Beauty Routine Tag!

Earlier in the week I was tagged by the lovely Annie from Hello Purple Clouds to take part in this beauty routine tag.

Rules of the Tag:

- state that this tag was created by www.thebeaubow.blogspot.com

- tag other bloggers 

1. Name a beauty routine that you rarely do

Exfoliate! I use a muslin cloth ever morning and evening and apply a face mask once a week but I rarely get the actual exfoliator out. 

2. Is washing your make-up brushes something you do regularly?

I pretty much live on eyeliner and mascara. I occasionally use eye-shadows, rarely use a concealer and never use foundation. I guess I can go a few weeks between washing my brushes but that could just be because I haven't worn anything during that time.

3. How long will you last with chipped nail polish?

Ohhh, probably a day or two after I first notice a chip. Mostly because I'll probably be at work when I first spot it then by the time I get home I will have forgotten! I tend to wear neutral colours so a chip doesn't tend to stand out.

4. How long do you put off buying/replacing a product even if you really need it?

I wouldn't put off buying something that I need to replace, especially if it is one of my staple products. However, if I read a review on something and like the sound of it - it goes on my wishlist and could be there for months before I get around to buying it!

5. What is your worst beauty habit?

The lady who threads my eyebrows tells me that it is using tweezers to remove brow hairs in-between threading sessions. She says it causes ingrowing hairs but I still do it! Also, I'm a reformed spot picker. 

6. Name something non-beauty related that you put off all the time

Clothes shopping - especially jeans/trousers. Ergh. I will wait until my jeans are falling to bits before I go out to buy more. Even then I will only go to town on a Sunday so it isn't so busy!

7. When going out somewhere, do you leave getting ready to the last minute or not?

I usually allow myself two hours to get ready for going out. Shower, hair, clothes, make up and then 10 mins to calm down before I leave the house! If I don't have that time to get ready then I won't want to go as I feel rushed and unprepared which causes my skin to react and redden. 

8.  Can you commit to spending bans?

Like Annie, I really try to commit but I usually fail. There is always some good bargain to be had, some new item being raved about, that I struggle to keep myself in check. Also like Annie, I make a list at the weekend of everything that I had spent this month on beauty products and it totalled a figure I am too ashamed to confess!

9.  How organized are your make-up/nail polish collections?

I did a clear out of nail polishes earlier this year and gave them all to my sister so they are much tidier now! I keep them in a basket and I only have about 4.
As for my make up, I don't have that much so it is all in a tupperware container. I probably should invest in something more elegant!

10.  What is the longest you've gone without writing a blog post?

Also like Annie, I have only been blogging for a couple of months. I tried to post twice a week, usually a week day then on a weekend but sometimes I have only managed to do one post. I think it was about 5 days. 

I'm going to tag Tania from Bow Tied Beauty and Olivia from Beauty from the Fjord 

Samples: Peppy Galore

Peppy Galore have been on my radar for a while since reading a post from Ana Goes Green on their DIVA range (see here) so when they recently posted on Twitter how to get a few sneaky free samples, I headed over to their website and signed up.

You have to fill our a form to subscribe to their mailing list, then you get to pick three samples to try out. One moisturiser, one body mousse and one 'Nurse Peppy' - either a hand cream or a healing balm.

I picked the DIVA Face Moisturiser - a moisturiser aimed at sensitive skin which brings together Sweet Almond Oil, Macadamia Oil, Evening Primrose Oil and Sunflower Oil with Vitamin E, Calendula Extract, Vanilla Extract. This is such a light cream but it gives great coverage and gives enough moisture to last the day.

For my body mousse option I had to go with their Herbs de Provence. Rosemary, lavender and peppermint on a mango and avocado oil base? YES PLEASE! This mousse it so airy and light and like the facial moisutiser, a little goes a long way. Heavens above, I am in love with this mousse. I don't suffer from dry skin so I often find body moisturisers to be too rich and only need a light lotion. Who'd have thought a mousse would do the trick! I used up this sample over the weekend but already wish I had more so I will be buying a full sized pot in the near future.

Lastly, I went for a hand cream over the healing balm. Again, another winner for me. Aloe Vera, Roship Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Calendula Oil, May Chang Oil, Grapefruit Oil work so well together to provide a deeply nourishing hand cream. I need this in my life!

You can sign up to Peppy Galore's mailing list here and I really do suggest that you do so!

Peppy Galore. I love you.

Review: bodhi Mint Thè Temple Balm

The bodhi Mint Thè Temple Balm has been on my wish list for months. 

I have read so many reviews that it has kind of become an obsession - something that I MUST HAVE. 

I thought that I could wait for Christmas for this but last week I was suffering with the start of a headache, had twitchy fingers and within a few moments I found myself on the bodhi website with the balm in my shopping cart! I was very restrained and only put the Temple Balm in the cart and checked out. 

I tweeted about my new purchase and had little chat with @BodhiUK about which products I had used and I mentioned that I had restrained myself from picking up the Cacao Cocoon Lip Treatment. What I love about Twitter is this contact with companies - that they are able to take an interest in what their customers are buying; it takes that customer service to another level. 

When my parcel from bodhi arrived, I opened it up to find this inside...

Elijah Choo, the founder of bodhi, had included a Cacao Cocoon Lip Treatment Balm with my order! I can't even express how surprised and delighted I was (still am!) for this to have been included. Adding the Lip Treatment to my order was so incredibly kind, I feel really touched at this generosity. 

I will follow this post with another for the Lip Treatment.

I'm sure that, like me, you have read loads of reviews on Mint Thè Temple Balm. I love the Bath & Shower Therapy and the Temple Balm contains a lot of the same essential oils - Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Marjoram,  Spearmint, Lavender. The Temple Balm has added Shea Nut Butter, Babassu Nut Oil, Cajeput and White Camphor.

You only need to use a very small amount and the balm melts instantly on contact with the skin, so no need for any rubbing and is effective instantly. It really is multi purpose and I have used it over the last few days to deter headaches, to massage into sore shoulders, I've even dabbed a very tiny amount under my nose to de-congest (you can probably figure out, I've got a cold coming!). The website also suggests using it to alleviate insect bites due to its antiseptic properties, soothe travel sickness and to rub into tired feet and legs as a pick me up.

I can't believe how long I held out buying this, it has been by my side for just 72 hours and I still keep finding uses for it. It smells divine - a minty, eucaluptusy, refreshing balm from above and the cooling feeling once applied to the skin is just something I've not experienced before. It is both long lasting on the skin and because you only need to use a small amount, it will last a long time too! 

This gets a massive thumbs up from me! I think it is great value considering the many uses for the balm, at £15 for 15g and can be bought from bodhi's website here.

Review: Weleda Citrus Deodorant

Deodorants. 

I've been looking for The One for years. 

Dove's Roll On used to be my perfect partner; we spent years happily together before the inevitable breakdown. It just wasn't going to last, I was being slowly poisoned by Dove's close friends - aluminium salts and parabens. 

It had to end.

Time to move on and with any breakup there are often rebounds. Dr Organics Tea Tree Roll On provided a good run and was almost up to the job but still wasn't the perfect fit for me. After reading a few good reviews on Weleda, I decided to buy the Citrus Deodorant and see where things would lead...



 

You can buy it for £8.50 from the Weleda website here.

 

I went for the citrus option over the rose and sage fragrance as I have some strange subconscious feeling that citrus = fresh. 

This deodorant uses essential oils and natural ingredients to neutralise odour causing bacteria. It is light and fresh - easy to use with a pump action spray and dries quickly.

The ingredients list is: Alcohol, Water (Aqua), Fragrance (Parfum)*, Lemon (Citrus Limonium) Oil, Limonene*, Linalool*, Geraniol*, Citral*, Farnesol*. *from natural essential oils .

The number one ingredient is Alcohol and by God can you tell. 

I have been using this product for about 4 weeks now and while I think it ticks most of my boxes for a deodorant (it lasts well, it dries quickly, free from aluminium salts and nasties, has a nice fragrance) all of this is put to one side due to the overwhelming smell of alcohol when first applied. 

I actually have to turn my head to the side and hold my breath otherwise I find myself gagging. I also have to apply it in my spare room, otherwise the alcohol smell just hangs around while I am getting ready and catches at the back of my throat!

Other people have raved about this, the reviews on the Weleda website and Amazon both say how much people love it. Maybe I am just really sensitive to the scent of the alcohol? I don't know but I do know that when I have finished this, I will not be repurchasing.

The hunt for The One Deodorant continues...