REVIEW: St Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion

The highly anticipated launch of St Tropez's Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion was last week and i knew i had to pick up a bottle to see if it could beat my trusty Cocoa Brown fake tan. As it is a gradual tanner, it would be foolish to expect the same results from it compared to a normal fake than, which is what many people are commenting on. However, these are my views!

The Basics

Price?- £14.50
Size?- 200ml

Where can i buy it?- Boots (click here!)

What does it claim to do?

'Just 3 minutes as part of your daily shower regime, St.Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion is a convenient way to build a sunkissed gradual glow, that provides up to 24 hour moisturisation. Streak-free and easy to apply, it’s ideal for first time tanners, pre and post holiday top-ups, or those looking for a low maintenance all year round glow.' (Taken from here)

My Thoughts

First off, the texture of this product is fantastic. It has a creamy, thick texture which is ideal for applying mid-shower as you don't have to worry about it not absorbing into your skin as your going to be rinsing it off anyway or it drying out your skin, which is common for many fake tans. 

Another huge factor for me when finding a fake tan is the smell. Fortunately this isn't a problem with the St Tropez gradual tan in shower lotion as it smells divine! It is enriched with Almond oil which will contribute to the smell however it doesn't just smell of Almonds- It has a simple, yet fresh and elegant scent to it which i would happily wear if it were a body lotion, which shows just how lovely it truly is!

The application is fast and straightforward. There's no need to work with mitt's or wait around for hours on end for a tan to activate- simply just apply to the skin and rinse off in the shower after 3 minutes.

The results are good from this tan. As i said previously it is a gradual tanner therefore you cannot compare it to your traditional fake tan such as Cocoa Brown- it would be more appropriate to compare results with Garnier Summer Body or the Dove Summer Glow lotion. I have very pale, Scottish white skin therefore i definitely noticed a difference in colour after 8 hours or so. It left a subtle (but noticeable) bronzed glow with no streaks or patches. This was something i was very impressed with!

I would highly recommend the St Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion - It is moisturising, effective and has a gorgeous scent. At £14.50 it may be costly as there may not be that many uses in the bottle therefore that may be something to consider when purchasing it.

Overall Rating- 5/5 

REVIEW: Lancome Hydra Zen Moisturiser

Today's post is going to be a review on the Lancome Hydra Zen Moisturiser. The one that i am actually reviewing is a wee 15ml sample pot that i was given when i purchased a lipstick a few weeks ago for free. Despite it being a smaller pot, it has lasted longer than i had previously thought it would have!

The Basics

Price?- £10.80 approx. (For my 15ml jar)

Size?- 15ml (£38 per 50ml)

Where can i buy it?- From Boot's (click here!) or Debenhams (click here!)

What does it claim to do?

"The delicious Oil-in-Water texture melts onto the skin. It intensely moisturises and lastingly soothes the skin, leaving it soft, smooth and radiant. HYDRA ZEN NEUROCALM™ features a unique technology to provide intense, immediate and continuous moisturisation and soothe sensitive skin." (taken from here!)

My thoughts.

From the first moment of applying this moisturiser, i knew i was going to love it. The cooling sensation of it being applied and the gentle glow it leaves on my parched and dry skin really sold it for me. 

The Lancome Hyrda Zen moisturiser has a thick, gel-like consistency, making it perfect for dry skin. It can be purchased in different variations for normal, oily etc skin types, which is always better as it is more suited to your skin type.

For those of you who have dry skin and are looking into purchasing the Hydra Zen moisturiser, i would highly recommend it. From being applied at 7am in the morning, i feel like my skin is still hydrated when i take my make-up off at 9pm, which is pretty impressive. It makes a great base for applying make-up, and i particularly love it as it gives my skin a glow to replace my dull skin.

One huge factor of the product that may not attract people to it is the price. At £38 a jar, it doesn't come cheap and is something to consider. 

Rating?- 4.5/5

Would i repurchase it?-  Definitely.

REVIEW: The Body Shop Big & Curvy Mascara

In the last few weeks i've been trialing out different mascaras in the hope that i'd find my 'perfect' mascara and i think i've actually been successful in most choices. However, for some that can't be said..

The Basics

Price?- £10.00

Size?- 8ml

Where can i purchase it?- The Body Shop instore or here




What does it claim to do? Came from here

'Big is beautiful. Our cult mascara sculpts, curls and gives lashes the appearance of up to nine times more volume.

• Makes lashes appear thicker and curvier
• Advanced curl-fixing formula
• Smudge, flake and smear-resistant
• Dermatologically tested
• Ophthalmologically tested'

On first impressions, i thought i'd really like this product. The Body Shop is a brand i really trust, and i adore their skincare and bodycare, however, i'm sad to say they haven't mastered the art of creating mascara. The Big And Curvy Mascara certainly does add volume, however not the kind of volume i want. It clumps all lashes together without any lengthening effects, therefore you end up with only 3 or 4 stumpy wee lashes. A good look? Definitely not.

The formula of the Big And Curvy Mascara is extremely wet, something i hate in a mascara, however i feel the real downfall of this mascara is the wand. It has extremely short bristles and as you get nearer the tip of the mascara the bristles get even shorter, causing the wet formula to just sit there and clog the tiny bristles. One very major design flaw.

If you have long fluttery lashes already, this mascara may work for you. For the rest of us with short and stumpy lashes, this is a mascara to avoid! 

Rate out of 5 - 0

February/March 2015's Wishlist

Today i'm showing you all some of the things i've had my eye on for the last few weeks, and since it's payday (Yay!) it may give you some ideas as to what to treat yourself with. If you click on the item name on the bottom of the picture it should take you to the website where i've found it on.

    Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser Dry/Sensitive- £20.50, Benefit Hervana Blusher-£23.50

    Ted Baker Washbag- £27, Jimmy Choo Blossom ETP- £36

Fiorelli Luella Bag- £65, Pink Platform Heels- £22.99

Navy Playsuit- £24, Tartan Scarf- £15

 Floral Storage Boxes- £32,  Cath Kidston Diary- £12

Yankee Candle- £20, Breville Blend Active- £29.99

Have you got any items you've got your eye on?

BEST AND WORST: Maybelline Mascaras

Today's post is going to be feature several Maybelline Mascaras which i either love or loath. I find that generally, highstreet mascaras are brilliant and particularly Maybelline's mascara's, however in the years i've been using mascara i've found a few that don't really do anything for me.

The Maybelline Define A Lash mascara is one of the oldest mascara's Maybelline actually still has, and despite it still being available for people to buy all these years later, i can't understand how! Despite really disliking this product, i don't mind the rubber wand and the shape of it. It's the formula that i hate.

The formula is incredibly wet. This causes a number of problems, such as it taking forever to dry on your lashes, it having a very runny consistency and finally causing my lashes to clump together, which is really quite ironic considering the name. Having said this, it is the waterproof version i have, therefore can't comment on the non-waterproof version.

The second mascara from Maybelline that i haven't been able to get along with is the Illeagal Length Mascara. I was attracted to this mascara when it claimed to have 'Fiber Extensions' that would considerably lengthen my lashes. I, however, had never used a mascara with Fiber extensions!

This mascara has a brush wand that's fairly basic and has no crazy shape to it, which i actually quite like. Again, its the formula that i don't like with this mascara. I feel like the fiber extensions clump together and cause my lashes to look like spiders legs, which just isn't the look i go for. Also i've found on a number of occasions that some of the fibers get into my eye which is a real pain and usually ends up with me smearing mascara everywhere and causing me to re-apply my mascara all over again.

L-R: The Falsies, Colossal Volum' Express & One By One

To end the post on a more positive note, above are my three favorite mascara's from Maybelline, mostly because all three give me long, fluttery eyelashes. The Falsies has a brush style wand thats curved, Colossal Volume Express also having a brush wand that's got more of a traditional shape and the One By One has a rubber wand thats oval in shape.

I find all three of these mascaras lengthen my short eyelashes considerably and add a decent amount of volume - all that you really need from a mascara, which is why i consider them to be the Best mascaras that Maybelline sell.

 Have you tried any mascara's from Maybelline?

REVIEW: Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream

Today i'm going to be reviewing the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in the shade 'Light'. I bought this around the summer time last year, but just never got round to using it for a long period of time, however I've started using it the past few days, and I feel like it deserves a review on my blog especially since we have the warmer month ahead which means minimal make-up!

The Basics…

Price?- £7.99

Size?- 30ml

Where can I buy it?- Superdrug, Boots or larger supermarkets!

What does it claim to do?

'Maybelline Dream Fresh 8 in 1 BB Cream. Instant fresh-faced Glow without looking all made up.

Our gel based formula enhances skin with 8 benefits in 1.

1. Creates a natural glow
2. Compliments skin tone
3. SPF30 UV Protection
4. Hydrates all day
5. Blurs imperfections
6. Oil-free & non-greasy
7. Looks visibly smooth
8. Feels fresh' (tooken from here)

How do i use it?

Usually i'll just rub this in with my fingers, however i've found using it with the Real Technique Expert Face brush gives better coverage.

My Thoughts..

For the past few days i've been using the Maybelline Dream Fresh and trying to convince myself that it is as good as people say, however i am struggling. It claims to 'Blur Imperfections' which suggest that it has a good coverage however i beg to differ. I find it gives a very sheer covering but wouldn't cover any spots or mild redness. The cream itself has a sticky-ish consistency which isn't a problem for me, however those with oily skin may find this a problem. I do however like the glow it gives to my skin, which i find hard to achieve due to having very dry skin that often looks dull.

Unfortunately i wouldn't repurchase it. Although the SPF30 is brilliant in the summertime, i don't feel like it gives me a good enough coverage and it claim's to do alot more than it actually does. The lasting power of the product is also an issue, as due to it being quite sticky/greasy it tends to melt off my face in the warmer weather.. not an attractive look!

Rate out of 5?- 2/5

Have you got a favorite BB Cream for the warmer months?

REVIEW: Nivea Express Hydration Primer

Today i'm going to be doing a review on the Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer (Dry/Sensitive). As this is my first ever post i thought a review was a good starting off point and this is one of my favorite products!

A few basics...

Price?- £4.99

Size?- 50 ml 

Where can i buy it?- Superdrug, Boots, Larger Supermarkets

What does it claim to do? 

'A light gel cream which absorbs instantly so you can apply make-up right away. Moisturises your skin with Effective Hydrators & Vitamins for long-lasting hydration and provides an even and smooth base for effective make-up application. Helps make-up to stay in place.' (came from here!)

How do i use it?

I just take a blob of it and place some on both cheeks, my nose, chin and forehead and massage it in to my skin each morning after using moisturiser, but before applying make-up, and it has now become part of my daily skincare regime. 

My thoughts...

I've been applying the primer every morning for the last 2/3 weeks, and have noticed a visible difference in my skin condition. My once dry and flaky skin is now soft and it leaves the skin visibly glowing. Despite this, i have on two occasions felt my skin getting irritated, which i put down to the strong alcohol/chemically scent from the product. This may however, not be a problem for those without sensitive skin. Also, despite claiming to be a primer, i would never consider this as a make-up product and haven't noticed a difference in my make-up staying in place which defeats the purpose of it claiming to be a primer.

If you have dry skin the Nivea Primer would be an excellent addition to your skincare routine to give extra hydration to skin, however if you have Oily skin i personally wouldn't purchase it as to me, it doesn't have any effect on the lasting power of make-up which a typical primer would tend to do.

Rating- 3/5

Would i repurchase it? Yes

Have you tried the Nivea Express Hydration Primer?