss but I did expect it to peel off. That really is just because it said brightening peel?

For £4.99 I would use it again. There was a lot of product, enough for 2 applications and my skin did feel clearer and brighter.

Buh Bye Clogged Pores Nose Kit

£4.99

2 step nose kit contains a cotton swab to apply the face scrub and a pore removing strip.

we’ve all used the pore strips before. but I always find that the skin on my nose peels for days after using them so I usually stay away from anything like it. but in the name of research, I am willing to try this one.

Again there is a lot of product. At least enough for 2 applications. If im honest it doesn’t feel like the scrub is really doing much. I get the idea of it. It will remove any dead skin cells making it easier for the pore strip to work, to remove whatever is clogging my pores on my nose. But we shall see.

So the strip is on, pretty easy just got to wait.

After 10 mins I remove the strip, don’t worry its not too bad, its not like the black mask fails that have been doing the rounds on social media.

As you can see from the pictures it did remove some stuff that has been clogging my pores. And this has been the only pore strip that doesn’t leave me with dry flaky skin for days. Would I get it again? erm… Well… Your really paying £4.99 for a one use pore strip. It didn’t unclog all my pores but it did remove some gunk. But £4.99 each?

Buh ByeBags And Dark Circles

Cucumber, caffiene and Evodia fruit

£4.99

So this maybe the shortest review I have done on a product…

What a load of crap that I wasted a fiver on.

Where to start… the paper eye masks, are they supposed to be bone dry? which way do they go on? Are they supposed to stick? these are the questions I was asking myself. I didn’t last the 10 mins they suggest. They went in the bin.

lets try the cream. Smells refreshing i’m optimistic cucumber is good for the eyes!

So I rub a small amount in using my ring finger. Its important you don’t use too much pressure as the eye area is very delicate.

I potter around waiting for the cream to absorb and banish my puffiness under my eyes.

After about 10 mins I return to the mirror to continue with my make up routine and whats staring back at me in the mirror MORE PUFFINESS, who the hell pays for puffier eyes? It looks like I’ve spent the last few hours crying. Crying that I just wasted a fiver on this! I go back and forth between reading the back of the pack and looking at my PUFFY eyes. And yep, they definitely look worse. Has any one used this before..? let me know what you thought of this. Is it just me? SO I wont be paying for puffier eyes again.

Pucker up lip kit

Coconut, Sugar and Sodium Hyaluronate

£4.99

This 2 part lip kit is a little like the eye kit. Instead of a cream there is a sugar based lip scrub and a paper mask for your lips. Hopefully this paper mask will be a bit easier to use.

Step 1- I loved this. Not too harsh to exfoliate lips with, slight coconut smell and wasn’t too greasy. My lips look lovely and even, no dry patches. And like all the others there is soo much product in this little packet. If they sell this online I will order it now (Too impatient, couldn’t wait. Just checked, they don’t)

The paper mask was a lot better then the eye mask. This one is drenched in product, now i’m optimistic

So it goes on and stays on fine!

It didn’t really tingle like I expected it to, I didn’t really feel anything. Everytime I looked in the mirror the lip mask was where i put it. No slipping, no peeling off.

After 10 mins I take off the paper mask and rub in any excess serum on my lips. My lips did look softer, smoother and a little more plump after using the scrub and paper mask but it is only a 1 use. I think if im honest there are other products available that perhaps last a little longer and are easy to re-apply.

so overall… I would purchase scrubs from this range. Facial scrub or lip scrub. I like they use mostly natural ingredients without many harmful chemicals oh and the pore strip was good but I cant imagine them becoming my ‘cant live without skin’ products..

If you’ve used them or any other products in the range let me know what you thought of them. Until then, on with the search for the best skincare range…

Beauty Essentials Under £5

by lovesandluxuriesOctober 23, 2016

We all love a good bargain and money never stretches as far as you want it to so, following my last post My under £10 Favorites i’m sharing my must have’s under £5.

You’ll have to keep an eye on my post or hit the follow button (wink wink) for updates where I will be adding more essentials under £5

Vasaline Lip Therapy

Weather your a matte lipstick kinda girl or love a glamarous gloss. Dry, flakey lips are not a good look . These are perfect to instantly smooth and hydrate your lips.

Stick or tin. Original, Aloe, Cocoa, sugar coated or my fav with a slight tint, rosey.

Original and Aloe are great for this time of year when you have a cold and your nose gets sore and flakey on the sides. Rub a little vaseline to re hydrate. Vasaline has so many uses, You can use it on your hair to smooth split ends, helps remove make up from clothes, great to use for cuticle care or around your nail to stop the nail varnish drying on your skin its really worth keeping one in your bag. And at the moment Superdrug are running an offer. 2 for £3. Direct link in Shop My Feed

Barry M Nail Paint

From £2.99 – £4.99

Classic,Gelly, Coconut Infused and Speedy in a variety of colours, textures and sparkles.I would be surprised if you didn’t find a colour you’ll fall in love with. For me Raspberry is my Favourite. So much so I have just finished a pot. And I never usually make it to the end!

You’ll need to apply two coats as with all brands. And make sure you let the first coat dry before applying the second. Some colours are more dense then others, but nothing another coat won’t fix.

If you use a base and top coat you will get a week out of your nails but that obviously depends how much washing up you have to suffer during the week.

For what your paying I think they are great buys, even if you just want your nail colour to last one night! Cheaper then getting a manicure for your girls night out.

Teatree Oil

£2.99

So I briefly spoke about Tea Tree oil in my Manuka Honey post.

Its a natural antiseptic derived from the Australian native plant

Its most common use is to treat acne. I add a few drops to most of my skin care products particularly moisturiser I use at nighttime to give it extra power. If you suffer from bad acne this could be your best friend. I also tend to mix it with Manuka Honey , the miracle product as a face mask.

Another great tip for acne prone skin is to add a few drops to clean warm water and dip in some cotton pads. Squeeze out extra liquid and use all over the face (mind your eyes) as a toner.

Tea tree oil has many other usefull benefits. If you have a dry itchy scalp this will help clear it up. You can add it to coconut oil/milk or i just add a few drops to your shampoo.

The antibacterial properties will also help to get of headlice. Its well worth getting this oil. It will fast becone your go to product.

Lush Teatree Tab

£1

Ive spoke about this lush little treat in a previous post Lush Cosmetics Facial Review

Its made from Tea Tree, which is antibacterial and antiseptic and AloeVera which helps to rejuvenate and hydrate

Drop into a bowl of hot water and steam your face for 10mins. By steaming your face you open up the pores.Which then allows the oils to become absorbed. Follow with a face mask . Once the water has cooled down transfer into bottles and use twice a day as toner. Its such a great product and only a pound. Perfect excuse to at least try it. and then you can continue to use it for a good few weeks after. Its such a good product, I would pay so much more for it and would get one everytime I pass a lush store.

H&M Masks

£1.99

Such a variety of masks available.

I haven’t tried all of them but have to say I wasn’t impressed until I tried this one, the Manuka, chamomile and jasmine blossom for combination skin.

So you want to be applying to clean dry skin. The perfect time would be after a hot bath or shower or a 10 minute facial steam. That way your pores are already open to allow the product to work. Apply a nice thin layer. I find with peel off mask, if I apply them too thick they don’t peel off properly.

Leave on 15-20 mins

I like peel off masks, I like to see what its removed and WOW! is all I can say about this mask. This is the best peel of mask I have used.It removed a lot, more so from my nose. My skin was a lot clearer, brighter and very soft. I don’t know how well it would work without steaming my face first but for £1.99 I will be getting a couple next time i’m in H&M.

I couldnt find this mask on their website but i’ve included a store locator in my Shop My Feed.

Colour Tattoo 24hr eyeshadow

£4.99

So I thought I would try out the ON AND ON BRONZE. Its such a beautiful metallic shade, very pigmented. Its a cream shadow but applies beautifully.There are 6 shades available and they make the most beautiful smokey eye looks. They do remind me of the Mac Paint pots but a lot cheaper.

I find I use my finger rather then a brush to apply the eyeshadow if I want a softer finish and it blends really well. For more colour, use a brush. I love them. will definitely be adding more to the collection.

Dr Bronner castille soap

Prices starting from £1.99 for 59ml

9 varieties (including teatree)

A combination of Organic extra virgin coconut, Olive oil, jojoba, hemp and essential oils.

The uses for this magic soap are endless.The ecologically friendly soaps can be used on body, face or hair. There is even a fragrance free if you have sensitive skin.

I mostly use mine to wash my hair and make up brushes. You don’t need much product. A little goes a long way. After a good rinse they leave no residue. Which is perfect for beauty sponges.

You really can use this product on ANYTHING inc washing the floor. All just depends on how diluted it is.

Its really worth trying. Once you have you’ll love it and will use it on everything!!

So that’s it for this post,but remember this is a ongoing post.

Follow me on twitter and/or Instagram for when the post will be updated with more essentials under £5 xx

Blueberries

by lovesandluxuriesAugust 5, 2016August 5, 2016

Continuing with my skin care obsession, Organic DIY products are cheap, easy and good enough to eat. So this post is about Blueberries.

Blueberries are full of Vitamin A and C. Vitamin A can help to reduce wrinkles and get rid of blotchy patches and dark spots while Vitamin C is said to reduce free radicals found in the environment which can be harmful to skin. Acne is mostly caused by hormones but applying and eating blueberries can help to control hormones especially during that time of the month. They also give a boost to your circulatory system which can help to prevent any unwanted lines, varicose veins and cellulite.

You want to be using Fresh Organic products as much as possible. The less pesticides the better. This time of year Blueberries can be so cheap to buy especially if you have a PYO close to you. The small size punnet i brought cost me £1 (that’s right £1 for a punnet of Blueberries AND Raspberries)

Hair Mask

Handful Blueberries

1-2 tablespoons Olive oil or Coconut oil

Mash up your blueberries and add the the oil

Apply to shampooed towel dried hair,massaging into the scalp to promote healthy new hair growth

leave for about 20 mins

rinse with plenty of warm water. Because its oil based you will need to do a lot of rinsing. Let your hair dry naturally avoiding any heated appliances.

Acne Fighting Face Mask

Handful Blueberries

Teaspoon Lemon Juice

Teaspoon Manuka Honey

Mash up your Blueberries, add the lemon juice and honey.

Apply to clean damp skin and relax for 10-20 mins

rinse off with plenty of warm water

The lemon juice can be drying so make sure you use a moisturiser after.

Soothing Face mask

Handful Blueberries

Teaspoon Manuka honey

Teaspoon Organic yoghurt.

As with the others mash the blueberries and add the yoghurt and honey.

leave on for 10-20 mins. rinse with plenty of warm water.

You can also add essential oils to the mask like Rose oil to reduce redness and even out skin tone or TeaTree oil to help fight any bacteria on the skin

Raspberries

by lovesandluxuriesJuly 24, 2016

I prefer fresh, organic DIY skincare over any chemical based skincare. The fresher and more Organic the better the results. If its good enough to eat then its going to be great for your skin.

This little post is about Fresh Organic Raspberries. Their overall health benefits are endless from helping to eliminate wrinkles, helping to loose weight and even said to prevent Cancer due to their high concentration of Ellagic acid. Raspberries have the highest antioxident strength then in all fruits.

The best way to get your fruit particularly is summer would be to find your nearest PYO.

You can help yourself, have as much as you like knowing they use a lot less pesticides and is going to be cheaper then your local supermarket. I went to Blofield PYO Norwich where I paid less then £2 for my punnet.

Simple FaceMask

Approx 5 large Raspberries

I used a pestal and morta to squash my Raspberries. I find it makes a nice consisitancy to put on my face. thats it…put it on!

Leave on for about 10 mins and rinse with plenty of clean warm water.

Raspberry and Milk (or Yoghurt)

Approx 5 large Raspberries

1 tablespoons Fresh Full Fat Milk (Or Live Organic Yoghurt)

As above, squash your raspberries and add milk (i use yoghurt) leave on about 15 mins and rinse with plenty of warm water.

Manuka Honey and Raspberry mask

If you’ve read my post on Manuka Honey you’ll know how great this is for your skin as well.

So you could substitute the milk or Yoghurt from the mask above to 1 Tablespoon of Manuka Honey. This will make it a little more sticky so makes sure you rinse well with plenty of warm water.

These masks are great for dry or combination skin. They will tone, hydrate, cleanse and reduce inflammation. You can do these twice a week. However, they only have a shelf life of about 6 hours when kept if fridge. So only make up enough for 1 mask at a time and eat whats left.

Don’t forget if you have any essential oils (like rose – check out my post on using rose in skincare Reusing your roses in skincare) you can add a few drops to give your masks a boost.

Reusing your roses in skincare

by lovesandluxuriesJuly 11, 2016

If you’ve read my other post’s or seen my Instagram you’ll know i’m obsessed with skin care. Particularly if its fresh and organic. And roses. They are so beautiful, smell amazing and have many benefits to being part of a skin care routine.

So this post is about re using your rose’s and adding them to your skincare.

Rose is used in beauty products to help refresh and rejuvenate skin. Its anti bacterial properties make it ideal to help clear up acne. It can also reduce swelling of acne and rosacea due to its anti inflammatory properties. Rose is also high in vitamin C which is a great anti oxidant.Rose water is a great alternative to alcohol based toners particularly for sensitive skin as its not as dehydrating for your skin like alcohol.

Rose Body Scrub

You will need:

Himalayan Rose Salt (Great for exfoliating)

Rose Petals

Sweet Almond Oil (or you can use olive oil or coconut oil)

Rose essential Oil

Grind up about a table spoon of salt and set aside. I used a pestle and mortar to do this. using the pestle and morta again, add rose petals and grind them till they become pulpy.i used the petals from 1 rose. Add salt, about 2 tablespoons of your oil and 3-4 drops of essence till well mixed. You want to make sure the mixture isn’t too dry or too runny.when its at the consistency you would like add to an airtight container.

using rose petals i would only keep for a few days. If your making the scrub without the petals its will last a few months as long as is in an airtight container

Rose and Manuka Honey Face Mask

You will need

Rose petals

Manuka Honey (read my Manuka Honey post)

rose oil

Using a pestle and morta i pulped the petals from 1 rose. transferred to an airtight container and added 1-2 teaspoons of Manuka Honey and 3-4 drops of Rose essential oil.

The more honey you add the thicker and sticker the mixture will be.

Apply to clean damp face and leave on 10-15 mins. rinse with plenty of warm water and pat dry.

Soothing Eye Pads

Soak cotton pads in water with a few drops of essential oil. squeeze out excess water and leave on eyes for few minutes to reduce redness and puffiness.

You don’t need to have rose petals to make the scrubs or mask, its just nice to recycle something natural to make these home made skin care products even more special. You can just add your rose essential oil to any of your skin care essentials. Not only will it smell amazing but will also help to improve your skin texture.

Home Made Coconut Coffee Bodyscrub

by lovesandluxuriesApril 17, 2016May 5, 2016

I love body scrubs!

your skin feels amazing, they smell gorgeous and they are quick and easy to make at home using only 3 ingredients.

Raw coconut oil (i got mine in Holland & Barrett or olive oil if you dont have any) Its a natural miracle, smells amazing and doesnt clogg your pores

Organic Brown Sugar,perfect to exfoliate as its not to harsh on the skin. You can add a little white sugar which would be great for a pedicure scrub.

Used Coffee Grounds, not only does it help exfoliate and smells gorgeous, coffee is said to help firm skin and help beat cellulite.

I used

3 Tablespoons Coffee Grounds

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

4 tablespoons melted Coconut oil

Mix it all together and transfer to an airtight container.

**If you don’t have the coffee grounds add a few drops of vanilla essence instead and you’ll

have a vanilla coconut scrub.

Your scrub shouldnt be too runny but you also dont want it to be to dry and crumbly.

watch on my YouTube:Loves and Luxuries