Review || Cyrine Aromatherapie Balancing Rose Geranium *

I was sent this sample a couple of weeks ago, courtesy of Cyrine Aromatherapie. So a huge 'thank you' to them. The first thing I noticed was an overwhelming scent of florals, specifically rose. This may be a positive for some of you lovely fragrant women, but I have quite a sensitive nose when it comes to concentrated scents. This cream came in a cute little personalized glass jar. Personalized in that it has your name right on the front; I think that this is an adorable addition to the packaging. 

 I want to start off by saying that I have sensitive skin that has a diva complex when dealing with skin care or make up products. When I react I either get a chemical burn or large whiteheads, and if I'm really lucky that day I get both. I've found that this cream sinks into your skin pretty quickly, but does leave a little greasy film on the top. I used this prior to putting my make up on and saw that it made my face extremely greasy, so much so that after about 3 hours it looked as though  didn't have any make up on. I wouldn't recommend using this in the morning or daytime. For comparing to your skin, I have combination with oily areas around my chin and forehead. If you have oily skin in any way I would advise away from this particular product, but you might like to check out the Cyrine Aromatherapie Oily/Combination face cream. I woke up the morning after the first application with 2 large sore whiteheads. Not a pretty sight but it's nothing a little dap of Erase Paste cant fix. Like I said before, I have finicky skin so I wanted to get another opinion on this cream. Which is my I asked my mum if she would try it and then tell me what she thought of it.

This is all my mum's opinion on what she thought of this product. I asked her a few questions and here are her answers.

Did you notice any changes to your skin? 

"I noticed that my skin was more hydrated and smoother. It lasted until the next day."

Did you find it oily or greasy?

              "No. It sunk in fully and didn't leave a film on my skin."

How did you find it went onto your skin?

              "It went on smoothy and quickly, but I did have to use a moderate amount which wouldn't be good if the product cost above average."

What did you think of the scent?

             "I found that the scent was strong but not unpleasant. I personally really like floral scents, so the fragrance was pleasing rather than overwhelming."

What are some pro's of the product?

            "I love the smell and that I can recognize most if not all of the ingredients in the product. It's all natural - I'm allergic to aloe vera and it's often very difficult for me to find natural products that do not include aloe. Along with being natural, there are no additives. This was very hydrating for my dry skin."

What are some con's?

           "I didn't like that this was in a pot. I think that it's unhygienic and would rather it be in a tube so I wouldn't have to stick my fingers in. I don't think this has SPF in it which is a large con, especially because I have mature skin. The price is also an issue for me."

Would you purchase it?

           "I would buy it depending on how much it would set me back."

All in all I think this specific cream would be most suitable for more mature skin. I would strongly advise against it if you are under the age of 25. I think the strong scent in this doesn't help the cause at all, but it seems that my mother really enjoyed it so it just proves that just because something doesn't work for you, it doesn't mean that it won't work for someone else. I went onto Cyrine's website to try and find the specific face cream that I got, but unfortunately I couldn't track it down so I don't know how much this one would set you back. The other face creams can go from £20.00 - £56.00 and they come in either 30 mL or 50 mL. 

VERDICT: This cream is too greasy and strongly fragranced for someone with sensitive skin, but seems to be a good natural choice for mature skin.

Please go check out Cyrine Aromatherapie's website - they have face products to hand creams, bath salts to candles and even massages! They have something for everyone! See if there is something that catches your eye and please let me know if you do purchase something and your opinion of it. 

Review || Lush Cupcake Face Mask

I've been wanting to try a new face mask other than my usual Love Lettuce, so when one of the lovely sales associates pointed me to this little man, I was all over it!....until I smelt it. Although I loved the promises of the mask, i really wasn't all for the chocolate smell. I'm still not. If you aren't a fan of the fake chocolate smell I would only get this if you know that you'll be able to sit 10 - 15 minutes with it on your face. I bought Cupcake because i've found that my face has become crazy oily recently. I think it has to do with  a change in climate , I haven't changed my skin care or make-up routine so I don't think its that. With this oil comes the evil that is blackheads.The mask is essentially a 'clay' mask which is used primarily for deep cleansing goodness.

It's made up of real cocoa powder, spearmint oil, sandalwood oil, rhassoul mud, cocoa butter, and a dash of fresh mint. The Sandalwood oil is the featured ingredient in this mask- it's used as an astringent and antiseptic which will help acne-prone skin. It's also used to soothe and moisturize dry uneven skin. The consistency is like a lot of other clay masks, in that it is incredibly thick and you have to get it a little warm to spread across your face. It's very smooth so it does spread easily after its been worked a bit. Once you have made yourself look like a lost boy, just relax and hold your breath to avoid the chocolatey fumes. Wait about 15 minutes for maximum results and rinse with warm water. I would advise using your favorite toner almost immediately after all the products off.

 I don't really think that I would purchase this again, unless I get a particularly bad bout of spots. I didn't see any major results, and the results that I did see only lasted until the water dried. I noticed after that my skin was less shiny but it didn't last long at all. One thing that I will give a bug beauty guru thumbs up is the smoothness that you get immediately after which lasted for about 3 days. This is a clay mask so I was expecting my face to feel super clean after each use but unfortunately didn't see any evidence.  I'd advise checking out the Love Lettuce mask before this and if you don't see results, then try this. They are for almost the same thing but LL will give you more visible results that last much longer. I will say though, this mask is targeted for teens, so maybe it would work better for younger girls. This mask, like all Lush face masks, is only $6.95 so if you would want to try it, it isn't like you would be loosing a huge amount of money. 

VERDICT: It's alright but the novelty of a chocolate face mask is no good if it doesn't live up to its promises.

You can read my Love Lettuce review here.

Have you guys tried this mask or other Lush masks? What did you think of it?

Mallzee || A Shopping Experience

If you're a blogger I'm sure you've heard all about Mallzee and their new revolutionary online shopping experience. Mallzee will ask you a few questions to get the lay of the land, and then will produce a variety of styles and clothes that are suited specifically with you in mind. For example - if your into alternative Rita Ora type style, you won't be seeing any preppy Kate Middleton clothes and vice versa. I can't tell you how many times i've been perusing Urban Outfitters clothing and wanted what Mallzee is offering. Seriously, there's only so much fringe and rips this girl can take! 

The people of Mallzee must have been on something that day because their genius does not stop there!! In addition to having a tailor made wardrobe, you will also be able to chat with your friends. Ask them if they think that one totally cute top would go with the pants in the back of your closet that you have never worn but are anxious to, so that your mum will stop harping on... That has never happened to me... Put Facebook aside and just do what every girl secretly yearns for - talk about clothes! Recommend outfits to them and even set up polls if you can't decide about something. Fun is the name of the game!

You know money? Well Mallzee has their own! That is right and they are handing it out like an 80 year old teacher hands out pop quizzes. For every purchase you make, they will give you Mallzee dollars. The more you shop the more you get. Simple as. There are over 300 shops so trust me, you'll be needing those dollars. Some of the shops are Forever 21, Asos, Urban Outfitters, Ted Baker, French Connection and loads more! 

Mallzee also has a competition going on through Pinterest - if you win you will receive £100 voucher!

For details on how to enter click here

If you are interested Mallzee will give you a VIP membership if you click through my blog! 

Review || Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1

I'm going to start off by giving myself a huge pat on the back. I am on a roll with these blog post thingys! With that being said...Clinique Clarifying Lotion is just horrendous!!! 

Not a great segue but we must go onwards! So yeah, their clarifying lotion which is essentially a toner, is probably the worst skin care product that i've tried to date. When I was looking into these I saw that they had one specifically for dry and sensitive skin, which was a huge bonus for me as I have both dry and sensitive skin. But on almost immediate departure from cotton pad to face, I could tell that this was not going to be a good match for me. It started off just with a slight sting and tightness that surrounds a lot of skin care products, so I didn't think too harshly about it. However, as the days wore on I noticed that my skin was starting to get uber sore and red as well as severely dry. You hear a lot that your skin takes about a month to get used to a product, so again I just thought that this was the process to getting results. Oh so wrong was I, about a week or two in my skin was essentially burnt and in my opinion, had 1 layer left before you reach blood vessels. At the beginning of this catastrophic product I used it twice a day, once at morning and night, then as I saw the effects it was having on my skin I went down to just once at night.  I'm no expert but i've been calling 'the incident' a chemical burn. I've tried a few products from Clinique's skin care range and I really must say that i'm not at all impressed. They can cost you quite a nice bit of money, but I don't think you get a lot of bang for your buck. So you don't think I'm bashing on Clinique for the hell of it; I do love their Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief. It's basically a moisturizing gel and though expensive, it really does do the job incredibly well. I would recommend it to anyone with dry or normal skin, as well as people with combination or sensitive skin.

I should also point out that I've looked at both Clinique's own website as well as Sephora's and have seen very few reviews that were anything but negative. So I can't say that if you have dry or sensitive skin you should not try this, because obviously it has worked for a lot of people. I just personally find it incredibly harsh on the skin, especially when it's aim is to help sensitive faces. I don't see the logic in it myself, but maybe it's like Proactive. You can't knock it 'til you try it. I did try Proactive and it was equally as horrible...just sayin'.

Have you tried this toner? I'd really like to know what you thought of it and if it worked for you!

If I Had A Boat, I Would Sail To You || Empties

If you follow me on twitter you would have seen my tweet saying that my laptop has gone to the land of many a shizzy electronics. It's really become quite a paradise, you'd be surprised. Anywho, I am now  using my lovely sisters mac for the time being - updates may not be super frequent, but we'll make it through. As an addict of all things beauty and therefore have numerous products. I've saved my empty containers to share with you all. Please note that I am in fact a beauty blogger not a hoarder. That is clear, right? 

TRESemme Extra Firm Control Hair Spray || This is my favourite hairspray I have ever tried by miles!! I will openly admit that I am incredibly sceptical when in comes to TRESemme products, specifically their shampoo and conditioners. So, when my mum bought this I was really disappointed because I knew that i would have to endure this ridiculously large can. Well slap me twice and pat me on the bottom; this hairspray is nearly sticky-less, is phenomenally light weight, lasts for 2 hamster lives and is cheaper than a double bubble addicts daily dose.

HEMPZ Haute Mess || Dry shampoo, obviously, is predominately used for those days when a shower is physically implausible, but I urge you beauty lovers to use this bad gal as a styling product. It'll give your hair grip and texture without the coating and shine of other sources. That being said, I probably wont end up buying this specific dry shampoo again. Mainly because i didn't notice a huge difference between my pre dry shampoo and my immediate post. Also this was around the 12 dollar mark, which for me is a nut too much, especially for something that will only give you the security of 4-6 hours of just shy of greaseless hair. Too much for too little in my humbly obnoxious opinion.

REDKEN Wool Shake 08 || If you haven't already read, I did a full review of this wondrous gem. Plug done. This is my favorite hair product of life. It is amazing. It is my baby. It's a texturizer on acid. It makes your hair, especially if you have a longer bob with long layers, look like you've spent freckin' hours perfecting each strand into a specific shapes. It's pink and smells phenominal. Although my baby doesn't come cheap, around the $23 dollar mark, it has lasted me a full year of joy and tearless mornings. It's worth every rounded penny in its flawlessness. I love it and so will you. Buy it now!!!!!

Herbal Essences Totally Twisted || HOLY SHMOLEY this scrunching gel has lasted practically my whole hormonal life! It is a go to hair product when you have a shower in the night, don't dry your hair and wake up with curls going in every vertical and horizontal direction. Although I believe it's supposed to be used mainly when blow drying, but really who's got time for that?! The gel in infused with french lavender and jade extracts - to put it plainly, it smells crazy delicious. It's pretty affordable coming around the 10 dollar price point, and again it lasts you ages. I'd recommend getting this if you have seriously unruly curls and you don't want to faff around with getting them into place.

St.Ives Naturally Clear Apricot Scrub || In all honesty I dont have too much to say about this blemish & blackhead exfoliator. It's a pretty average product. For my skin it didn't improve my troubled spots, but in fairness it didn't make it any worse. I'm sure it did get rid of dead skin cells, but unfortunately it wasn't a noticeable difference. I wouldn't recommend this for mature skin or that has mild-severe acne. I think it would be more worth while to buy a more expensive product that would better suit your skin. However, if you are in your early teens I don't see any harm in just using this one. I cant remember the price but I would guesstimate it being around $10. It's alright but nothing to write home about.

Lush Love Lettuce Mask || I wrote a full review of this exquisite example of modern skin care. I freckin' ( yes it's my new word, deal with it) am in love with its ability to transform my drabby skin in a mere 15 minutes. This green wonder is as beautifully refreshing as it is exquisitely exfoliating. I just love the fact that as it helps my skin recover from the disgusting monstrosities that I put my skin through, at the same time it relaxes and releases the stress from not only your mind but from your skin as well. It helps reduce the amount of oil on your skin, decreases blemishes, and removes any dead skin cells and impurities. At only 7 dollars this mask is a steal! 

LORAC Natural Performance Foundation NP3 || I'm afraid I don't have great things to say about this, my only make up product. The first and most important reason is that Lorac tests on animals. HUGE NO NO!! At the time of purchase I was in utter ignorance to this, so please don't blame me. My cats do that enough... Other than the politics surrounding this otherwise dismal foundation, I found it to be remarkably full of cake. A cake festival if you will. This would go on in a normal average fashion, but come 45 minutes later it would be in every nook and cranny I have. Also as it was sulking there is oxidized. You know what that means, dont you?! Umpah Lumpah alert!! Seriously bad news!! Im talking literal orange! Benjamin Moore would be proud. Along with the disgusting nature of the shade, I found that the longer I used this my face would just be soo oily! It's like the foundation sunk into my skin, changed state and came out in an oil. It was just an all round bad product, but it comes from people who hate animals so what can you expect? This totalled to $47- seriously.

I'm thinking of making a YouTube video with more info on these products, please let me know if that's something you'd be interested in.

What are some of your products that you always replace when they've gone to the beauty gods?