New Year Resolution? Pass.

My new year resolution is not to make a resolution.

My Twitter and Facebook are flooded with the typical  - "New year new me" "Can't wait to start my new diet" & "[insert relevant year] is going to be my year [list relevant events]"

 

Yadda yadda yadda!

 

 Personally I just find it a tad annoying, because it's all lies. Coming back to my point, most resolutions have no staying power or meaning now. Don't get me wrong, I think setting yourself goals is a good form of motivation, but just doing it because everyone else is seems pointless. Rant over.

 

What I do like to do to prepare for a new year (instead of making a resolution) is a huge sort out. Delving into the scary part of my wardrobe, and hoping I don't end up in Narnia. It feels like a cleansing process, out with the old and all that jazz. New, clean bed sheets,good company & comfy PJs, that's the way I'm welcoming the new year in :]

 

Gem

X

Bunnies!

I realise this is completely not beauty related but I'm so excited I can't write anything else! Welcome to the blogosphere little Dora & Poppy :]

A bunny was my Christmas gift off the bf, but when I went to choose one, Dora (grey lop) was bonded with Poppy and I felt mean splitting them up...so I came home with 2 little rabbits. They live indoors at the minute, hopefully I can train them to be good house bunnies.

They're so cute!

Gem
X

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hopefully you were all nice and not naughty, and Santa left you some wonderful goodies :)
He was kind enough to drop off a snazzy little tablet for me, so I can post easily and often with no excuse! Which he & the elves may later regret...haha!

Thanks Santa (parentals)

Gem x

Current Favourite Face Moisturisers | The Body Shop

 

So, I have been quite enjoying rediscovering products this month. Mainly because I’m skint due to Christmas present buying.  (I tend to go a little crazy...in a good way – well, for the recipients anyway!)

 

I riffled through my box of half used, abused and forgotten about beauty junk and found a whole new world of amazingness, like these two little beauties below...

 

 

 

The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily moisturiser £12  - 50ml

 

I got this at the time because I wanted something with SPF 30 in, and I could only find this and a Natio one, which I wasn’t too fond of (the Natio moisturiser smelt a little too ‘herby’ for me). This Body Shop moisturiser is great though, it smells like oranges obviously because of the vitamin C, but it’s really fresh and nice for waking you up in the morning.

 I love how it feels like you’re feeding your face tasty goodness, without feeling heavy or greasy,  and make-up sits nicely on top. Not sure what else you could ask for in a day moisturiser, plus I don’t find the price off putting, because it does the job bloody well!

 

 The Body Shop Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream £11 - 50ml

Before I got this I’d been swearing by Purity’s night cream (which is also awesome & natural) but then went on a crazy vitamin rampage, and decided that I’d pick this up when I got the day moisturiser above. It was also on ‘3 for 2’ and I’m such a sucker for stuff like that! I got a tea tree face scrub in the offer, but really didn’t rate it.

Anyway, if you want super duper soft skin, buy it.

 If you want something to help work on your blemishes overnight, definitely buy it.

I don’t find it too heavy, which is something I worry about with night creams, in case they block pores and cause more problems. I feel like I saw a difference in older spot marks and blemishes when using this, so big thumbs up for that. I think Boots do the same thing for about £3 though, so next time I see it I’ll have to pick it up, especially because my night cream is running out! To make it go a little further, I’ve been adding a drop of Bio-Oil when I apply it at night, and that definitely amps up the healing and moisture levels. My face is so soft in the morning :] Yay!

 

So to sum it it up:

 Daily moisturiser = Good

Night moisturiser = Good - but a possible cheaper version on the horizon.

 

Gem :]

x

 

Minty Fresh | Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque Review

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

 

Right, so I read a billion million amazing reviews on this and therefore needed it in my life. So when it arrived in the post, (I got it off amazon), I was stupidly excited to try it, and watch as it magically fixed my face. First impression were good, nice spearmint smell (like polos), nice thick texture, it all looked promising, I thought we would hit it off...

 

However, the first time I used it, it made my face sting so bad my eyes watered! But I was so determined that it was a miracle product that I just kept it on...yeah, I know... and also tried it again a few more times before admitting defeat :[

Needless to say, it didn’t make any noticeable difference to my skin, at least in a good way. So it didn't work for me as a mask, but I found another use...

 It’s possibly the best spot treatment. My skin isn’t too bad, it behaves itself most of the time. However, when I do get a breakout it always seems to be angry looking, under the skin stuff. I confess...I squeeze. Yes it’s gross, bad and extremely unhelpful, but I can’t help it. It’s like an addiction. I try so hard not to, but it’s so satisfying...

Anyway, my gross habit makes things worse. I end up with a whole lot of mess on my face from poking and prodding, and generally taking the facial situation from, small outbreak to apocalypse (the type with zombies). This tube of overpowering, stingy face mask is fab at nuking those problem areas. It really shrinks them up and tones down the redness. I just pop a layer on at night and sleep in it, and it seems to work. 

* I’m not sure how advisable it is to leave a face mask on for like 8 hours, but I figured it’s only small areas and it stops working once it’s dry. *

Plus, at the time I didn’t care I just wanted those things off my face! As it’s quite drying though, I make sure I moisturise well in the morning, and the next night use something like bio – oil on the same area.

So in case anyone else has had a similar problem, this might be another way to use up the tube so it doesn't go to waste.

Gem :]

x

Unicorn Hair Update

Just a quick post to show how my hair is lasting. I've actually had it like this for 3 weeks, (or 6/7 washes) and its faded to a lilac colour which is still pretty :] Also, because I've had hi lights in my hair, its taken to those bits better giving some dimension and depth with the different purple shades.Yay!
I think I'm going to touch it up later this week for the work Christmas party.

Gem
x

Red Carpet Manicure | Gel Nail Varnish Home Kit

A long time ago, in a bedroom castle far far away, there was a girl who yearned for pretty nails.
Although she looked after her phalanges, when it came to painting them, sadly, she was a little clumsy.
No matter how hard she tried, there would always be polish on the cuticle, a smudge, and before long, couple of ugly chips.

One day, whilst browsing a beauty site, she stumbled upon a magical treasure chest of gel nail varnish.
It promised perfect, pretty nails, smudge and chip proof! It was love at first sight.
Needless to say, the girl bought the Red Carpet Manicure Professional LED Kit, and they both lived happily ever after



The End

 

Very first main pedi using Red Carpet Manicure :]

 Seriously though, it’s that good. Although at £89 it’s fair to say the price tag put me off at first, and I considered buying all the parts separate off Ebay. However, I figured if I paid £20 a month for a manicure, after 5 months I’ve pretty much paid for the kit, but without the extra uses that the kit gives. It’s good value in the long run.

Usability is great, especially for someone as impatient as me when it comes to nails. I love that I can paint them and still have time to manipulate the layer because it doesn’t dry as fast as regular polish. I can pretty much paint, cure & go.

The whole process from start to finish takes me just over an hour if I take my time, but also because you do your fingers and thumbs separate because they don’t fit under the lamp together. So, you’d complete the four fingers on the left hand together, from base coat to top coat, totally finished. Then the two thumbs together, same process, and then lastly the four fingers on your right hand. Make sense?

The colour range, and creative license with the gel nail varnish is practically the same as normal nail polish. I imagine they even last longer as you only need two thin coats. Yes, gel is more expensive than your average high street/drugstore varnishes, but completely comparable with high end stuff like Chanel.

Overall, I think this is a solid beauty investment, and I am honestly so glad that I purchased this. My best buy of 2012, hands down :]

If you want to take a look, you can find it here on their own website, or here on beautybay, and I've posted quite a few pictures on my Instagram @gem_skee.

Gem

x

P.s I've also done a gel nail varnish tutorial, I'll pop it below in case you want to see how to use it! x

 

Look What The Postman Brought! | Compressed Face Masks

I got 10 for about £1 !



I think they look like little mints/sweets :]

Look what the postman brought! Little compressed face masks - So excited to use these :D I'll let you know how I get on, but the masks I'm planning on trying are below.

 

Any suggestions welcome :]

 

Lemon & Cucumber

Good for blemishes/breakout, lemon a natural acid which exfoliates and bleaches. Sounds scary but it's good for blemishes and scarring. You can't just whack it on your face though!! You Must dilute it with something else, like cucumber, which is soothing so a good partner.

 

 

Milk & Honey

Good for making your skin soft and clean, milk it good for controlling oil, and honey is stuffed with a tonnes of vitamins, and anti bacterial mechanisms.

 

 

Honey & Avocado

Good for dry skin, avocados are full of B, E and K vitamins.

 

 

Green Tea

This is fab for a lot of reasons that I rave about here 'Green Tea Benefits!'

Gem

x

 

P.S I got them off good old Ebay