POTW - Orly Cutique

A little gem I found in TKMaxx - RRP was around £10-£15, but I got it for £3. 

I've used a Sally Hansen cuticle remover and I don't love it so wanted to try something else. 

I really really like this because it just works! 

It has to be left on for around 30 seconds and it literally removes the cuticle itself so you don't end up unnecessarily hacking away at your skin. 

As I hope the pictures demonstrate it is also pretty good at removing stains. This isn't the hand I normally use for pictures so it is a little more neglected. However, you can see the difference with one use - the pictures were the first time I tried the product. 

It also doesn't leave a horrible texture on the nails, it makes them smoother than they were before which I think is weirdly hard to find in a cuticle remover.

Being quite new to orly, I don't have many of their products and I'm really impressed. I now try and use this every 2/3 days and it is helping my nails stay stain free and keep my cuticles in good form.

Recommend this product if you can buy at discount - I would not pay the full price for it though, it seems a little excessive. 

xox

POTW - let the good times roll

Today’s product of the week is Lush cosmetics face scrub - let the good times roll. 

It is an exfoliator for the face and I was told is good on dry skin. It contains all natural products apart from a perfume ingredient. If you are a Lush newbie - all their products are made with fresh products and have a best before date. I love the natural ingredients - makes my skin feel great. 

I use it about three times a week in the shower (so I remember to use it). I rub about a 10 pence piece size into my palm with a little water and exfoliate into my face - not going too crazy to make sure it doesn’t dry my skin out. After my shower I always moisturise to lock in all the lush goodness. 

I absolutely love the results of this product. I find that other products of theirs work best for oily skin - so this is a great product for those of you with dry skin like me. I was in the store for ages with the shop assistant to find me the best products for my skin, which was great because they actually suit my skin perfectly! So, always ask for help because most of the time they really know their stuff. 

I find that this scrub reduces any spots that I get from sometimes over moisturising. I have also used this on my boyfriend a few times who has oily skin and it didn’t give him spots - so it isn’t just for dry skin. 

Also, the pot is lasting me much longer than expected! A little going a long way is such a bonus.

I love the concept of the lush cosmetics business - and their fab products reflects this.
Ps: these nails are a sneak peak of tomorrows nail post.

xox

POTW - Dramatically amazing moisturising lotion

POTW returns again. 

This time it's Clinique's - Dramatically different moisturizing lotion. 

I have dry/very dry combination skin - my cheeks are always extremely dry. I have tried so many moisturisers before splashing a bit of cash and going brand. I now don't know what I would do without with amazing product. It is about £15 however, I get it from an outlet store so it comes without a pump and is much cheaper. It is worth every penny of full price though, a little goes a long way and the bottle is pretty big. 

I use this every evening and sometimes in the morning if my skin feels particularly dry. However, when I use lots at night my skin still feels great and moisturised in the morning. Unlike other products I've tried that make my skin feel just as dry in the morning as it did at night. 

In terms of using this product with make up - I wear it under my foundation (if I choose to wear foundation, which is rarely) I use Estee Lauder double wear foundation (amazing product) and the moisturiser works great with it, doesn't make it look oily and doesn't give me spots. 

I also use Smashbox CC cream when I don't want such a heavy foundation - I mix the moisturiser with this and it makes the CC cream so much lighter, whilst still giving great coverage.

The moisturiser doesn't give me spots, even when I apply a thick layer if my skin is horribly dry at the time. I never want to over moisturise incase it makes my skin oily - Clinique have this spot on, no oiliness at all! 

I highly recommend this product for those suffering with super dry skin - it has worked so many wonders with mine. I have already stocked up on more bottles for the future. I am keen to try out more of their products because it has worked so well.

Any products that anyone recommends? 

xox

POTW

YAY! POTW (product of the week) is back. Here to inform and review on a monday evening. 

So, I've seen many bloggers trying and saying great things about the Garnier Micellar cleansing water. Cleansing water is taking the world by storm - I have read that some brands are being sold worldwide around every 6 seconds! That's good enough for me to give it a go.

This was on offer when I got it - bonus at £4 and with over 200 uses for one bottle it was such a great price.

For anyone who doesn't know what Micellar cleansing water is - it contains surfactants which can be found in shampoo and soaps. The surfactants make water and oils interact with each other - thus, ensuring make up is removed effectively. 

The micellar water is basically just soapy water but without irritating the skin.

I have often been pretty lazy with make up removal (especially in the winter months) and just use a make up wipe then some cleanser and moisturiser, but obviously this gave me pretty bad skin. During the summer I don't wear any foundation and only a little mascara so it's great for giving my skin a breather. This water is so gentle on the skin - it irritates my skin less than water does.

It gives a great, smooth finish and my skin doesn't feel tight as it would with most cleansers. 

Because of the soapy consistency it removes eye make up without smudging at all - I hate this with other brands. I always squeeze out more than I need so I tend to get it in my eyes which is a painful process every night. This water doesn't hurt my eyes at all which I absolutely love about it.

It is great at taking general dirt off the face too, I feel like it gets deep into the pores and shifts all the nastiness away!

I highly recommend the Garnier Micellar cleansing water, it is such an affordable price, so easy to use and leaves a lovely clean feeling on the skin.

I cannot think of any negative comments about this product! 

I'm going to get another bottle so they don't sell out on me.

xox

(I didn't really do great with the editing - my grass looks a little bit on the brown side!)

POTW

It's that time of the week again - product of the week.

Today's product is: Nails inc express nail polish remover. 
I am so pleasantly surprised with this product, it is such simple idea and works too well to be true. 
I picked this up in boots at a clearance and got it for £2 just to give it a try -  I am so glad I did. The retail price for this product is around £10 (I think) being the bargain hunter I am I'm not sure I would pay the full price for it but I have seen them in a few clearances so keep your eyes peeled for one.

Basically all the product is, is a pink plastic pot with a big sponge in it soaked in nail polish remover. You put your finger in the hole of the sponge wiggle your finger around for about 15 seconds and all the polish will be gone. The main reason I was interested in this product was for the dreaded glitter/sparkle remover dilemma, it is such a faff. This completely solves this problem, just put your finger in the pot for longer and your glitter nightmares will be resolved. 
I have used this product about 5 times on all my fingers, it shows no sign of drying out or polish residue on the sponge which was my initial worry. If it begins to dry out I would recommend just putting some remover onto the sponge and giving the bottle a shake, no need to spend to get another every time. 

The remover seems to be good quality, it doesn't dry out nails and cuticles. However, the smell is quite strong at first - but I guess that's nothing us nail girls aren't used to! 

I really love this product and didn't think I would at all. I went and picked up another pot after my first use of this. If you are looking for a quick and super effective removal this is definitely worth a purchase. 

More nail posts this week - I have had a lack of painting due to being poorly.
xox

POTW

The first post of my new weekly blog series Product of the Week - POTW.  There are so many products that I love and want to share but never get the chance to, so this is where I will share my weekly favourites. First up is the Sally Hansen Vitamin E cuticle oil. I've been using it nearly every day since I got it, it has moisturised my nails and cuticles so quickly and promoted good growth. It will last a life time, a small drop goes a long way. If you follow my instagram you will know that I have had nail surgery on my toes and it landed me in hospital, since then my nails growth has been weak and slow. Using this oil on my nails every day has really promoted the growth and is making me happy. I may finally have nails for summer!

In the picture below, my nails do not look up to standard but this was after two uses of the oil and my cuticles were in such a good condition compared to a lack of tlc before use. I am ashamed to admit I bite the skin around my nails when I'm stressed so this fixes that and doesn't hurt any sores. 

 I give credit to this oil, it makes cuticles look nourished within about 3 days in my experience. If you are looking for a cuticle quick fix I recommend giving this a fix. And it doesn't break the bank which is always a bonus. 

xox