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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Tanning With Isle of Paradise

With the warmer weather upon us, it's time to get the pins out, and after THE longest Winter, its fair to say mine are a whiter shade of pale!

When Isle of Paradise asked if I'd like to try some of their tanning products, obviously I said yes!

They sent me the Self Tanning Mousse & the Self Tanning Drops - beforehand having asked what shade I'd like (light, medium or dark) I'm one for more of a natural look when it comes to tan, less is more and all that, so I chose the light shade.

The brand is founded by Jules Von Hep, what you need to know is he created Kate Moss’ gorgeous glow when she posed for St Tropez. Not sold yet?!
Jules' years of experience have taught him that everyone’s skin tone is different and there's not one tan to fit all. So the range he has created reflects this.
There’s a peach one for light tans that brightens dull skin and gives a subtle glow, green for a medium tan that counteracts red undertones for a golden finish and violet, which is the darkest tan and it brightens skin and give a rich bronzed goddess glow - think 2 weeks in the Maldives tan!

If that's not enough - it's vegan, cruelty free and organic!

The tanning drops can be mixed with any cream of your choice - body lotion, night cream, or your day cream, the more drops you add, the more intense the tan will be. I mixed 10 - 12 drops with my body cream at night, and here 's the good old before and after shot;

I love the natural, golden glow this gave my legs, it didn't look like fake tan at all and lasted a good few days before fading away without becoming patchy.

The drops retail for £19.99 and are available to purchase here They are also available at Boots & Beauty Bay.

Have you started fake tanning for Summer yet?

Lauren x

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Fragrance Subscription | Scent & Co

Beauty box subscriptions, I've been there, done that and got a very large t shirt - I've ended up with more products than I know what to do with! While I am on the lookout for a higher end beauty box, I am exploring other monthly subscriptions.

One brought right to the forefront of my attention is a fragrance subscription from Scent & Co, where for £14.95 you can choose a different perfume to be delivered to your door each month.
They have over 450 perfumes to choose from including Tom Ford and Creed and you get sent a months supply which is 10ml. They say that 10ml works out to be 150 sprays, and this is enough fragrance to apply twice daily for 30 days.

Included with your first shipment, you get a case for the perfume vial and a velvet pouch too - included in the first payment of £14.95- it's also worth noting that shipping is included too.

Scent & Co kindly gifted me a months supply and I chose a perfume that's been on my wishlist for the longest of times, Gypsy Water by Byredo.

It's a very fresh scent, different to anything I own, but just as I thought, I love it!!

I think this is a great way to try high end perfumes before you commit and a great way to try new scents too.

I have a 15% discount code off your first order; INSTA15

What monthly subscriptions do you have?

Lauren x

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H2K of Harrogate Simple Skin Replenishing Oil; My Results

As I have mentioned before, I love supporting UK companies, and particularly those right in my home turf, here in Yorkshire.
The lovely H2K of Harrogate team sent me their Simple Skin Replenishing Oil to try ahead of its launch, Hazel the founder of the brand even telephoned me to talk me through the product, discussed my skin type and gave me some tips on how frequently I should use it.

The oil packs some punch - it's very nourishing and one drop goes such a long way. Hazel recommended, given my combination /oily skin type that it would be best for me to use once a day in my PM skincare routine (the oil can be used morning and night for those with normal/dry skin)

I wanted to see the true results of using the product so took some before photos;

And 3 weeks later...

My skin looks so much healthier, clearer and brighter - I'm so happy with the results!

The product is due to launch very soon and will available here

Do you have a favourite face oil?

Lauren x

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Best Makeup Brush Cleaner?

Being a self confessed beauty addict, I've tried and tested lots of brush cleaning tools, never have I come across one that's impressed me as much as 'The Brush Board' by The Brush Bar.

Essentially it's very simple tool, but an effective one at that. It's a very durable length of plastic with 6 different textured sections to clean different styles of brushes.
The grooves are deep to allow water to sit between them which exfoliates the brushes and makes for a really speedy clean - we all know it's one of those jobs we put off longer than we care to admit because its a hassle, but this makes it really quick and stress (and mess!) free.

The Brush Board itself is really easy to clean with just a rinse under some warm water when you're done. It's really travel friendly too and comes with it's own velour case.

I was also sent a bottle of the Brush Bubbly (love that name!) which is super gentle, but powerful and removed every single trace of makeup, quickly and efficiently.

My brushes have never had such a deep clean. I was most impressed with how well this duo cleaned my Artis Oval 8 brush- it was back to brand new, and if you know those brushes, you'll know how much cleaning and maintenance they take!

This gets a 10/10 from me and will be my go to brush cleaning tool for the foreseeable.

The Brush Board and Brush Bubbly are available, here. A little trickier for those of us in the UK, but it can be shipped internationally.

How do you clean your makeup brushes?

Lauren x

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Talking Teeth...

It's not just all about foundation and lipsticks over at Makeup Maestro headquarters, I even brush my teeth too! ;-)

After longer than I care to admit of not having an annual checkup at the dentist, I grew a pair and got myself back in the chair (with a little help from a lovely friend who recently qualified as a dentist)
One thing she recommended to me was to use an electric toothbrush, not something I'd been overly keen on as I hate the feeling of the vibrations that rattle through your head when you use on and the feeling of it pushing against my teeth.

However, like a good girl, I listened and placed an order for one a week or so later, nothing fancy, just a run of the mill Oral B offering from Superdrug. However after a few uses my fears were confirmed and I was worried i wouldn't be able to continue using it.
As if the tooth fairy really existed when later that week I received an email from Anne at Uber Sonic asking me if I'd like to try their award winning electric toothbrush - I noticed immediately that unlike your standard electric toothbrush it didn't oscillate, so I figured it was definitely worth a go.

What arrived was a very sleek and lightweight toothbrush with a smooth brushed aluminium handle. Easy to hold, with a simple to use power button - it's a minimalists dream toothbrush.

The brush uses sonic vibrations (35,000 per minute to be precise) and one thing I really like is that it buzzes after each 30 seconds that pass to remind you to move on to another section of your mouth - it then automatically stops after 2 minutes.

The brush comes with a charging dock, which the brush simply sits in (and charges in no time) and also a protective clear case that clips over the neck and bristles of the brush to protect it not only when you travel but also when it's stood in your bathroom too - I know all too well that my dog has a keen eye for toothbrushes so this is a great feature for me!

In terms of the way it brushes your teeth - I noticed straight away that it's not as noisy as a brush that oscillates, and while the feeling still takes a little getting used to, I'm able to use it more like a manual toothbrush than your typical electric one - the movement is more like brushing your teeth as opposed to holding the brush on your teeth and simply moving it along each one.

Anne also popped one of their teeth whitening kits in, which I haven't tried yet, but it looks like a proper professional one with the mouth guards and a syringe which contains the whitening gel. I'm excited to give this a go and will report back!

Purchasing an Uber Sonic toothbrush can be done directly from their website and will cost you £19, yes, £19! With that you will get the toothbrush, charger, cover, whitening kit and 2 brush heads. At the same time you will also be signing up to a bi monthly plan (every other month) of £9 - this gets you 2 new brush heads so that you can change it every month - this is what is recommended by dentists.
There is free delivery on both the initial order and the replacement brush heads.
It's worth nothing that you are not locked in for any time and should you you choose to cancel the payments of £9 every second month, you can do so at anytime, if you remain signed up for 12 months, you will receive a brand new toothbrush and another whitening kit, which I think is really good.


I'd say if you are someone who is unsure of using an electric toothbrush, this is a really good offering and one that doesn't break the bank either.

Available to purchase, here

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Profusion Beauty Books...

Profusion Cosmetics are a US brand, recently launched in the UK and I was kindly sent two of their Professional Beauty Books to review - the Pro Face & the Pro Highlight.

I was instantly amazed at just how much product you get for your pound - and how versatile and 'user friendly' the shades are.

Although it was all positive so far, I knew the proof would be in the pudding, and I had to get them on my face!

The Pro Face Beauty Book contains 20 Eyeshadows, 2 Dual Brow Powders, 1 Brow Wax, 2 Highlighters, 3 Blushes, 2 Bronzers and 2 Pro Series Brushes.


I feel I can use every single shade in this palette, all the eyeshadow shades are buttery, blendable and the glitter shades are highly pigmented. The 'Medium Bronzer' shade is heaven and reminds me a lot of my Marc Jacobs O!Mega bronzer, one of those bronzers that never, ever looks too much.

The eyeshadows lasted well throughout the day and here's one of the looks I created;

Now onto the Pro Highlight Beauty Book...

After 1 use I had my ultimate highlight shade, 'Obsessed' & 'Tempting' mixed together - perfect!
I was notably impressed at the pigmentation and the range of shades in the palette. With 12 Highlighters (4 of them cream) and 3 Pro Series Brushes.

Overall, I have say I am completely blown away with the palettes - the quality for £14.95 is amazing. I love the fact that you have everything you need all in one place, the Pro Face Book would be ideal to take away on holiday.
Naturally, the US have more products available than we currently do in the UK, but I'm hoping that this changes soon as there's a few others that I have my eye on!

Both Beauty Books are available direct from the Profusion Cosmetics UK site, here.
Have you ever tried Profusion Cosmetics?

Lauren x

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An evening with The Body Shop...

So last week I was invited to a VIP event at The Body Shop in Leeds city centre. It was my first one, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. No sooner had I and a few other girls arrived, we had our coats taken and a glass of fizz in our hand!

We had a chance to browse the store and ask the staff any questions, we then had some short presentations from various member of the team to introduce some new launches - their Roots of Strength range (which I was super impressed with) Lip Juicers, Matte Clay Concealer and the Japanese Cherry Blossom Strawberry Kiss products.

After that we were free to test products and spend some time with various staff members. There was their skincare specialist offering advice and facials, their makeup artist doing full faces or just testing out specific products and the Spa of The World specialist who gives THE best hand massages ever!

I had the matte clay concealer applied by Jane, the makeup artist and she touched up my eyeshadow using one of the Shimmer Wave compacts.

We were given 30% off store wide (even Spa Of The World!) - the only product excluded was the ginger shampoo. We were also given a gift with purchase which wwas 2 full size skin care products - Vitamin E Face Mist & the Aloe Soothing Rescue Cream Mask.

I decided to purchase a few items from the Spa of The World range, as let's face it, they smell insane and they are NEVER on any offer or promotion. I picked up the Thai Lemongrass Massage Oil and the Balkan Juniper Body Wash - they both smell amazing.


It was a great event, all the staff were so friendly and helpful and they were checking all the guests had enough to drink and were offering nibbles and snacks round too.

I can't wait to see the team again, either when I next pop in to top up on some skincare, or at the next event!

What's you favourite Body Shop product?

Lauren x

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Rita Hazan; The Queen of Hair

I could write this blog post in a couple of lines; every time I wash my hair with this duo I get asked if I've had my hair dyed. If you have coloured hair, this is a game changer.
There you go... blog post done...

Not being one to publish such a short blog post, I will go on and tell you a bit more about the products and the absolute hair goddess that is Rita.

Beyonce, JLo, Jessica Simpson are just a few of the celebs that have their locks looked after by Rita so when I was sent the 'True Color' range to try, I couldn't wait to try it all.

After first wash with the shampoo and conditioner, I knew this was a match made in hair heaven...

The True Color line is aimed at keeping coloured hair as healthy and radiant as the day it was dyed and it addresses grey roots, colour fading and damage.
The products combine natural ingredients with advanced technology - the perfect mix for beautiful hair.

Firstly, the shampoo and conditioner smell incredible (Rita, when will you be releasing a hair perfume please?!) The packaging feels and looks super luxe and you can just tell when you squeeze the product out that it's nothing like that bottle in your gym bag that you bought for £1.. On hair wash day, if i'm not sniffing my hair, I'm stroking it.

The shampoo works to remove the build up of products without weighing hair down or stripping colour. With rice proteins and moringa seed leaving hair completely clean and nourished.

The conditioner again doesn't weigh hair down or leave hair feeling like it has any reside in - even with it being richly nourishing.
The Japanese camelia oil leaves hair looking and feeling silky and shiny.


Overall my hair is left looking so healthy, and manageable. I barely need to brush it after washing, which is practically unheard of with my birds nest! Haha.

While this review has been aimed at the Shampoo & Conditioner from this line, I also have the Ultimate Shine Gloss(which I am yet to try) and the Split End Remedy which I took on holiday and also love.

The line has recently launched at Selfridges (here) Will you be giving it a go?

Lauren x

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