The Scent of Spring- Cherry Blossom Body Moisturisers from Rituals & The Body Shop Review

Spring is my favourite season, it's full of optimism, blue skies, more sun, cheerful daffodils, fields of bluebells and of course cherry blossom showers. Japan is known for the Sakura festival which celebrates the blooming of cherry blossom flowers known as 'Sakura' flowers during springtime. People go to parks and picnic under the cherry blossom trees eating special blossom-themed food and sake. It's an ancient tradition that was popularised during the Heian Period (794 to 1185 AD), when emperors and the court of the Imperial Palace began hosting viewing parties and feasting under the blooming branches of the trees. In Japanese culture cherry blossoms symbolise the fragility and the beauty of life because the flowers have such a short time span (they only bloom for 4-10 days). It's a reminder that life is beautiful but that it is also tragically short. Samurai soldiers paid tribute to Sakura trees as a symbol of their own short lives, they serve as a visual reminder of how precious and how precarious life is. Japanese poets described the Sakura blooms as 'spring snow' marking a new season of rebirth of nature and purity. 

Both Sweet cherry fruit extract and cherry blossom flower extract are skin conditioners, they hydrate and soften the skin. They also contain antioxidants which interact with and neutralize free radicals, thus preventing them from causing damage to the skin. They protect the skin against the effect of pollution and ageing, firming skin as well as brightening and soothing it. 

Rituals have a wide range of products in their Ritual of Sakura collection, ranging from perfume, bath products, candles, incense and even washing detergent, in fact there are around 30 products! The tagline 'celebrate each day as a new beginning' perfectly encompasses the Japanese symbol of rebirth and a nice motto to start the day fresh using these products. While cherry blossoms represent the fragility of life in Japanese culture, rice is a symbol of abundance, happiness, and fertility. 

The Ritual Of Sakura Magic Touch Body Cream contains organic rice milk and cherry blossom. Rice milk extract makes your skin soft, supple, and gives it a healthy glow. The sweet cherry fruit extract provides the scent, while the sunflower seed oil soothes and hydrates the skin. The scent is quite strong, very sweet and floral. The texture is like a whipped cream, it feels a little greasy applying but it dries down to a dry slightly waxy, smooth finish. It 's very moisturising and leaves skin really soft and nourished. 

I have a 70ml tube which retails for £5.50 which is pretty affordable for a brand that's more on the luxury side especially as it's a cream rather than a lotion. The larger size is a tub containing 220mls of product and costs £18.50. Both sizes are packaged in recyclable plastic (they have the recycled logo on the packaging.) Rituals also sell refills that can be popped into the original large tub and are slightly cheaper at £15.50. Like most of The Ritual of Sakura range the packaging looks clean and classic in black and white colours and a subtle use of pink for the Japanese character and product tagline. The newer product releases are packaged with pink caps or transparent light pink and lilac bottles which look much prettier. This is the first product I've tried from the brand and I want to investigate their make up line as well!

Rituals have issued a statement saying their products are cruelty free "We never test any of our products or ingredients on animals, and we don’t ask any third parties to perform animal testing for us. Rituals is included on the list of brands satisfying the non-animal-testing criteria of the Proefdiervrij foundation." However I couldn't find this statement on the Rituals website. Rituals does not have a leaping bunny logo on their products as they are not certified by any major animal rights organisation. They do have some vegan products but not all their products are vegan.

The other product cherry blossom body moisturiser I have is The Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom Body lotion which is a light moisturiser fragranced with sweet magnolia, cherry blossom and hinoki wood accords. 

The scent of The Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom Body lotion is quite strong, very sweet and floral, I prefer it to the Rituals body cream because the addition of magnolia adds more dimension. The scent lasts for hours but is very faint the next day. It's a lightweight lotion that really does makes your skin feel smooth and softer. Right at the top of the ingredients list are Brazil nut oil and babassu oil which smooth and soften skin as well as being antioxidants. This lotion also contains shea butter which is another antioxidant best known for moisturising dry skin.  The cherry blossom flower extract is at the lower end of the list than the Rituals magic touch body cream suggesting it's included for the scent rather than the skin conditioning properties, however because there are other moisturising ingredients I don't think it matters much. I'm impressed with the quality of moisturising ingredients and that The Body Shop didn't skimp on the amounts.

The packaging has a similar colour scheme to The Ritual's Sakura magic touch body cream but with a floral pattern and the bottle has a easy to use cap that you push one side down and the other side flips up revealing the opening,  The amount of product is 250ml which retails for £10 which I think is reasonably priced. Currently it's on sale for £2- so if you're looking for a new body lotion or love sweet, floral scents then grab it because  it's a bargain! 

EDIT The Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom Lotion is now only available as part of the Japanese Cherry Blossom Premium Selection gift set which includes the body lotion (250ml) shower gel (250ml)  and fragrance mist (100ml)  and retails at  £20. 

The Body Shop built their brand to be against animal testing, but when it was sold to L'oreal in 2006, many people boycotted the brand because of it's association to non cruelty free parent company L'oreal. In 2017 The Body Shop was bought by Natura, a Brazilian beauty group that is cruelty free. the Body Shop is certified cruelty free by Cruelty Free International. This is one of the most reliable certifications a brand can get, because they are routinely audited to ensure their cruelty free status. (source) Some of their products are vegan others like their honey mask are not. 

Empties #2

I haven't written many empties posts so I thought one was long overdue. Below are products I have finished over the last few months and my opinions on them.

Boots Essentials Cucumber Cleansing Lotion
My skin suddenly got very dry and I had to switch from a hot cloth cleanser to something that wasn't as drying and much more creamier. For me the cucumber scent is so nostalgic: it reminds me of the Boots Natural Collection cucumber spray I had in my teens, the scent is very fresh. You're supposed to massage this into your skin and then wipe away or wash it off. Usually I rinsed my face afterwards but on lazy days I applied this with a cotton wool pad and then wiped it off with a wet or another dry cotton wool pad and my skin was fine, it doesn't leave a film on the skin. Initially I found that it made my cheeks feel rubbery, I don't know if this was due to the silicones (dimethicone and Silicone) but this feeling only lasted the first four times I used it.

This cleansing lotion will remove some mascaras (Benefit They're real but not Rodial) and generally all waterproof eye liners although not as easily as No 7's eye make up remover. I have sensitive skin and this hasn't irritated it or broken me out. It does contain paraffin liqiuidium (mineral oil) which has a bad rep for clogging pores and 'suffocating' skin. However a thin layer of mineral oil in a well formulated cream won't actually suffocate skin, your skin will work just fine. However I know some people are allergic to this ingredient. The cucumber extract is almost the last ingredient on the list which makes me wonder whether the cucumber has any cleansing properties at all or if it's just there for fragrance.
Repurchase? Yes, especially if I was on a tight budget.

Simple Micellar Water (sample size 50ml) 
I'm a big fan of Simple's products because I have sensitive skin. I've been using this as a morning cleanser and at night as a general cleanse or as a first cleanser in a double cleanse routine. Initially I found that this had a warming sensation on the skin but then it went after a two weeks of using it.  It hasn't broken me out though. It is aimed towards dry or dehydrated skin and while it didn't leave my face feeling tight afterwards I did need to follow up with something moisturising. However It didn't leave a film afterwards which was good.  It doesn't have any artificial perfumes or colour which I appreciate and it's one of the reasons why I choose Simple products, but this micellar water has an odd smell-like earth and moss mixed with something chemical. However you can't really smell it once it's on your face and has dried down.

I feel that this is an 'ok' or average micellar water, it doesn't leave a film, irritate or break me out but it also doesn't give you a squeaky clean feeling and takes a lot of effort to remove waterproof eye liner.
Purchase? I'm not a big fan of micellar waters they seem to require a lot of cotton pads so it doesn't feel very effective.  This did get my skin clean without irritating it and the price isn't bad (currently £4.94 for 200 ml) so I might buy it again if it's on offer and use a separate eye remover.

E45 
This is my go-to moisturiser. It's fragrance free and very gentle on the skin. It's not greasy but because it's a lightweight lotion I have been adding a drop of The Ordinary's Squalane or Rosehip oil for a nourishing boost. I always buy this moisturiser in a tube because I feel that they're more hygienic than the tubs.
Repurchase? Yes.

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief 
I tried this once in the winter and found that is wasn't moisturising enough. I then used this in the summer and found it moisturised well. It is gel like rather than a cream which I not sure I liked but the lightweight formula makes it a good to use in the summer for those with oily-normal skin. It contains lady's thistle extract, birch bark extract, green tea and I was surprised to read caffeine! It has a fresh scent. This can be used as a lightweight moisturiser but is supposed to be an additional 'drink'  or 'thirst relief ' for the skin.
Purchase? Not right now. Maybe in the future. I would like to try more in Clinique's Moisture Surge range but at the moment I can't because of budget restrictions. If my skin is dehydrated next summer I may purchase this. However I just feel that buying a hydrating serum might be a better way of adding moisture to the skin.

L'oreal Smooth Sugars Nourish Scrub for face and lips 
This is a manual face scrub rather than an acid exfoliator. It contains grains of fine sugar which you apply to dry skin. Then you add water and rub the scrub in circles until the sugar dissolves. It is a very gentle scrub with cocoa seed butter to soothe dryness and the lipids in the coconut oil protects the skin barrier. The sugar grains are fine, they don't feel scratchy on the skin and there are lots of them which makes it much more effective than the Elemis Gentle Rose Exfoilator which did not have enough jojoba beads to actually exfoliate the skin. It smells of cocoa butter but it contains so much more than that, with apricot kernel oil, soybean oil, sunflower seed oil and rosemary extract. L'oreal promises instant and long lasting, visible results. Immediately after use and several days later my skin felt soft and smooth.
Purchase? Yes!

Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturiser SPF15 in 03 Medium Sample 
I was surprised at how much coverage this gives- I'd say has the coverage of a light foundation. The colour match was pretty good though it was slightly pink/orange toned for me (I am more yellow toned) but it didn't matter because it can be applied in a sheer layer across the skin. It didn't irritate my sensitive skin and I liked the addition of an SPF and the fact it's oil free. (For reference I am MAC NC15/Bobbi Brown Warm Sand/Nars Ceylan.)
Purchase? Maybe. I used to buy Clinique's foundations before I realised that they were too orange toned for my yellow toned skin. If I could get a shade that had more of a yellow tone I'd buy it. However as it stands they only have four shades.

Simple radiance cream
The radiance in this cream is gold glitter. You may not want to wear this to work as the glitter is very noticeable. I only had a sample and I didn't have enough to use under foundation to see if that way of applying it would give a subtle radiance instead. If you wear contact lenses be careful about washing all the gold glitter off before putting your lenses in.
Purhase? Probably not.

No 7 Eye Makeup Remover
This is a dual phrase makeup remover where you shake the oil and rest of the liquid together. It's ophthalmology tested and does't sting my eyes as some makeup removers can. It removes waterproof mascara and eye liner without any trouble. I often get this when Boots give vouchers for no 7 skincare for around £3.
Repurchase? Yes

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eye Primer in Candlelight (Not pictured) 
I often worry when trying a new eye primer that it will really irritate my sensitive skin, but thankfully my skin gets on with Too Faced Shadow Insurance original formula and the candlelight version. Candlelight is a champagne tinted eye primer. I often wear gold/ champagne eye shadows as they brighten up the eyes and this acts like a primer and base eye shadow rolled into one. Initially I really liked this but then I began to feel that the gold looked too bright and brassy and not as soft and subtle as I would have liked.
Repurchase? Yes but in the original formula.


Body Shop Body Butters

Mango
This was the first body butter I tried and I'd say it is the best. It smells gorgeous and more importantly it mositurises incredibly well even if I skip a day applying it my skin still feels mositurised. I'd describe the consistency as being more like a lotion than a cream.

Olive 
Although organic olive oil is the third ingredient this body butter it doesn't smell of olives. To me it smells of that Boots Natural Collection Cucumber spray I mentioned above. It smells very fresh. This is aimed at those with very dry skin but I found the mango more mositurising. The consistency is thicker than the mango being more like cream/mousse hybrid. It did leave my skin soft and I loved the smell.

Strawberry
I loved the smell of this in the shop, but I actually found the strawberry scent to be really fake and cheap despite having strawberry seed oil in the ingredients. So it went in my drawer for a few months before I decided to use it again. This time around the smell didn't bother me as much. The consistency is like a mousse. It's also aimed at those with dry skin and while it made my skin soft I prefer the mango and olive body butter.

Coconut
This body butter smells very tropical but can sometimes be a bit too sweet. It moisturised my skin really well.

Repurchase? Yes to the Mango, Olive and Coconut. No for the strawberry body butter.

Aveeno Daily Body Yogurt 
This is lighter than The Body Shop body butters but very creamy and moisturising. Although it doesn't state on the sachet I think this is the vanilla and oats version. I like the scent despite not being a big vanilla fan.
Purchase? Yes.

Salcura Bioskin
Salcura Bioskin is used to treat skin allergies such as eczema. The ingredients are 99% natural and smells of essential oils.  The leaflet that came with these samples had amazing before and after photos. However it did little to soothe, moisturise or improve my skin during my eczema break outs.
Purchase? No.

Head and Shoulders Anti Dandruff Shampoo Smooth & Silky
It's always good to have an anti dandruff shampoo in the bathroom cabinet and this has such a gorgeous fresh smell. I am looking for a new shampoo without MCI and MI preservatives but unfortunately this has both.
Purchase: Maybe. I absolutely love the smell but having sensitive skin and eczema I should really avoid these preservatives.

Pantene Pro V Smooth and Sleek Shampoo
I usually use Pantene Pro V Classic shampoo but I bought this smaller sized bottle for a weekend away. I noticed that I needed less of the Smooth and Sleek shampoo to lather up and the scent is very sweet. However the Classic shampoo is better at keeping oily roots at bay.
Repurchase? Maybe if I couldn't find the Pantene pro V Classic Shampoo.

Palmers Shampoo (not pictured.) 
The coconut in this shampoo will make you smell like a Bounty chocolate bar. However it didn't control my oily hair because I had to wash it again 24 hours later. If you don't have oily hair then you may like this.
Purchase: No.

Givenchy Very Irresistible Perfume EDT
Usually I don't like sweet, floral perfumes but this one is actually really nice. It's quite modern so it's not in the 'smells like a grandma' category of perfume. The top notes are cassia, lemon verbena and anise. The middle notes are floral with rose, peony and magnolia and the end note is taif rose. To me all I can smell are the florals, mainly rose. I can't smell the lemon and I actually hate anything that smells (and tastes) like anise (such as aniseed, licorice and fennel) but it doesn't ruin the perfume for me. I guess it counterbalances the floral ingredients so they don't smell too sweet. It's a modern and feminine perfume but not really me. I prefer fruity and oceanic perfumes.
Purchase: If someone gave me a bottle I'd happily use it but I wouldn't rush out to buy it.

Disappointing products #9

The following products just didn't work for me but we all have skin that responds differently to others when we're trying out different products, so these are just my own experiences. I have combination and sensitive skin on my face and the rest of my body is sensitive too.

Boots Botanicals Micellar 3 in 1 Cleansing Solution All Bright  
Initially I was hesitant to try this because of the 'All Bright' brightening effect of the hibiscus AHAs. AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) clear away old, dull skin cells revealing glowing skin underneath. However general skincare advice for sensitive skin is to avoid AHAs and BHAs as they can be harsh and damage the skin barrier which is already thinner than those with normal skin. But the concentration of AHAs in this product is low and is mild on the skin, way more gentle than something like Pixi Glow Tonic. It did have a warming effect on my skin but it didn't feel uncomfortable or that it was burning my skin. Since it contains AHAs it will make your skin more sensitive to the sun so it's recommended to apply SPF (moisturiser or sun cream) during use and for one week afterwards.

I'm not a big fan of micellar waters in general because you just end up soaking more and more cotton pads and it doesn't feel that effective. But I felt that this was the one! I fell in love with this product because it felt like what a micellar water should be: it only took two pads to clean the skin, it didn't leave a film on the skin and my skin felt really clean because it was excellent at removing all traces of make up. Plus it has a mild, inoffensive scent.

So where did it go wrong? Well after about 6 weeks I started to develop a red patch on my cheek along with a spot that just wouldn't go. It was immune to witch hazel, niacinamide and salcylic acid. Eventually it went after 7-8 weeks of constant application of tea tree oil. During this time I cut out different products in my routine in order to find the culprit. When I switched cleansers it went but when I started using this micellar water to remove my makeup again I found that I got a red patch and a spot that refused to go away on the other cheek. Again 7-8 weeks later the spot finally went. So if your skin is sensitive or acne prone I would avoid this.

The Body Shop Pina Colanda Body Butter
I really, really wanted to like this because the smell is heavenly! It's smells of pineapple and coconut. It does a good job of moisturising but unfortunately it makes me itch. I'm brokenhearted as I love this the smell of this so much. It's also the first Body Shop body butter I've had this reaction to, I've tried coconut, strawberry, mango, olive, shea butter, Vineyard peach and blueberry in the past and have been fine. I think I'm going to try the Virgin Mojito instead to get that exotic summer scent.

Freedom Pro-Studio Strobe Cream Highlighter. 
Once you applied this it sinks into the skin and the highlight effect pretty much disappears. You can see my full review here 

Boots Fragrance Free Eye Makeup Remover Pads
I used these when I had to pack an overnight bag and didn't want to take a bottle of makeup remover. These pads are in a small pot that is great for travel. However they are incredibly greasy and therefore messy to use. They do remove waterproof eyeliner and mascara but it's not a pleasant experience using these because you end up spreading grease everywhere.

Marks & Spencer Sun Smart Sensitive Moisture Protect Sun Lotion  SPF50
Despite having sensitive skin I've always been fine using any old sunscreen. Usually I just pop into Boots and grab any ones on offer at the time. I got this in a beauty box and was happy that I didn't need to buy any sunscreen for this summer. However after I applied this to my arms I ended up with a red bumpy rash all over them. Thank god I didn't apply this everywhere. After a week or so it cleared up. In the past I've stuck to well known brands rather than store branded ones and although this might just be a one off, I'll probably stick to the big branded names that haven't caused any reactions in the past. So if you have sensitive skin be wary of this.

Disappointing Beauty Products #8

The Body Shop Peach Body Butter. 
I love peach scented products and The Body Shop's body butters, so what can go wrong? Well at first this is a lovely peach scent and very earthy. It smells very natural and realistic but after 10 seconds it starts to smell rancid and very chemically. As far as moisturising goes it's actually fairly good but not as much as the mango one.

The Body Shop Shea Body Butter
I liked the smell of this in the shop but once I took it home to use it smelt like men's deodorant (think Lynx) and it's heavily perfumed. The texture is slightly heavier than The Body Shop Peach body butter and leaves skin tacky as it takes longer to sink in. I am going to pass this onto my mum who likes shea butter and hopefully she'll get more use out of this.

The Body Shop Pomegranate Lip Balm
I really don't like the smell or taste of this it's like artificial sweets and wax not pomegranate at all. It also makes my lips tingle a little bit which I didn't really like.  It does have a nice red tint though. 

Biorderma Sensibio Micellar Water Sample Size 

I wanted to love this so much as it's such a cult product and now it's in the UK, its affordable. I chose the Sensibio for sensitive skin but when I used it it felt like it was burning my skin. I must be allergic to one of the ingredients. 

Burt's Bees Beeswax and Banana Hand Cream
This smells like the fake banana antibiotics they give to children but much more pungent. The beeswax acts like a waterproof protective layer that locks the moisture in. However I couldn't use this because the smell was just too overpowering. However my mum didn't mind the smell and found this to be good for her skin, moisturising as well as locking in moisture. However even if you like bananas I'd still try and smell it first before buying it. Nonetheless this is a best selling product at Holland & Barrett and they literally keep the jars under lock and key! 

Downtown Calvin Klein Sample Sized

I was given a sample of this and I expected this to be like other Calvin Klein scents that are fresh and not very sweet, but this is actually too sweet and spicy for me. The violet leaf and gardenia give it a very strong, sweet floral scent. The opening notes are supposedly fruity, with lemon, pear and plum. However I can't smell the pear or plum and the lemon goes away within 3 seconds. The strong floral smell takes over both the top and middle notes. After that it turns a little spicy with the pink pepper, neuroli oil and incense, which I don't really appreciate but I guess it gives the perfume more depth. Then a strong woody scent takes over, I like a subtle woody smell but the combination of Texas cedar and vetiver is too much for me. This has been discontinued but they are still selling it on Fragrance Direct.   

Beauty Blender Liquid Cleanser Sample sized
I  finally caved in and bought a beauty blender and the beauty blender soap along with it, as I thought the two products would work well together. I had the choice of a liquid or soap bar, but the liquid soap had more positive reviews so I went with that. However it was the same or worse that using washing up liquid. The first time I used this was with Estee Lauder's Double Wear Light. I had a feeling that Double Wear would be trickier to remove with soap, water and washing up liquid but that's why I bought this. I tried different methods to try and get the beauty blender clean. At first I applied the soap to the stains and massaged it in. Then I soaked it in water with this soap for 10 minutes. The water changed colour a little but the sponge looked the same. Since I was about to go out of the house I left this to soak for 4 and a half hours. When I returned the beauty blender looked exactly the same and just as dirty. I also used this to clean my makeup brushes and it cleaned most of my brushes well (brushes that I had used for powder and gel eye liner) but I found it hard to wash my foundation brush. To be fair the foundation brush was covered in  EL Doublewear light and it was a dense brush. I'm really disappointed because this soap was made for beauty blenders and their original purpose is to use it with foundation. They should have tested the beauty blender soaps with long wearing foundations such as Estee Lauder foundation. I'm glad I got a sample size and didn't buy the full sized bottle. Apparently Dr Bronner's soap is much better so I'll be trying that. 

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think of them? What has been your latest most disappointing product? 

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Highlighting Dome & Lip Liner Fixer Review

The Body Shop Lip Liner Fixer is a transparent lip liner that is designed to keep your lipstick in one place and prevent lipsticks from bleeding into any fine lines. I'm lucky in that lipsticks rarely bleed on me, but I love using this for lip glosses that move all over the place and leave you looking like a toddler who's just eaten a strawberry lolly. You simply draw around your lips first and then apply lipstick or lip gloss and it shouldn't budge past the lip liner line.  It feels really soft and creamy since it contains moisturising marula oil, castor oil and Jojoba oil. It also contains beeswax to help to create the barrier effect but this ingredient might not suit vegans. Overall it feels lightweight on the lips and very comfortable and smells like honey. The Body Shop Lip Liner Fixer is retractable so there's no need to sharpen and waste product that way. In a pinch you could also use this to keep your brows in place as it contains wax. The price isn't bad for such a unique product (£8) and since it is transparent it will go with any coloured lipstick or lip gloss so it's good value for money.

There are three Honey Bronze Highlighting Domes, 01 a silvery highlighter, 02 a shimmery blush and 03 a shimmery Bronzer. I chose the shimmery blush because it seemed the most pigmented. The packaging is cute with a screw top lid and similar in size to a pot of lip balm. As part of the Honey Bronze line it's dark brown and gold and of course contains honey in it's ingredients. The colour is  a gorgeous pink with gold shimmer through it and pretty much the same shade as The Balm Hot Mama blush but in a cream form. (You can see the comparison photos on Monica's Blog Beauty In Five Minutes.) There is a slight golden sheen when applied to the face but it's very natural looking and not glittery at all, mostly it's a just got out from the cold red rosy cheek colour. You can apply the blusher straight from the dome but I found it best to use a finger to apply the product right where you want it and you can layer the product easier this way. The dome is hard to keep it's shape but the blusher is soft and warms up with fingers making it easy to blend. Best of all it's long wearing and so you don't need to lock in the colour by applying powder blush on top, it will last the whole day by itself, though it fades a little after 8 hours. It has a sweet honey, rosewater and fruity smell but the smell isn't overpowering. The price of this cream blush is quite reasonable at £8 for 6.5g, you get a lot for your money and I think it will last me a long time. I'd say that both these two products were a good buy and i'd definitely recommend them.

      What have you bought lately from The Body Shop? What do you recommend?

Both the Lip Liner Fixer and Honey Bronze Highlighting Domes are available from The Body Shop.

My summer Legs Routine

This summer I have been reading lots of Lindsey Kelk's books while sunning myself in the garden- which has been so relaxing it's something I'd recommend to everyone! Anyway I thought I'd share my summer legs routine with you all.

Since I have sensitive sensitive skin and eczema on my knees and ankles I usually mix Oilatum oil with salt to create a body exfoiliator. For dimple free skin I suggest body brushing, using a bristle brush on dry skin brushing towards your heat is supposed to improve circulation, lymphatic drainage and beat cellulite as well as exfoliating, and this one from Sanctuary also has rubber nodules to massage the skin. Although it doesn't completely eradicate cellulite Cowshed Slender Cow Extra Firming Body Butter does the next best thing which is to drastically reduce the appearance of cellulite, so that your thighs and bum look a lot firmer and smoother, basically 10 times better than before. It contains sweet orange, grapefruit, ylang ylang and mandarin red essential oils to stimulate and tone the skin and the carrot seed oil helps to break down toxins. It has a herbal scent due to the essential oils but it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin and is the only cream I've tried that works. It makes a big difference and worth the price tag. The next step in my routine is shaving. If you have dry or sensitive skin go for a shaving cream that doesn't contain sulphates since they can strip the skin of naturally occurring oils. Use a sharp blade because duller ones need more pressure to shave leading to more friction and razor burn. I recently bought  Vaseline's Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser, it may sound like a gimmick , but spraying moisturiser on your body feels so refreshing and cooling in the heat. It also cuts down the time spent rubbing in and you don't have to wait ages before dressing. The one I picked up was the aloe version which smelt nice and fresh. It's not greasy and leaves you with soft skin but it's not what I'd call intensive, so if you're after a more moisturising boost then Garnier's Ultimate Beauty Oil is both lightweight and rich. Having eczema I've always been wary of using fake tanners on my legs, so I stuck to bronze shimmery body creams instead. However The Body Shop's Honey Bronze Tinted Leg mist  is great for a matte, realistic tan.  It's a wash off formula for fair to medium skin tones, paraben free and smells like fruit punch.  It can be layered, for my olive skin tone I used two layers (I use Bobbi Brown warm sand foundation for reference) but one layer would be enough for fair skin tones. I would leave a gap between moisturising and applying this, as moisturising seemed to dilute the colour and apply patchily. It does dry quickly and doesn't transfer or rub off but can be removed with soap and water. Finally after all that hard work and pampering it's time to make the most of the summer we have left!

4 Moisturising Lip Picks for Winter

Come winter, chapped lips seem inevitable, meaning you can forget about applying drying lipsticks. For days when you want to add colour but lipstick just feels uncomfortable to wear or too full on, try reaching for one of these instead. They range from most pigmented and opaque (#happy lips, lip butters) to sheer (TBS Born Lippy.)

The Body Shop Born Lippy in Plum
This gives a subtle berry tint to the lips and is very moisturising. There are other shades in the range but this is the darkest, I chose the darkest assuming it would have more colour pay off and it doesn't disappoint. It's doesn't look odd when it wears off either. I prefer the Born Lippy lip balm in stick form rather than the pots because I find the formula more moisturising and hygienic. This lip balm smells slightly of plum and prunes and tastes a little like plums. As always with The Body shop this tinted lip balm isn't tested on animals and is priced reasonably at £3. You can get this from The Body Shop here 

Clinque Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Balms
This is the one that started a revolution in the make up world. The twist up form was easy to apply and didn't need sharpening. It became so popular it started a copycat trend amongst other cosmetic brands. These Clinque chubby stick lips have a perfect formula for they are not sticky, tacky or waxy in anyway. Clinque Chubby Stick balms are not scented and have no taste which is great for those with allergies. They are very comfortable to wear. Full review and swatches see here. If you are after a more opaque colour then Clinque also do a Chubby Stick Intense line.They are available at Clinque Online here , Boots, Superdrug and department store for £17.

Revlon Colourburst Lip Butters
I have four of these sheer but moisturising lipsticks, in Macaroon, Berry Smoothie,Tutti Frutti and Raspberry Pie and reckon they're worth the hype.They smell of vanilla but it's fairly subtle. The wear time of these aren't great but I found them to last a bit longer than the No 7 version, Sheer Temptations lipstick which is similar. A swatch of the Raspberry Pie can be found here. Revlon Colourburst Lip Butters are priced at £7,99 at Superdrug here and Boots here £7.99

Make Up Revolution Amazing Care #Happylips in Love Red
This has a moisturising outer layer containing argan oil. Because of this I expected that it would be sheer like a tinted lip balm, but I was pleasantly surprised that this can be built up to a bright red colour (although it looks pink in the swatch below it's actually a cool toned red.) and is a lot more pigmented. These happylips are perfect to wear in the winter when your lips tend to feel drier because this is really very moisturising and so comfortable to wear. It can last through a drink but not eating. There is no noticeable smell but it does taste like vanilla. Altogether there are 5 shades in the line. £3 Make Up Revolution here

Disappointing Beauty Products #4

Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Facial Scrub (Supermarkets/Superdrug/Boots £3.99 for 75ml)
Simple claim that this " Oil Balancing Facial Scrub is a perfect blend of active ingredients and exfoliating goodness to remove dead skin cells, dirt and impurities. Clinically proven to reduce blackheads and blemishes in just 7 days. "
I used this as instructed but did not see any change in my skin or amount of blackheads. After 3 weeks I didn't see any changes and I felt that this was as ineffective as water. I was disappointed as I love this brand and the oil balancing ranged seemed perfect as it's for sensitive and oily skin. Unfortunately this didn't work for me.

The Body Shop Lip Butter in Honey Mania (The Body Shop £4 for 10ml/9g)
This does soften lips during the day but is not very moisturising. It feels similar to Vaseline in the fact that it acts as a barrier but doesn't feel soothing at all on chapped lips. The smell is very sweet but not off-putting. I'm currently using this to soften my elbows and around my fingernails and cuticles instead.

 Dr Organic Royal Jelly Lip Serum (£3.10 for 10ml Holland and Barratts)
The packaging states this is a  'intensely regenerating and revitalising' that 'instantly moisturises and restores the condition of the lips.'  I've never tried a lip serum before but  from this description I imagined it would be an intense moisturiser, but I this feels like a very light version of a lip balm.  I loved the smell fruity mango and ginseng and the fact it's organic with lovely ingredients such as organic royal jelly, Shea better, olive oil, African coffee tree oil and mango butter. It's also free from parabens, SLS, harsh preservatives and artificial colours. As far as the packaging goes I loved the tube it's more hygienic, although  stiff at first but then it gets easier to squeeze. However I was really disappointed, on the lips it made my lips feel dehydrated as if I've just eaten salt and vinegar crisps that have made my lips dry and uncomfortable from the salt. It also tingles a little this might be the ginseng or the bioactive effect it claims to have? Overall I would avoid this one.

No 7 Lash Adapt Mascara in Deepest Black (Boots £12.95 for 7ml)
I'm not sure if this is being discontinued or not. I loved this at first, it lengthens, adds volume holds a curl and suitable for sensitive eyes. The wand has a soft bristle brush. No 7 claim that this is a buildable mascara that can be layered without up to 6 times for more volume, which is does with minimal clumping.
The shiny silver packaging is gorgeous, and makes it look more expensive than it actually is.

The problem came when I wore it for my birthday and ended up with panda eyes when I got off the dance floor which ruined my photos, I was really annoyed. This is good enough for everyday use as long as you stay off the dance floor and avoid the gym and humid weather. For the price there are probably better ones out there

.No 7 Extreme length Mascara in Black (Boots mini sized. Full sized £12.50 for 7ml)

This mascara has a plastic bristled brush which No. 7 claim is unique because of it's flexible plastic bristles, it doesn't look different but does help to separate lashes, reducing clumping. No 7 also say that the brush helps to catch the small lashes in the corner but I think having bristles on the tip/head of the brush would be more effective. This mascara doesn't really have much of an impact, it adds a little length but in no way is it extreme. It doesn't give any volume to the lashes either. I would say this suits those who like lashes defined but are after a soft, natural look. This is also hypo-allergenic so suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. However I wouldn't buy again because there are cheaper mascaras out there that have more impact than this.

The Hand Creams Review

Neutrogena Hand Cream concentrated (£3.68 approx. for 50ml)
This is good for very dry and sore skin. Because it's concentrated you only need to use a little as it's quite rich so the tube lasts ages. Feels very nourishing on the skin. Some may find it a bit greasy as it's quite heavy. However the moisturising properties continue after you've washed your hands. Useful for those on a budget or for sensitive noses who prefer unscented products. If you like a scented hand cream read on.

Body Shop Almond Hand and Nail Cream (£5 for 30ml)
This feels light on the skin and contains almond oil which is well known for making skin softer. The cream is easily absorbed without making hands feel very greasy.
A word of warning though this is very sweet smelling, like Italian Amoretti biscuits but even sweeter too sweet for me. Also while skin felt so much softer they didn't feel as moisturised.
But kudos points to The Body Shop for using Fair Trade brazil oil in the ingredient list.

Neals Yard Bee Lovely Hand Cream (£10 for 50ml)
Initially a limited edition, this became so popular Neals Yard now include it in their permanent line.
The consistency is runny like sun cream. It contains organic honey as well as brazil nut oil and orange essential oil.When opened this has a citrusy smell but once on the hands it's more like cinnamon spice. Neal's Yard claim the scent is 'energizing' and compared to the sweet scents of the others it is different but if I wanted to wake up and feel fresh this wouldn't be what I'd reach for. 
After applying your hands feel fairly greasy but this fades after 10-15 minutes. It feels very nourishing. Like Neurogena this is more heavy duty and tackles chapped hands and is hailed as good for dry skin and eczema. Neals Yard's Bee products raise money for the Buglife, Landlife and Pesticide Action Network UK. This is cruelty free and winner of the RSVP Beauty award winner 2013.

L'Occitane Jasmine passion Hand cream 20% Shea butter  (30ml)
This is one of L'Occitane's limited edition 20% shea butter range and is currently available in a set. The original version won many beauty awards but this one smells so much nicer. It's light but very  moisturising and feels so nourishing on my hands. It's a little tacky after applying but then it settles down.  I just love the scent of Jasmine.

6 Lip Balm Alternatives to Vaseline

I've recently discovered that when I use Vaseline it doesn't seem to penetrate my lips to truly moisturise, all it does is just sits on my lips. It does acts as a barrier against the wind and cold to prevent further damage but ultimately it's not very soothing because the lips can't absorb such a thick oily substance. Vaseline is made of 100% pure petroleum jelly which is a blend of mineral oils and waxes. It is formed as part of the oil drilling process and then later refined and distilled to produce pure petroleum jelly. Petroleum is an occlusive moistuiser, it coats the skin/lips to create a sealing barrier between the cells in dry skin to locks in moisture. I've been on the hunt for a non occlusive lip balm that truly soothes and moisturise my lips.

The Body Shop Born Lippy in Plum  5g (£3) from The Body Shop
Unlike the Body Shop's honey lip butter and the pot born lippy (in melon) this balm in stick form actually worked- it moisturised fully and felt comfortable on the lips. It smells slightly fruity and tastes a little sweet and plummy. Unfortunately this does have a bitter aftertaste which you can feel in your throat. However being a tinted lip balm it does give your lips a great colour, a dark pink/mauve colour (a your lips but better look) which enhances your makes your lips.   

E45 Lip care 5gs (£2.49) from Boots
This lip balm does an ok job of moisturising lips but I feel that some of the others are better (Boots Lipsalve/The Body shop) . The formulation is a little waxy, I don't mind but this may be an issue for some people. This claims to be perfume free and while it doesn't smell of much, the taste is a subtle fragrance of vanilla/crème Brule. E45 manufactures gentle, kind to skin products and this is dermatologically tested and allergy screened. An added bonus is that it contains UVA and UVB sunscreens.

Burts Bees Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter 4.25g (£3.69) from Boots and Burts Bees
I've heard nothing but good reviews from Burts Bees and a friend swears by them, but I did not find this to be very moisturising. It does soften the lips but it felt like Vaseline where it just sits on top not being fully absorbed or actually feels nourishing at all. It does smells gorgeous though- sweet, fruity and smells of summer. I'm tempted to keep it close by just so I can inhale the scent and daydream that I'm not in rain soaked Britain for a few minutes but on a sunny tropical island. This is also 100% made from natural ingredients.

Dr Organic Aloe Vera 5ml ( currently £3.25) from Holland and Barrett
I really wanted to love this. It's organic and contains Shea butter, beeswax, vitamin E and the soothing gentle properties of aloe Vera. It also has an SPF 15 to protect the lips from UVA and UVB rays. The smell is slight and inoffensive. It does feel fully moisturising, however this felt strange on my lips like a tingling sensation even though this isn't a lip balm that tingles because it's making your lips fuller. Even that fuller lip tingling I avoid as I don't like it. After trying other lip balms from this brand I don't think my lips react well to Dr Organics Bio Active products. For others this may be worth trying, in particular those looking for organic, scent free or SPF lip balms.

Boots Essential lipsalve in Strawberry 5g (£1) from Boots
This moisturises well and smells like a strawberry milkshake and tastes a little like it too- lovely! The texture isn't too waxy but just right. This lip balm also contains Shea Butter, Aloe Vera and beeswax-good ingredients, I don't know why this isn't made more of in the marketing of this product. The lip balm is also dermatologically tested suitable for sensitive lips. All in all good value for the price.

Neals Yard Bee Lovely 15g (£6.50) from Neals Yard
This is marketed as being a multi-purpose balm for elbows, cuticles and general dry patches as well as for the lips. On the lips it feels like butter.-heaven. It's incredibly nourishing as well. It smells and tastes citrusy due to the orange essential oil. It also contains cocoa butter and beeswax.This has a screw top lid which is unusual but at least you know when the lid is securely fastened and not going to fall off in your handbag. While this is more expensive than the others, you are also getting triple product so it's not bad value. This is cruelty free (there's a bunny label on the packaging), 99% organic and approved by the soil association. Also by buying this you also help the ecosystem by raising funds to save the bees who play a vital part of our environment and food production.