Monthly Favorites | May

Another month has flown by and that means one thing.. it's time for my May favourites! I have a real mixture of products this time and I didn't realise how many I had collated until I started editing the pictures.. this is going to be a long post guys! Let's get started...

MAC Eyeshadow Palette | Link

I bought this limited edition eyeshadow palette last year but I didn't really start to use it properly until recently. I'm not too sure what happened, I guess it just ended up in my dressing table drawer to be forgotten about for a while but over the past month I have been reaching for this palette every day. 
The shades in this palette are perfect for me as I'm a neutrals girl and they are all really easy to wear. During the day I tend you use the middle taupe shade the most but you can blend all of them out to make them suitable for both day and night (except for the black). I really love this palette and the shades are easy to work with and add a little extra shimmer without being too over the top.
Despite this palette being sold as limited edition I'm sure I saw them on display in Selfridges in London a couple of weeks ago so maybe they are part of the permanent range now. Definitely take a look because the shades are all so beautiful and there are others available too.

*Bio Oil | Link  
I first started using Bio Oil on and off a year ago but recently I've gone back to it and it works really well to hydrate my skin. It's nice to switch to oil from a moisturiser occasionally and you need very little of this product for each application as a little goes a long way. it also smells lovely!
This is also a product my family enjoy using! 
Read my full review here.

*St Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Lotion | Link  
I absolutely love having a tan but as I haven't been on holiday for a while and most of the time the weather in the UK isn't the best it's pretty hard to get and maintain a tan. This means I have been turning to fake tan more and more because it gives me a confidence boost.
I've tried quite a few tanning products from a range of brands but without doubt my current favourite is the St Tropez Bronzing Lotion for the following reasons:
- It's easy to apply - The dispenser works perfectly (I've this to be a problem with other products in the past) - You get even coverage - You get a natural bronzed glow - It's long lasting - It doesn't smell bad
I'm almost at the end of this bottle and I will definitely be repurchasing.. I love this fake tan! I will be doing a full review on this product soon.

La Prairie Midnight Rain Perfume | Link  
I love fragrances and one of the more recent ones to be added into my collection is Midnight Rain by La Prairie. Firstly I love this perfume because the packaging is stunning. It's really different from your standard transparent glass bottles and it definitely mimics a dark night sky.
As for the fragrance itself? It's rich, floral, sweet and feminine and is perfect to wear in the evening, however, from time to time I have also used it during the day because I love it so much!
The staying power of this perfume is also pretty good. It easily lasts all evening but naturally does fade a little.
Read my full review here.

Real Techniques Contour Brush | Link  
Over the past month I have been using this contour brush by Real Techniques regularly but not to contour. Rightly or wrongly, I have been using this to blend in my concealer as I'm yet to find the perfect brush for that. I find the MAC concealer brush a little too hard and this one a little soft but with the latter I do find I can buff the product into my skin pretty well to prevent any caking or streaky lines so I prefer it.
I seem to have a habit of using Real Techniques brushes for things other than their purpose and I like them because they are soft, work well with the products and are easily available on the high street.

L'Oreal Super Liner | Link  
The next product I have been loving over the past month is the Super Fine Eyeliner by L'Oreal. The tip is so thin it is really easy to get a precise line and I love that the colour is jet black. When it comes to staying power, this product is really good at that too. I can apply it first thing in the morning and it's still in place by the end of the day if it is used over the top of powder eyeshadow. Unfortunately, it doesn't work so well over cream eyeshadow's, though.

YSL Mascara | Link

Last but not least is the YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils Luxurious mascara in black. I love this because the mascara is jet black so it is perfect to wear in the evening when you want darker eye make-up, although I do wear this in the day too.

The packaging, like all YSL products is also stunning and houses a beautiful formula which lengthens my lashes and adds volume. I do find it a little clumpy at times so I always scrape the extra product off before application but that works well and guarantees good looking lashes every time.

What do you think of my picks?

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Bio Oil Review

Hello Everyone!

I hope you're all well.  It is has been a crazy week so sadly I haven't had much time to blog, sorry about that! After the bank holiday weekend I had an extra day off work which was nice and then I've spent the rest of my week working, wardrobe hunting and revising.  I thought I had sat my last exam once I finished uni but how wrong I was! It's proving to be pretty difficult to work full time plus revise and have a life. At the moment the latter isn't really happening but I did have a chance to look at a few wardrobes for our spare room.  We've decided to turn it into a second lounge so we have a bit more space so I get to shop for housey things (yay!) but we still need wardrobes in there as storage space is limited.  It turns out the ones we wanted were very expensive so it's been a bit stressful thinking of a different plan of action.

The Product

Anyway, enough rambling and onto today's post, a review of Bio Oil. I have always been intrigued by Bio Oil as I have a few minor stretch marks from growing up that I've always felt self conscience about and I also seem to scar very easily. Every time I have seen Bio Oil advertised I have wanted to give it a try but the only thing stopping me was the price tag as I've been watching the pennies and was wary of paying £8.99 for something which may not work.  This is something I now regret.

Bio Oil, like the name suggests is an oil-based formula which has a beautiful floral scent thanks to the lavender, rosemary and chamomile ingredients included in it.  The fragrance is not overpowering and stays on my skin for a short time after application.  I can also smell more woody, spicy notes when I first apply this product which reminds me of Christmas but they soon pass and leave the oil smelling very floral which are more Spring like. 

As I seem to say in a lot of my reviews, a little of this product goes a long way and although it is oil-based, if you are careful with the amount you use, this light formula absorbs quickly into your skin and isn't greasy at all (not even on my hands after application). In fact, I have found it absorbs much quicker than some body butters I own which for me is great because as I've said before, with having a busy lifestyle I'm not that patient when it comes to skincare!

I have been using Bio Oil twice daily for roughly seven weeks and I have already noticed a difference.  Firstly, my stretch marks and scar are a lot less visible and secondly my skin feels soft and moisturised.  The packaging does recommend using this product for a minimum of three months so I am very impressed that I have seen results so soon. I can't wait to see the difference in another month or so.

I've always thought of Bio Oil being used simply to reduce the look of scarring and stretch marks but it actually does a lot more than that.  Bio Oil can be used on aging skin, dehydrated skin or for uneven skin tone too so it is a great multiple purpose product that is suitable for a variety of ages.  Some of the ingredients included in Bio Oil are:

Vitamin A – helps improve the skin’s elasticity, texture and tone

Vitamin E – The most widely used antioxidant in skincare products today, Vitamin E increases the moisture content of the epidermis, thereby making the skin softer, smoother and more supple. Vitamin E also assists in the maintenance of healthy-looking skin

Calendula Oil – Calendula Officinalis, more commonly referred to as marigold, has been used for centuries as a natural antioxidant and has the ability to clarify and stimulates the growth of new skin cells

Lavender Oil – Lavender oil is widely known for calming and soothing benefits

Rosemary Oil – Rosemary oil helps to invigorate and it has a mild antiseptic capabilities and thus eases congestion, puffiness and swelling of the skin

Chamomile Oil – Chamomile has a calming and soothing effect and is particularly beneficial for sensitive skin

The packaging of Bio Oil is sleek and simple.   I love the dinky bottle as it doesn't take up too much space and it is the perfect shape for storage.  I also like that this pretty pink/peach oil is shown off to it's full as the packaging is completely transparent except for the labelling and lid.

I really enjoy using this product and it is a great alternative to your typical moisturiser.  It's something which has been slotted into my daily skincare routine and personally I think this product is worth the price tag.  It is actually great value for money as it has a number of uses and is very versatile.  For instance, instead of applying this oil directly to your skin you can also add it into the bath or your other moisturisers to make your skin lovely and soft.

Bio Oil is available in three different prices and is widely available.  The prices at Boots are:

• 60ml - £8.99
• 125ml - £14.99
• 200ml - £19.99 

More information about Bio Oil can also be found on the Facebook Page.

The Campaign - Skin Stories

As a quick side note (I know this blog post is  getting pretty long) Bio Oil are running a brilliant skincare campaign that I wanted to share with you.  It is called Skin Stories and aims to encourage women to talk about their skin issues.

Skin is the biggest organ in your body and everyone at one time or another will suffer from something whether it be scarring, spots, stretch marks, uneven skin tone etc but it is often an area people feel self conscience about or afraid to share.  I have experienced this myself as some friends thought I was brave for writing this blog post telling the world that yes I'm human and yes I do have stretch marks (probably like the majority of people in this world).  But it just goes to show, it not a bad thing and it's not a topic you should be scared about discussing, you'll probably find a lot of people are the same as you!

Bio-Oil launched the ‘Skin Stories’ campaign on the 15th April in a bid to improve skin and body confidence in time for summer. For every story shared, Bio-Oil will donate £1 to one of three charities - the British Skin Foundation, cancer support charity Look Good Feel Better and the Iolanthe Midwifery Trust, who provide funding for midwifery education, practice and research. Stories can be submitted via the Bio-Oil Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/biooiluk) and on Twitter (@Bio-OilUK using the hash tag #myskinstory).

For more information on the campaign go to the skin stories website.

What do you think of Bio Oil and the Campaign? Will you be sharing your skin story?

*PR Sample

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