Neutrogena Deep Clean Daily Scrub

Hi there!

I've long been a skincare junkie and blogging has clearly made that worse; my endless drawers of facial skincare are testament to that addiction. When I was in America in 2012 I picked up many a product and one of those products was the Deep Clean daily scrub from Neutrogena which helps to provide long lasting shine control.

If I remember rightly this comes in at around $5 and it is worth EVERY CENT. It's one of the products I ask my friend over in america to send me whenever we do a product swap only it was such a long time in between the two bottles I was getting serious withdrawals from it!

As you can see from the tube, its a bright blue scrub with bits in and comes in 125ml tubes.

It claims to clear away 85% of built up oil and keep you shine free for hours with the use of rice protein. I was skeptical at first but I'd travelled to america for university for 2 months and didn't take a scrub with me so needed to get a cheapy to keep me going as my skin wasn't enjoying the humidity and heat that North Carolina offers.

I used this once or twice a day after cleansing and it cleared my skin up a treat! I couldn't believe something that was a scrub could be used twice a day and at such a great price could clear my skin completely of any blemishes and redness leaving uniform and (almost) flawless skin....how amazing!

It also kept my skin oil free ALL DAY LONG which considering I was mostly digging in mud for 5 hours a day and it was over 30 degrees I think is pretty impressive.

I realise this isn't a review that means you can go out and buy it straight away as sadly this is still only available in America and however much I wish for it, it is yet to make it to these shores.

You can find it on ebay here, but sadly even though the products are around £5/6 the postage can be £8 itself!
It would be amazing if they brought it to these parts of the world but for now I will have to stick to swapping present packages with my friend over there. if you travel over to the US I would definitely recommend you trying this.

Have you tried the Deep Clean range? Do you have any fave American products that you can't get hold of in the UK?

L xxx

American Dreaming!

Hi lovelies!

A quick post ofr you today, mainly a few snaps!
I have a friend in America who I met when I went there a few years ago for uni for a couple of months. It was an amazing experience and she also came over to Britain to do her Masters too so that was fun. We often send each other things every couple of months to try and get our favourite things from each others countries which is obviously very handy for blogging!

I sent her over a few things such as face wash, Girls Aloud Eylure lashes, Rimmel mascaras and of course...........Cadbury's chocolate!

This was what I received:

Look at all that bad food!!!!

I went to M's the other night for food ( a LUSH healthy fish stew yummm!) and we finished the evening by eating some Pop Tarts. I'd never tried them before and can't say i would again....the fudge flavour is nothing like fudge whatsoever! I think I've just weaned myself off sugar and this doesn't taste right anymore!

The Oreos i plan on eating with some amazing peanut butter though as I hear its the way the Americans do it....and it would be rude not to!

As far as products are concerned she sent my favourite face scrub from a Neutrogena range that we don't have here, two Essie polishes I asked for and China Glaze Christmas 2013 set. So much glitter!

I always love seeing the names of the polishes in these sets! I can't wait to get them on my nails even though its nowhere near Christmas anymore, glitter isn't just for the festive season you know!

This face scrub is one of my uber faves and I'm gutted we can't get our hands on it over here. The rice protein really does absorb oil for hours on end and when I was there i didn't even wear make up because my skin cleared up with the help of the sun and this beauty!

The Essie polishes were Leading Lady and Stylenomics. LL was a limited edition polish for us Brits last year and i was so gutted i didn't get a full size one but found on the american website that they were still selling it! I was very pleased as you can imagine!
Stylenomics is a gorgeous dark green that I cannot wait to wear, it's a classic colour that should go with a lot of things now and in future.

Are you as lucky as me and have a contact in the US who can send you things? She's sent me EOS balls and many other things and I'm hoping it will continue for a few years to come!

What would you choose for them to send you? I'd love to go back over there and have a spree! I'd hate to think how much I'd spend!

L xxx

Beauty Rehab

Hello!

I'm here with another Beauty Rehab post today. I've been trying really hard to not spend, and also use up products from my stash.
My stash is rather extensive and it's just taking up too much space in my room. I do not have enough space for the ridiculous amount of stuff that i have accumulated, more than that I do not want to waste them so Project Use Up has begun.

I wrote more about my decision on this post here and I haven't been as good as previously as I have picked up a few goodies....but nowhere near as many as previously!

Without any more babbling I'm going to start doing 1 line on each product so you can have a quick review of whether I loved, hated or didn't care for the product.

Molton Brown Shower Gel: I can't say I'm ever a fan of expensive shower gels as I never find them that different to my usual S&G type ones, so this wasn't a massive hit for me but a nice smell.
Dove: Essential in my product wardrobe, always have about 5 on the go!
Neal's Yard Hand Cream: I love this, would repurchase asap. Smells amazing and saves the bees! SAVE THE BEES EVERYONE!
S&G Clean on Me shower gel: Another Christmas present essential, I look forward to getting the next Xmas kit!
Clarins Eye Make Up Remover: Liked this, wouldn't pay the price for it though as others do the same for less.
Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish: Love this, would buy again but am working through my stash for now.
No7 Eye Make Up Remover: Love this, would buy again and already have more! The £5 vouchers are awesome.

St Tropez mousse tan: Loved this before but now I'm not so sure, the colour wasn't so dark as before and I was a bit disappointed.
S&G Mist you Madly: Not a fan of the smell and so wouldn't repurchase, huge bottle though!
S&G Butter Yourself: Loved this! Amazing smell and works a charm, would repurchase in future on 3 for 2s!
Garnier Ambre Solaire spray tan: This is my saviour for tanning my back, I have no bf present to tan my back for me so this is perfect for reaching and giving an even tan! Would repurchase.
Aveeno Triple Boost Serum: This was great for the price, sunk in easy and helped with hydration.
Good Things Deep Pore cleanser: Apparently they don't sell this now which is a shame as I would have repurchased.
Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hours: This did pretty well at lasting but I wasn't a fan of the finish, and also the colours were a little dark for my skin sometimes.
Aussie 3 min conditioner: Have loved these forever and will always buy them! 

Neutrogena Daily Scrub: Loved the smell, didn't feel like it did enough for me, very small particles so good for sensitive skin.
Rimmel Wake Me Up: Love this for a drugstore foundation, lovely glow and coverage, this is my 2nd bottle.
Another Aussie, Dove and St Tropez, see above for comments.
Rimmel Recover foundation: This was too glittery for me, but did work at being anti fatigue.
Hydraluron: Didn't see any results initially, stopped using it and my skin was so dry! Just disappointed in the price for such a small tube as I'd love to repurchase regularly.

L'Oreal False Lash Flutter mascara: Quite liked this, the brush was interesting and picked up all my lashes.
Benefit's Dallas: Forever love this, am on my 2nd but i do hate that they break as product is wasted.
Benefit's High Beam: Love the original highlighter! Also have another.
Avon Magix primer: This was great, great price and works so well, i should repurchase, not sure why i haven't!
Rimmel Match Perfection: I bought this as a powder so it worked quite well but was a bit heavy, and on its own wouldn't be right for my skin. I have the loose powder to try though!
Benefit's Porefessional: Wasn't sure of this at first but now I love it and was gutted to finish it. My miniatures will have to see me through for now.... :(

OPI Correct and Clean Up pen: Useless, dried up in seconds. Stick to cotton buds!
Barbara Daly Eyeliner Pen: Liked this initially but again, it dried up so fast. I'm always so careful putting lids on but they still dried up.
Lacura Under Eye Concealer: Great bargain buy from Aldi, need to buy this again.
Ojon Rare Blend Oil: Bought this in full size, need I say more.
Lush Dream Cream: Loved this but it's so expensive for a tub with a short use by on I can't justify it
Lush Olive Branch: This was so so, wouldn't repurchase as there are others I prefer.
Molton Brown mini Shower Gel: This was from a travel set which I've kept for ages....but never use! It's time for them to go and this was a lovely smell.

Woooooooooo what a list!

I've also been working my way through samples so expect to see a post with those on soon. They're keeping me busy with new exciting products.

Have you been using up your products recently? Found any hidden gems?

L xxx

Skin Care Regime

I've seen a lot of posts recently about skin care and have invested in a lot of products recently, particularly from Origins and some French pharmacy brands.

I don't think I've ever done a post on my usual skin care so here's my general day to day products that I could not live without! 

(It's rather a long post so I'd grab a cup of tea and make yourself comfortable, there's lots of photos though!)

First up is the cleanser....the one and only Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser.

I'd obviously heard rave reviews from everyone but had never invested until it came free with Red magazine a fair few months ago.

Needless to say I fell in love completely, my skin looked and felt so much better and because I was previously only using face wipes the difference was amazing!

This has definitely become a must have product in my collection and I'll probably never be without it.

I still have some other cleansers that I'm using up, particularly one from Neutrogena.

This is the 3 in 1 Visibly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Cleanser Scrub and Mask in One.

I believe Hayden Panettiere is in the advert for it?

I bought this when my Liz Earle ran out and I was penniless, and the Visibly Clear range was on 2 for £5 offer, which is amazing considering their normal price is around the £4.80 mark.

This obviously wasn't the same as the Liz Earle, but my skin has been so bad recently that I needed something more directed towards my spots and I have to say I was quite impressed.

The cleanser did work really well and all of my little spots and blackheads cleared right up and my T-zone was looking pretty good!

I also like that you can leave it on for a while as a mask which really feels like a deep clean for your skin.

This was great for when my skin was breaking out all over and if it happens again I would happily repurchase.

I was also sent 2 Actives from Etat Pur to try, after my previous experience with one of their Actives.

I had used their Zinc Glycolate (A20 which helps to restrict sebum secretion and to eliminate spots) and hadn't had a great response from using it. Initially it worked great but after 4/5 weeks I broke out and nothing would make them go away!

Their PR department noticed my reaction via twitter and kindly sent me another of the A20* to be used in conjunction with the Salicylic Acid 300mg (A22*) which when combined enhance each others activity and help get faster results.

I've been using this for a couple of weeks now and I would definitely have to agree that combined they produce a much faster response in regards to oiliness and helping to clear skin of blackheads and little spots.

My skin is very clear thanks to the combination of the Liz Earle cleanser and using these two products.

Unfortunately for me, I keep breaking out in larger spots along my jawline which can't have anything to do with oiliness as my skin isn't oily in these areas, just normal which is a huge shame as everywhere else where I am used to having spots is so clear!

Just my luck really! If you have any product ideas that might get rid of these please let me know as I really can't think what else to do!

My normal moisturiser for daily use is Vichy's Normaderm.

I bought this on a whim a few months ago and absolutely love it, it's not too expensive and Vichy seem to have some great offers on.

Their Normaderm range is quite popular and I can definitely understand why.

My full review is here and I bought this product in April. Considering that I have been using it twice a day since then that's a massive bargain as I've had probably around 5 months usage out of that one bottle.

I have of course used others on random occasions but for the most part this has been my moisturiser of choice.

I have a new Origins one that I bought recently and am desperate to try out but I would definitely repurchase the Normaderm moisturiser for the effects and the value!

As for a mask I have a few newbies in my collection including the Origins 10 minutes Out of Trouble mask.

The mask is a gorgeous thick white cream that you apply to the face and then wash off after 10 minutes.

It is so thick it feels really luxurious but isn't too thick to spread, it stays exactly where you put it which is great.

It also tingles on the skin but only ever so slightly, and has a cooling effect which I love.

It makes my skin feel great afterwards and was worth every penny!

I have also been given a sample of the Origins Charcoal Mask which I'm really looking forward to trying.

Lastly two of my favourite products to use....my eye creams!

I never used to use an eye cream until around March, when I bought Origins Eye Doctor (review here) as my eyes have become really sensitive.

But this was a perfect buy along with the Origins No Puffery eye gel (here) and it has really helped my eyes become less sensitive though they still don't like my contact lenses!

Needless to say having not used an eye cream before the skin around my eyes has improved dramatically and the fine lines I had have miraculously disappeared which was a massive bonus! 

I also was given a sample of their famous GinZing eye cream which I went on to buy in the full size as I loved it so much. So I used GinZing in the mornings to hide any bags and Eye Doctor and No Puffery at night and this seems to be combating my eye worries for now.

So there you have it! A rather expensive skin care regime to keep up with particularly as I don't have a job....but I'm a firm believer that skin care is a priority as you only get one of them so you'd better look after it!

When I get the odd spot I also have been using Sudocrem

This is so cheap and an absolute must for anyone, it's great for spots, dry skin and irritation and it's been great for the odd one that has appeared on my T-zone.

The only things I can see missing from my regime really is an SPF and a serum. I will have to look out for an SPF that's easy to incorporate in the morning and a serum would be great for helping to keep wrinkles at bay.

What do you have in your regime? Do you have any suggestions for my spot worries?

L xxx

This was my recent Origins haul and I'm so excited to start using them but I'm determined I'm going to finish up the old products first! 

Beauty Rehab post coming up tomorrow to show you how much I've been using up :)

 

* = PR Samples

7 Weeks of Shopping - Sorry Bank Account

If you're a regular reader then you'll know that I (L) have been in America the past 7 weeks for a uni course.

I got back last night and spent 14 hours sleeping after completely missing a night of sleep due to the travelling.

I've spent the majority of today lazing around, sorting washing and unpacking my suitcase of all the treasures I bought.

So, sit down with a cup of tea (I'm slowly catching up on 7 weeks worth ha!) and I hope you enjoy looking at my vast range of purchases!!!

I've included the prices where I could and the pound equivalent so you'll be able to see how much cheaper it was there, I was in heaven.

First up it's the nail varnishes...I haven't bought any new ones for a little while.

I might be lying to myself here but let's go with it for now ;)

So when I saw these in the shops for a much cheaper price than at home I couldn't resist stocking up!

Revlon nail polishes were $7 each, which is £4.50.

I bought the pink scented one called Raspberry Rapture along with their new range of nail treatments including (L-R) Fast dry drops, Post Trauma treatment and Calcium nail hardener which was great for my nails after spending 3 weeks of my time in the dirt digging.

I haven't mentioned this before but the course I went to do was Forensic Anthropology, and so lots of my time was spent using my hands and trowels to dig up plastic bones, which FYI is not good for the nails!

I also bought the Barielle wedding collection which I have previously posted about here and have a NOTD from them coming up. This cost me $10 at TJ Maxx which was such a bargain!

Next up I took full advantage of Nicole by OPI being $7 in Walmart and picked up a normal glitter one with hearts in and 2 Kardashian colours (Wear Something Spar-Kylie review here and also Kimpletely in Love)

I also bought my first ever Essie nail polish in Sand Tropez which I wouldn't have looked twice at but I'd read about it online and fell in love when I tested it! A review will certainly follow!

Sally Hansen Salon Manicure in 540 Frutti Petutie $5 or £3.20

2 brand new China Glaze polishes were bought in a 3 for 2 deal with the Essie polish (I could have bought so many!!!) and were originally $7/8 each but were $16 for all three which is a bargainous £10.30.

The colours I bought were Turned up Turquoise and Pool Party. So looking forward to using these!

Lastly I'm a bit of a Hunger Games geek and when I noticed the Capitol Colours mini set for $13.95 (£9) I had to buy it!

I was quite reserved when I got to Mac, I knew what I wanted to buy and got exactly that and nothing else!

I could have easily gone mad but I had to be careful after wanting so many other things.

Pressed powder in medium ($22/£14.20)

Studio Fix Fluid ($27/£17.40)

Eye brow pencil ($14/£9)

I've wanted to try the Revlon Photoready products for a while but had loads of foundation and could never justify the price so was waiting for an offer to be on.

I bought the PhotoReady powder and the Colorstay foundation ($10 each or £6.50) and the PhotoReady Perfecting Primer ($12/£7.70), hence why I gave in as they were all at a reduced price.

Lastly I also bought the Almay Smart Shade primer which was $10/£6.50 and is green and purple to correct any kind of colour imperfection you have. As far as I know we don't have Almay in the UK (I may be wrong) so this definitely intrigued me!

I've always wanted to buy Elizabeth Arden's 8 hour cream, and I found it in TJ Maxx for $7, a whopping £4.50! I was so excited I almost screamed! What a bargain for a 50g tube!

The L'oreal Magic Perfecting Base was a favourite of mine when it came out and was at it's introductory price of £10, but at £14 for so little product I wouldn't justify buying it again. For $10/£6.50 I certainly will!

My Benefit haul could have been so much bigger but I ran out of cash (on my last day I had $16 for all 3 meals...oops!)

Cha Cha tint was on my list for so long and I've fallen in love with it! $29/£18.70

Am yet to try 'They're Real' but I've been told it's really good for people with straight lashes who want them to curl, here's hoping! $23/£14.80

I was surprised to see Real Techniques brushes over there, I have 2 already but just didn't think they'd be there. I was even more surprised to see they were $17 (£11) for the core collection which is £18 in Boots!

I snapped that up so quickly they probably thought I was crazy!

I also rebought my Naked palette after mine went 'missing' at a friends house.

Won't say any more about that but I was soooooooo pleased at having this back in my life!

After owning it for 6 weeks after Christmas and using it most days I felt like I'd lost a limb, now I can finally show you my smokey eye designs with it!

This was $50/£32 so not much cheaper than the £36 it costs in Debenhams but I needed it ;)

I think like most bloggers at the moment, Origins is my skin care of choice.

Their Eye Doctor (found here) has completely renewed the skin around my eyes and any lines I had have gone.

We're big fans of products without chemicals on this blog so Origins are a big winner.

I snapped up lots of oily skin products which I cannot wait to use!

Out of Trouble mask: $22 (£14.20)

Zero Oil Instant Matte Finish: $13.50 (£8.70)

Zero Oil Pore Purifying Toner: $19.50 (£12.50)

Ginzing Eye Cream: $29.50 (£19)

Zero Oil Oil-Free Moisture Lotion: $26 (£16.70)

As you can see from this, I made a big saving on most of their products!

Neutrogena Deep Clean Daily Scrub is the best thing I found out there, my skin broke out really badly when I got there and this baby cleaned them up right away!

Both Tigi products were from TJ Maxx - Some Like it Hot humidity protector and Control Freak Conditioner. Can't remember the prices but they were verrrrrrrrry cheap.

Lastly I know Nioxin has been doing the rounds recently, and if it wasn't for that I would never have noticed this in TJ Maxx also.

For the shampoo, conditioner and scalp activating treatment in the full sizes of 500ml or 50ml for the treatment I paid................................$10!

I couldn't believe my eyes!

I'm always wanting my hair to be bigger and more voluminous and instead of paying the $37 for the kit online it was $10, amazing!

The only difference I can tell between this and the current kit is that the packaging has changed so that it fine by me.

What do you think of my buys??? I went completely overboard but I couldn't stop myself with all of the bargains to be had!!

M is going to America in September and is already making a list....I'm also making one for her too ha!

This is not going to help with my beauty rehab posts at all!

I'm such an addict!

L xxx