Lotil; The Best Cream for Dry Skin?

Lotil wasn't a brand I had heard of before I was sent this to try, I imagine this may be the case for many of you too.

As per their claims, "It's a cream aimed at very dry skin in need of repair and moisture, it contains powerful emollients that rapidly rehydrate the skin and soften chapped and cracked skin. It also combines a variety of properties to prevent infections and the rich, non-greasy and deeply hydrating formula penetrates quickly for practical use"

The cream can be used on hands, elbows, knees, body and face.

I don't suffer with particularly dry skin, however my elbows are always in need of a little bit of extra moisture and I was surprised at how quickly this cream sorted them out and had them looking less dry and cracked TMI?! Sorry ;-)

How this cream managed to impress me the most was post shaving. 'Morning me' is always in a rush and I don't really have time to be applying shaving foam and really spending time on shaving - it's normally a mad rush and I often get the dreaded razor rash, particularly on my bikini line and I hate how it looks.

While the cream takes a little longer to rub in, the results I got from it blew me away, no razor rash or bumps - totally amazed and this will be my go -to for the foreseeable.

The smell is quite clinical, I don't love it, but I can live with it. I was sent the tun of this cream, however it comes in various sizes;

Lotil Cream is available in the following pack sizes:
30ml - handy miniature tube
50ml - handbag-sized tube
114ml - multi-purpose home use tub
500ml - extra large container with pump dispenser

The cream is priced at £6.29 and available from Boots, here.

Does this sound like something you'd benefit from?

Lauren x

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Balance Me Natural Skincare

As we start to see some warmer climes (yes, even in the UK!) my skin starts to need an extra boost of hydration and I find I tend to make changes to both my skincare and makeup choices.

I was really pleased when I was sent the Balance Me Beauty Hyaluronic Plumping Primer & Tri-Molecular Hyaluronic Serum in time for Spring / Summer and have been working them into my routine over the last few weeks.

Let's take a look at the primer first shall we?

The texture is silky and velvet-like and it feels really nice to apply, it sinks into the skin really well and creates a lovely canvas for makeup. It feels hydrating and smooths over the skin, making it look refined and blurred - a great one if, like me, you have visible pores.

It contains Acacia Gum Complex to plump the skin, this also helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with a skin-tightening effect. Medium to high molecular weight Hyaluronic Acid creates a protective, hydrating shield to improve skin moisture levels and elasticity.

The formula also contains Acmella Oleracea, which is a natural alternative to botox, this helps to relax the facial muscles and visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines with continuous use - while I haven't used it consistently enough to see these benefits, I shall report back soon!

I've tried many primers over the years that are aimed at minimising pores and shine and found then mostly to be quite drying leaving my face feeling and looking very flat, matte and tight. What I like most about this primer is that it creates a hydrated yet mattified finish (think airbrushed effect) and helps minimise that dreaded oily shine too.

The primer is a new launch for the brand (launched 8th May) and is available direct, here, priced at £26.00.

Let's move onto the serum now, it contains three naturally derived forms of Hyaluronic Acid which when combined are more effective than the single ingredient Sodium Hyaluronate or Hyaluronic Acid.

Some other goodies in it;


Aloe Vera tackles inflammation and quenches dehydration
Chamomile Water calms sensitivity and restores comfort
Yarrow soothes sore and irritated skin, while also reducing redness

This is what it claims to do;

Noticeable skin rejuvenation and reduction in appearance of fine lines
Instant hydration and remarkable smoothing properties
Increased suppleness and optimal smoothness in one hit


It gives skin an instant burst of hydration which you can feel the effects straight away which I like and I don't necessarily feel the need for anything additional for hydration.

The serum is £30.00 and available from Boots.com, here.

The brand has recently launched online with Boots and is in some selected stores too.
Balance Me is free from parabens, mineral oils, sulphates, pegs, petroleum, silicones, propylene glycol, microbeads, artificial fragrances and colours. And they never test on animals. The Co founders Clare & Rebecca want to continue spreading their natural beauty portfolio for as many people to enjoy as possible.

Have you tried anything from Balance Me before?

Lauren x

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Tanning With Bali Body

Applying fake tan isn't something I do often, and just tend to do for special occasions - having said that, I always feel instantly better about myself when I have a tan (funny isn't it?!) so I should maybe make time to keep it topped up!

I've tried a few over the years and had all the disasters - streaks, white patches, the digestive biscuit smell and the classic " you've been tango'd" look. It can be quite hard to find a good one.

BaliBody kindly gifted me their Self Tanning Mousee right in the time for the Christmas party season, so I've managed to get a few uses of this to be able to come and share my thoughts.

If I'd been choosing the shade myself I would have chosen 'light' or maybe 'medium' - so I was a little apprehensive about using 'dark' however i needn't have worried.

I exfoliated before each application, as the directions state and applied with the luxe tanning mitt that was included - which I have to say is the most luxurious and soft mitt I have ever ever used. I've always just picked up the cheap ones for £1 in the past thinking they're all much of a much, but now I have experienced this one, I think I'm converted. It fits like a glove (lol) super soft and gave me enough movement of my hand to apply the tan evenly and not miss any areas.

The tan started to develop quickly, a lot sooner than others I have used, with no obvious fake tan scent. Once the tan was fully developed it was completely streak free and looked so natural.

It lasted well, 3-4 days before it faded and when was fading it was gradual, with no obvious patches fading quicker than others, another plus!

I don't have the best before and after photos - but I appreciate that photos speak louder when it comes to reviewing this kind of product. I think it's such a hard thing to capture for blog posts, with lighting etc, but here's one to show the décolletage area, on the left is the before and the right is the 'during' - this was taken about an hour after applying.

Both the mitt & the tanning mousse are available to purchase here

Are you a Bali Body babe? I'd love to hear your favourite fake tan!

Lauren x

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K Beauty; I'm From Honey Mask Review

As the weather gets colder, while my skin is still very much on the oily / combination side, it can start to feel tighter and I can be prone to some dry patches, so a good moisturising mask is a must for those occurrences.

I was very lucky to win the I'm From Honey Mask in a recent competition with Tonic 15 - I was given a choice of 4 of the I'm From masks they stock, and after reading the descriptions I came to the conclusion that the Honey one would be the best for my skin during the winter months.

The mask contains 38.7% natural Korean honey, and in addition to that, is packed full of so many other good ingredients including Bee Venom, Macadamia Nut Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Hazelnut Oil, and Sunflower Seed. Honey alone has so many plus points, it's a natural moisturiser oozing with proteins, amino acids, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. It's got amazing anti inflammatory properties - essentially a great all rounder.
While the mask has the same density of honey, it is not sticky or runny whatsoever - it is the most enjoyable mask to apply and wear - I actually look forward to using it. It looks like gooey caramel goodness, good enough to eat!

The mask can be worn from 10 mins up to an hour, I love to slather this on and then just kick back and chill in front of the TV - the thickness of the mask means it doesn't dry or feel tight no matter how long you leave it on.


I've had the mask a few weeks now and it's been my go-to mask of choice, I would say I have used it 5/6 times already.

I got instant results the first time I used this mask, my skin felt velvety smooth, to the point where I just wanted to keep feeling it, from further uses and closer examination it evens skin tone, calms redness and minimises the look of pores too - if you haven't added to cart and checked out yet, why not?!

The mask does leave a slight residue behind, but not in a bad way at all, it's a protective, moisturising layer that helps skin feeling softer and smoother for even longer.

The mask is priced at £35 and available from the Tonic 15 website, here, and there is a 15% discount code valid until the end of December "TONIC15"

What's your favourite mask for winter?

Lauren x

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Scrub A-Ouai

So let's cut straight to the good bit, this is the best hair product I have used this year. Fact.

To give you my hair background - I have greasy roots and dry ends, I wash my hair as little as possible (it's also thick and drying it is such a chore, don't judge, ok?!) When I do wash it, I can only wear it down for the first day and then it's straight back up off my neck as I can't stand the feel of it unless it's freshly washed.

The scrub is deep cleansing and gently foaming and gets its grit from sugar crystals which makes it gentle yet very effective. I used this on my hair in between shampoos and before conditioning - it was really easy to use and rinsed out completely, and my hair felt squeaky clean instantly.

Once dried, my hair felt 10x lighter and my scalp felt completely cleansed, the scrub had stripped away all the product build up, it had literally had the clean of its life!

My hair felt so clean I was able to wear it down for 2.5 days before I felt that I needed to tie it up (I'm also the biggest hair fiddler when its down which I think makes it get greasier sooner) so that is a massive bonus for me.

I have since used the scrub on my body and can confirm it performs just as well, however I am totally saving this for my locks - a body scrub is a body scrub right..? This is the ULTIMATE hair scrub and I don't want to feel like I'm wasting it.

A jar of this will set you back £32, available here, but you don't need a lot so I do think it will last a long time. You'll also be pleased to hear that it has the signature Ouai scent we all love.

It's the perfect edition to a sunday pamper and one I will be including every week.

Happy scrubbing!

Lauren x

*gifted

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Brand Focus | Pistache Skincare

I've been trialing some new products for the last couple of weeks from Pistache Skincare and picked out a few favourites already.

I have a filmed a video for IGTV to run through each product in a bit more detail , so if you prefer to watch, that's over on my instagram page right now.

So, let's start with a bit of info on the brand. The owner Sima, grows pistachios out in sunny California and then uses the oil from them as one of the main ingredients in the brands skincare range.

I was kindly sent a handful of products from Beauty Bridge who are the American version of Cult Beauty / Space NK, for anyone in the uk, don't worry - the Pistache range is available here from Amazon.

The first thing I got stuck into was the Body Butter - their best seller and there's no surprise as to why. It smells incredible and is really butter and just glorious to apply. Excellent for dry elbows and knees and makes for soft silky feet if yours it with sleeping socks.

The Beauty Oils remind me very much of the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse, but they seem a little thicker in consistency if that makes sense. They smell incredible and are very luxurious and don't leave a greasy feeling behind.

Next up is the eye serum with vitamin c, now while I don't have any real concerns in the eye department (yet!) so can't review in that respect, what I can say is that it is a very refreshing and hydrating serum that absorbs into the under eye area very quickly.

The hydrating serum is my second favourite product, in a dropper bottle this is a very hydrating serum and you only need a couple of drops. This sinks in and dries quickly and doesn't feel greasy on the skin. It sets skin up really nicely for your moisturiser too.

That leads me nicely onto the moisturiser with vitamin e, a very very lightweight leaves me skin feeling hydrated and plumped. The packaging is a beautiful green glass jar which feels very high end. I'd say this moisturiser is suitable for all skin types and is just one of those all rounder products.

Have you tried anything from this brand?

Lauren x

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An Afternoon With... The Body Shop

I was kindly invited in to the VIP lounge at my local Body Shop (Leeds) for a preview of some new launches that will launch tomorrow, 14th August.

The products launching are;

Matte Clay Powder (music to an oily gals ears!)
Mediterranean Almond Milk and Oats Instant Soothing Mask
Colour Crush Lipsticks

I was welcomed into the lounge to be greeted with my instagram name in lights and was offered a cup of tea, great start.

Then Jane got to work. Jane is one of the Beauty Experts at the Leeds store and she definitely knows her stuff, knows the products and has such a great personality, she's an absolute hoot. She removed my makeup and then reapplied and used products that were targeted to my oily skin.
She used the Tea Tree Mattifying Lotion followed by the Matte Clay Foundation (which wore like a dream on my skin for the rest of the day! Jane, I'll be back for this!)
She then set that with the new Matte Clay powder and then she applied one of my favourites, Honey Bronzer and a sweep of colour from one of the Shimmer Waves.

Jane had looked out a handful of the new Colour Crush lipsticks for me to choose from, obviously I was eyeing up the nude shades straight away and picked out 601, Mumbai Gladiolus.

So, a little bit more information about these upcoming launches;

Matte Clay Powder;

This will be available in 6 shades and is 100% vegan. It contains tea tree oil which will be great for anyone with breakouts. My skin felt so smooth and matte with this on and it wore so well for the rest of the day too. It didn't look cakey and created the most natural, matte finish to my skin.


Colour Crush Lipsticks

Available in 20 shades, these lipsticks are highly pigmented and give an intense colour pay off. With one swipe of mine, it covered my lips in an instant and the first thing I noticed was how comfortable it felt on my lips. They contain cherry seed oil, beeswax and marula oil which, combined help to make these lipsticks moisturising and silky. The lipsticks are 100% vegetarian.

I was kindly gifted the one I had picked out,601, Mumbai Gladiolus;

Mediterranean Almond Milk & Oats Instant Soothing Mask

I didn't try this, but I was kindly given some samples to takes away and try and home. I'm a big fan of Body Shop masks, so can't wait to try it.

It's going to be a good one for all skin types, but particularly sensitive. It's 100% vegan and contains Community Trade almond milk, Jojoba beads, oatmeal and probiotics . This mask is said to gently exfoliate and leave skin feeling soothed, comforted and smooth. Sounds great, right?!


All three of these products will be available online and at your local Body Shop store tomorrow, is there anything you have your eye on?


I'd like to finish by saying a huge thank you to Kim who organised everything, and Jane for a wonderful experience in the VIP Lounge and for making me feel so welcome and cheering me up! I left with a goodie bag full to the brim of things I can't wait to try.

I'd love to hear if you pick up any of these new launches!

Lauren x

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