The Perfect Cleanser?

 I don't know about you, but as the day draws to an end, my thoughts of cozying up in pyjamas with a fluffy blanket, cup of tea and totally de-stressing with a film, magazine or book are soon scuppered by the realization... I still have to take my makeup off! While I love the feeling of a fresh, clean face, after a busy day, I'm usually so tired it's the last thing I feel like doing. As a result and up until now, I often chose the lazy route of using face wipes...an option which really offered no skincare benefits at all.

And then I discovered a hidden treasure, concealed at the back of a shelf in my mum's bedroom...'Boots Rose Cold Cream' and I can honestly say it's one of the best discoveries I ever made! 

I absolutely love the simple, yet chic blue and white box which when opened,  reveals a classic little glass jar with a black lid. Being one of Boots original beauty formulas, I could just imagine it, carefully placed on the shelf in an old fashioned chemist, when the massive array of skincare products we have today would have been far more limited and somewhat of a luxury!

The formulation of this product though, is what I love the most, it's super quick to use and a little really does go a long way! Smoothing over the face in small circular motions, the rich and creamy consistency, melts instantly into the skin.  You can then use a damp flannel or muslin to cleanse away all traces of make-up and impurities to reveal skin that feels super soft, fresh and clear!

Now I don't usually like Rose as a scent, except for the flowers themselves that is, as I often associate it with a fragrance for more mature women.  For this however, it's a completely different story! Described as 'A deep cleansing cream, infused with calming rose oil and enriched with beeswax' the cream smells less granny and much more Spa like.  Although this is such a simple, classic formula, the calming and revitalizing properties of the cream, really do make me feel like I've just stepped out of a Spa, having had a luxury facial.

I wanted to use this product for a few weeks before I gave it a full review, so I could really give my honest opinion. I would say I have normal to combination skin and since using it I have seen a noticeable improvement.  My skin has felt moisturised without being oily.  It has also been a lot clearer and looks and feels softer and more radiant.

I have finally found a cleanser that I truly love, it's quick and easy to remove and at only £8.95 for 3 jars, it definitely won't be leaving my bathroom any time soon!

I was unable to find the rose scented Cold Cream in my local Boots store, so I purchased it from an Ebay seller here and was really impressed at how quickly it came!

  

Are there any new products you've tried out recently or really love?

Coffee, Cake and Catching up

This week saw what seemed to be the start of Spring, and the beginning of my one week's holiday! I planned to jam pack it with everything I'd been meaning to do, but never had the time and also a few fun days out. The sun was shining, the flowers were out and it was actually warm outside...the perfect excuse to get out of the house and catch up with a couple of friends, who I've know since school!  This is something I love to do, but unfortunately is becoming increasingly difficult to arrange, what with everyone's lives taking different directions.

Rather than go to the typical Costa or Starbucks, we decided to go somewhere a little different and chose to visit the beautiful Hestercombe Gardens in Taunton. 

This was a childhood favourite, where my mum and I used to meet up with friends regularly, but up until now, I'd not been in years!

Over the years the cafe has been updated dramatically, from what was essentially a large wooden hut to a more open and modern outside area, which also has some inside seating.  Although I do like what they've done, I have to say I do kind of miss the more rustic charm of the old teashop.

Hestercombe also has a pretty walk you can go on, but on this occasion my friends and I just decided to visit the tea room, where they had a lovely selection of different cakes, cold and hot drinks.

I chose to have a slice of white chocolate and strawberry shortbread and a frothy hot chocolate...a real teatime treat and something I probably shouldn't make too much of a habit of having!!

As the sun was out, we chose to make the most of it and perched ourselves on a nice little table outside.  I loved the way each one had a cute little pot of flowers, adding a real touch of spring!

Finally we finished off by having a quick browse in the gift shop and then a wander in the nearby fields.

Bath Collective Shopping Haul

If a little late, but nevertheless as promised...the time has come for me to share the items I bought, on my shopping trip to Bath. If you've not already done so, you can read all about the trip here.

The first shop we visited, was one of my favourite clothes stores...H&M. It’s one of those shops, that offers clothes which are on trend and also reasonably priced, so no matter how hard I try, I always end up coming away with something! On this occasion, I also had a gift card to use up, so it was almost inevitable that I would not be leaving empty handed!

The first thing I picked up, was this lovely charcoal grey jumper.  The slightly more unusual colour and zip detailing on the back added a nice touch and convinced me to try it on. As you can hopefully see from the picture, it’s a soft knitted design, which is quite loose fitting and made from 100% cotton. I bought it in a size S for £14.99 and think it will be perfect, paired with a pair of skinny jeans/jeggings for a casual daytime look.

Next I clocked eyes on this pair of super slim navy blue jeggings. I’d been after another pair for a while, as they’re just so comfy yet really versatile! These ones felt really nice quality, made from lovely soft, figure hugging fabric with gold hardware, and they fit perfectly! I was even more shocked when I saw the price tag of £12.99...an absolute steal!

The final clothing item I got in H&M was this top for £12.99. The main body is made from opaque black material, with a sweetheart neckline, while the sleeves are sheer with velvety polka dots.  Again I thought this top was quite versatile, as it could be combined with a pair of jeans for the daytime or tucked into a skirt, for a more dressed up evening look.

I also picked up this silver stacked necklace for £5.99.  I love the delicate tiered design of the 3 chains, each with a different symbol.

The Next place we visited was Topshop.  Again, another of my favourite clothes shops, although sometimes a little pricey!

The first thing I spotted was this little gem! A small and enchanting teal coloured handbag with gold hardware.  The bag is fairly matte and feels really well made.  It has an embossed snake skin pattern with a long detachable shoulder strap, meaning it can also be used as a clutch bag.  But the best bit…it had been reduced from £28 down to £10...what’s not to love!

I’d had my eye on this playsuit for quite a while but at £48 it was definitely not the cheapest item.  However after much deliberation, I finally caved and bought it. It’s made from a silky light weight black fabric,with large pink and coral flowers, making it perfect for the summer months, especially if you’re going abroad!  In fact it would also be great in slightly cooler weather, teamed with tights, boots and a leather jacket.

The black lace detailing on the back also makes it a great evening piece which could be worn with heels. I'm sure I will be getting a lot of wear out of this, over the coming months!

Last but by no means least, we had to pop into Cath Kidston with the intention of just having a browse! However this soon turned into another purchase, this time a beautiful makeup/wash bag.  The bag is from the Nottinghill Rose collection, a pretty baby blue colour, scattered with pink, blue and yellow roses.  I also got a little key ring with a white background and multi-coloured flowers.  The bag was £12 and the keyring £4.99.

And there we have it…a collective haul of all my purchases in Bath!

Although it seems like I spent a fair amount of money, I did have a couple of gift cards, which definitely helped! 

I should probably be trying to save, but you know what they say ‘we only live once’, so we might as well enjoy it…right? Well that’s my excuse anyway!

What are you’re favourite places to shop?

Have you bought anything nice recently?

xxx