So spots, we all get them and tackle them in many different ways. Some use toothpaste, crushed aspirin, but my personal favourite method in high school was to perform surgery with tweezers and safety pins (don’t tell me you haven’t done the same)! Thankfully we no longer have to rely on barbaric methods and homemade remedies to address our facial indiscretions!  The nice people at Sk:n Clinics have created something that actually works, is easy to use and doesn’t interfere with makeup application.

Now I just want to say this is very different from other spot treatments I’ve used in the past. As you can see from the picture above it’s an orange medicinal coloured gel, so nothing like an actual lotion. And even though this is a gel it’s not sticky, more like a watery substance. This contains both Glycolic and Salicylic acid so be careful if you are using other skincare that contains these ingredients or your skin may become very unhappy with you.

I was fortunately/unfortunately able to test this out on a real massive spot on my cheek that James had no end of fun pointing out at any opportunity. You know the kind that sit under the skin and don’t come to a head – yes those! So I washed my face as usual and applied the gel and to be honest I wasn’t sure how it was going to tackle the mountain on my face. The next morning I noticed the size of my spot had shrunk first and then the redness faded over the next few days into a pink mark on my face. This was able to dry up the spot without making my skin flaky which is great when you are trying to cover blemishes. I was able to tap on my Bobbi Brown concealer with no problem and no cakey build up.

This is my second product from Sk:n that I’ve tried and I have to say I’m super impressed. It’s not often I get really bad spots, but when I do they are the ones that sit along my jawline or cheek area and don’t actually come to a head – they are more like little knots of angry redness. I haven’t tried it on blackheads but this is recommended for mild to moderate acne and retails for £12. I would definitely buy this even if it’s just to shut James up!

You can buy Sk:n products on their website or at Boots!

*pr sample

It’s been ages since my last NOTD post as I’m trying out a new cuticle balm so I’ve been giving my nails a rest. And trying to take decent pictures of anything has been a nightmare with the rubbish weather. Anyway Jealous Much is a cool light green creme from the Orly Cool Romance Collection.

I have to say that I found this quite sticky to apply and it took longer to dry than most of my other nail polishes. However once it’s on it stays on and I didn’t have any chips for a week. This is two coats but next time I apply it I will use three to get complete opaqueness because of the ridgy texture on my nails. I think this would probably look better on slightly tanned skin compared to my pasty mitts but I do love the colour though, as it’s similar to the lighter shades of green in my blog theme.

I’ve never tried Orly before so if there are any other colours that you think I should have a look let me know in the comments!

*pr sample

I know 2 in 1 products are a way to save money and time and I’ve tried to love these but I can’t bring myself to do it any longer. Let me explain….

Lucky Tiger 

I’ve had the Lucky Tiger Head to Tail Shampoo & Bodywash forever and I’m making James use it up because I hate it – yes I actually hate it. You can use this to wash your mop and your bod at the same time but I’ve never felt very clean after using it. The peppermint is way too overpowering and the lather disappears very quickly. Now I know some people say that you don’t need foaming agents to get clean as it’s only a gimmick, but that gimmick works on me! As a shampoo it’s okay but I still need a conditioner afterwards and as a body wash it’s like using water.

Aussie 

I only just bought the Aussome Volume 2 in 1 shampoo & conditioner the other week when I was in Superdrug. I saw a man standing around with a clipboard in the shampoo aisle so I hastily grabbed the 2 in 1 and a separate conditioner as I did’t read the label properly. I managed to shuffle past clipboard man before he started me questions about shampoo presumably. It’s a good thing I picked up the conditioner too, this washes my hair really well but without conditioner my wet hair is impossible to comb through – even with my fingers. This might work better if my hair was really short but it’s a little past my shoulders so it’s a no go for me.

I know Philosophy also do 3 in 1 products that can be used as shampoo, shower gel, and bath foam but I’ve never got on with those either. So what do you think – can you really clean and condition your hair at the same time? Are you happy to wash your hair with the same product you shower with?

Lemme know in the comments!

Is it empties time again already? Well April’s blue basket is much fuller than March’s so let’s all have a gander to see what we finished in the Skin Scrubs household….

Scrubs & Lotions

From left to right:

Lush Dark Angels – Yes that stupid looking banana skin/palm frond represents an even stupider product. Well maybe that’s a bit harsh but I didn’t think much of DA, and I did a full review if you want to read it.

C. Booth Peppermint Foot Scrub – This was okay-ish, but it wasn’t thick enough to slough off dry scaly feet skin. I ended up using this as a manicure scrub and it’s a shame really because I like C.Booth stuff.

Lush Australian Igloo (stripey red white bag) – This was kindly given to me by a Lush employee to try but unfortunately I found this scrub way too scratchy and hard to use in the shower.

C. Booth Honey & Almond Body Butter – This is a lovely body butter that absorbs easily and smells like a creamy hazelnut latte. I would buy it again if I didn’t have so many other body butters to get through!

Korres Quince Body Butter – This was a bit too thick for me but has a gorgeous scent.

100% Pure Kona Coffee Scrub – This a flippin fabulous coffee scrub that shall be bought again at some point when I’ve finished off some of the other scrubs I have.

True Blue Spa Apricot & White Face Scrub – This was okay and I think James enjoyed it more than me.

Shower gels 

Left to right:

Champneys Spa Indulgence Thai Royale Beauty Oil – This was a gift from a lovely friend and was a pleasure to use. It makes you skin soft and smells really decadent.

Bath & Body Works (Into the Wild & Hawaii Coconut) – James and I enjoyed both of these shower gels immensely. I think the Hawaii Coconut is now discontinued though but they always have something coconut scented in their ranges.

Le Petit Marseillais – Yes my gorgeous French shower gel friends! James hogged most of the Orange & Pamplemousse one because he liked saying the name!

Hair stuffs & other miscellaneous bits

Left to right:

B&BW Orchard Leaves Anti-bacterial hand wash – Yes I will be buying loads more of the anti-bac hand washes; they are fab, don’t dry out your hands and leave them smelling gorgeous!

Kiehl’s Yerba Mate Tea Toner – Great everyday toner and lasts ages.

Tresemme Thermal Recovery conditioner – This is a great conditioner even for my straw like hair, I will be buying this again.

Samples (Elemis/Aveda/Pureology) – I did a review of these already so technically it’s cheating as I’ve already counted them so don’t tell anyone!

Aussie Mega Instant Conditioner – This didn’t work for me but as always Aussie products smell lovely. I’ve bought a different range from them try again this month so I don’t give up hope that something from Aussie will work for me.

So the goal for May is to keep plowing through my stuff before I replace it with some other stuff from the US. My dad has informed that I’m not allowed to raid Bath & Body Works this time as ‘surely you must have a load of crap left over from last time’. Ahem – no comment.

So on the subject of empties – which products do you find hardest/easiest to finish?

I haven’t done a face mask review for ages and I have so many of them too so I better get crackin’ eh? Now Boscia is a 100% preservative free brand from Japan that only came to my attention because I signed up for emails from ULTA the American beauty super store. I’ve already reviewed their blotting papers and black nose strips and I was quite happy with both products especially the nose strips.

So what does this mask do other than make you look like you’ve got some kinky rubber apparatus on? Well Boscia says:

The Luminizing Black Mask’s exceptional treatment benefits include:

• Dramatic improvement in skin’s clarity and radiance. Skin is brighter and smoother.
• Impurities, bacteria and excess oil are drawn out.
• Powerful antioxidants prevent free-radical damage, such as lines, wrinkles, dryness and dullness.
• Reduced skin roughness and minimized lines and wrinkles, resulting in younger-looking skin.

Wet mask 

You need to apply to this to a clean dry face otherwise this won’t spread very easily. I thought the texture would be quite thick but it is more like a syrup consistency rather than say treacle or molasses.

Dry mask

This takes about 20 – 25 minutes to dry. As with all peel-off masks it’s tempting to pick at before it dries but I wouldn’t recommend it!

Mask peeled off

In an ideal world this would come off in big chunks but every time I’ve done it, it has taken me several minutes to get off every last bit. And don’t do what I did and peel this off while you are in bed, otherwise your other half may wonder why there are little bits of black stuff that resemble torn bin liner on the duvet. Also make sure you don’t get this anywhere near your hair line or eyebrows otherwise you’ll regret it. Needless to say that peeling this mask off is akin to using wax strips. I found that even the downy hair on the sides of my face made it difficult to peel off and hurt like hell when I did. In future I will only use this on my cheeks, chin and forehead and forgo spreading it further.

This is one of those masks that after you take it off you don’t see much of a difference but you will notice your skin looks better the next day, luminous as promised and plumped up. I don’t think this mask is going to dry up any spots but if your skin is looking lacklustre/dull this should brighten it up. I would only use this a few times a month as I prefer a mud based face mask like Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask to control excess oil.

I would buy this again, it retails for $34 on Boscia website which is a reasonable price for something that will probably last 6 months. What Boscia skincare products have you tried?

As you all know I don’t have a excessive stash of makeup so in Skin Scrubs style I’m going to shop my scrubs instead!  There is nothing better to do on this horrible rainy Sunday than go over a few of my Bath & Body Works scrubs that I got last year. Yes, I got that many that I’m still working my way through them but you already knew that didn’t you?

Left to right -

Coconut Lime Breeze Supercharged Body Scrub – I have no idea why this is called ‘supercharged’ but of course I was attracted to it like a moth to a flame! It isn’t very different to their other scrubs in a tube, as an exfoliator it’s does the job but if you want any rough friction it needs to be applied to dry skin. The smell though is devine as are all of the coconut lime combinations that B&BW comes up with. I’m not a big fan of scrubs in tubes but they are more convenient to use when you are in a hurry.

Need a Margarita Citrus Body Scrub – This is part of B&BW True Blue Spa range which is where my favourite coffee scrub ever came from. B&BW are always chopping and changing their stock so I think one is also discontinued now as it’s not on the website anymore. This is also okay as far as scrubs go and I like the oily residue it leaves on your skin so you don’t need moisturiser afterwards but it doesn’t smell anything like a margarita! I would expect a lemony sugar scent and it strangely smells like Sprite or 7 Up. I think this is more useful for targeted areas like hands, elbows and other dry bits rather than an overall body scrub.

Into the Wild Smoothing Body Scrub - This is more like a gentle body polish and I love the look of this, like fine golden sand on a pristine Hawaiian beach. Into the Wild is one of B&BW signature scents and the range also has matching shower gel, body lotion and cream, body spray and perfume. This is what got me addicted to them in the first place as they always have a range of body products in the same scent which in turn makes you buy more hence the vicious circle and love hate relationship with them!

I think I buy B&BW scrubs for the scents rather than expecting them to be super scrubby which is fine by me as they are usually around the $13/£8 mark. Thanks for reading and hope you managed to have a decent Sunday despite the rubbish UK weather!

Contrary to popular belief Americans love their Canadian neighbours to the North – well at least I do! And even though we share the same land mass, the Canadians have their own unique take on things which is why I love them and the blog I’m featuring today – Beauty Thesis!

Tamara is the lovely beauty babe behind this endlessly fascinating blog. She was born to wear green eyeshadow which is probably why I’m so mesmerised by her. She has far more makeup than I ever will so I live vicariously through her! She does reviews, tutorials, giveaways, hauls, and swatches (loads of swatches). She’s a little one stop shop for makeup mavens.

Tamara and Beauty Thesis represent what is so wonderful about beauty blogs. Even though I’m not a woman of colour, I get inspired by her different looks and can learn a lot from her tutorials. I love that beauty blogs break down barriers and let women (and men) of all different backgrounds and ages come together and share ideas.

You can see Tamara on her beauty blog and you tube channel.

As you all must know by now I’m trying to whittle down my ridiculous stash of goodies which is going better this month than last. I’m also trying to use all those bazillion sachets and little bottles of goo that I have tucked away in a clear box that stares at me every morning in the bathroom. Does anyone ever use their samples or do you hide them away in a magic box for a rainy day? One of my favourite Australian beauty bloggers Tine from Beautyholics Anonymous has an impressive epic stash of samples that she has organised into little bags that you have to see!

So from left to right:

Elemis Aromazing Shampoo – This is the best one of the lot and made my hair look full and bouncy. My hair has a natural wave and this really brought it out without making me look frizztastic. Fee from Makeup Savvy sent me this last year and I only just got around to trying it so thanks Fee!

Pureology Antifade Shampoo – I did a sort of review of this in my December empties post. I really liked this at first but when I bought the full size products I wasn’t so impressed. I must have had loads of these sachets lying around but I think I’ve finished them now.

Aveda Rosemary Mint Shampoo – This is an Aveda classic for chicks like me who have the greasiest hair ever! Some of the Marriott hotels in the US carry Aveda so my dad always gets extras from the cleaning staff to give to me when he and my mom go away for the weekend.

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment – Now this isn’t a sample but I thought as I was already talking about hair stuffs I’d throw this one in. Even though this is a treatment I’ve been using this as a conditioner because I ran out last week and haven’t bothered to get any more. At first I thought this had a weird smell like vinegar, but now I’ve decided it smells like a mens hair product. Anyway aside from funky smell this has done something really nice to my hair. I don’t know what it is but it just looks better. My hair is already long so I’m not trying to grow it but I will be buying this again when I run out.

Thanks for reading and have a lovely Sunday peeps!

Just like Goldilocks and her quest for the perfect porridge, chair and bed – I am always looking for the perfect everyday body lotion. I bet you thought I was going to say scrub didn’t you? Well body lotion and I have a funny relationship; my ultimate desire to have smooth soft skin can be achieved with body scrubs but to keep my skin hydrated I need a body lotion.

I think a lot of us struggle to finish body lotions because get we bored and move on the next thing which is the reason why I’m trying to finish so many! And I’ve been following Bristol Beauty Blog in her epic quest to finish her stash and I think she’s doing much better than moi at the moment. Anyway I thought I would share with you what I’m currently trying to finish with the caveat that this does not represent my stash – just some lotions from the same brand.

Korres Body Butter – This is labelled for extra dry skin and it means it. Although this has a nice texture it is way too thick for me and just sits on my skin, takes ages to absorb and I only notice the benefit after I’ve had it on all day. However the great thing about these tubes is that you get every last bit of lotion out of them and they are easy to travel with so you don’t have to worry about spillage. If your epidermis is dry as the desert then this is for you!

Verdict: Too thick

Crabtree & Evelyn Body Lotion – I love C&E  and I really think they are trying to overcome their old lady rep. These lotions are from their classic Goat’s Milk and Aloe Vera range which also has shower gels and soaps. These lotions absorb really quickly so they are perfect for summer months when you don’t want to feel sticky from using lotion but still want hydration and a light scent. Unfortunately nice weather is thin on the ground in this country so I can only use these a couple months of the year.

Verdict: Too thin

Haus of Gloi – Yes the illustrious HoG have not only captivated me with their body scrubs but their Pumpkin Butter and Body Emulsions are also the DAWGS! The reason being is that they absorb quickly, smell divine, yet are thick enough to hydrate all day. I don’t know what what HoG founder Britton has done, but for my skin she has nailed it with these concoctions. And I love that they bring out different things each season so the boredom factor gets eliminated too!

Verdict: Just right

So Skin Scrubbers have you used any these? What is your all time fave body lotion or don’t you bother with it?

I’m sure you’ve probably already read umpteen posts/news articles about Samantha Brick by now but I also wanted to get my two cents in. For those of you who don’t know who I’m talking about, Samantha Brick has proclaimed that women hate her because she’s beautiful.

Now while I would expect this sort of this ‘plastic’ bitchiness from a bunch of high school girls – I find it sad and worrying that a 41 year old woman has stooped this low. I don’t think there is anything wrong with having confidence about your looks but I think Sam has used her looks as an excuse; for not getting promoted and not being able to keep close girlfriends. She’s never been asked to be a bridesmaid, probably because the brides were worried that she would struggle not to be the centre of attention. On one hand she says she’s flirted to get ahead at work, then says her female bosses have been jealous of her. Perhaps under closer scrutiny she just wasn’t up to the job and her female colleagues called her on it because clearly flirting didn’t work with them. As for getting her cab fares paid, handed flowers, and free drinks this has happened to me too luv, and I assume it was nothing more than a stranger being generous with his money rather than mistaking me for a super model.

Maybe someone needs to get all of her ex-friends, colleagues, and bosses together in a gymnasium and ask them to raise their hand if they’ve ever been personally victimised by Samantha Brick.

So what say you ladies and gents – am I being harsh or should we feel sorry for Sam?