Naturally Gorgeous by Charlotte Vohtz| Book Review

So today I am going to be talking about what I think is a cracker- I hope you agree or that it at least gets your interested. This most certainly sparked an intrest for me. 

Naturally Gorgeous* is a book written by Charlotte Vohtz, the owner and founder or Green People- an organic skincare and make up brand. Green people is a brand that I have been interested in for a while- well and just organic beauty in general but I have kind of put it off because of the cost of changing my  whole routine and how I see it is; if I'm going to do it, Ive got to change everything. There is no point me changing just my skincare if I carry on using non organic make up, if you see what I mean?

Thats enough of that, like I said I have wanted to try Green People out for a while and I have actually tried a couple of samples of their products and have been very impressed. When a friend gave me this book, I was intrigued because for me this was the first ever bit of literature on Organic living that I would read and I am actually very glad it was. 

The information is laid out simply and in bite size pieces so its something you can flick back and fourth to and not get lost or overwhelmed by all the new information. 

The Book is split in to different sections (Inner beauty, Skin, Face, Body, Hair and Sun care), all of which go into basic information to help you achieve an organic life style. I will say this book isn't going to give you all the information you would ever need but it really is a good place to start and especially for someone, like me, who knows nothing about organic eating or beauty. All in all it's just a good book for information about how to look after yourself, obviously it's trying to promote Organic products but there are still break downs that could be used with non- organic products. 

An example of this is the fact that there are breakdowns for how to care for different skin types. It's things like this that made the book such an ease to read. I didn't feel like I was being told I HAVE to live organic to be healthy but more that it is the best option but I'm not going to be force into it- if you see what I mean? 

The above pages are to give you a rough idea of how the book is laid out. Like I said before it's pretty simple but a great way to start. 

I highly recommend this book for anyone just starting out or even just if you want a bit more information on how to look after yourself better. You are sure to take something away from this book. I know I learnt so many different tips from this book. 

Naturally Gorgeous can be bought off the Green People Website for £9.99 

Beauty Haul

I haven't done a written beauty haul in forever and I thought is was about time I did! This is accumulation of the bits I have bought since about Mid december till now so yeh, get a cup of tea and a snack, you may need it to get through this! One thing I did want to say is that some of these will have more in depth reviews coming up on here over the next couple weeks, others may not. If there is something you want to see please do let me know! 

On with the haul....

Revlon Quick Dry Case Coat- Love this! dries really quick (like the name might suggest!) By the time you've done your second hand, the first is dry. It's also helped strengthen my nails. They haven't been breaking as much 

Maybelline Forever Strong Pro In 130- A really dusty pink that goes with everything. Everyone needs this kind of colour in their collection and I love the brush and formulation of the Maybelline Varnishes. The brush is rounded and wider so it doesn't take as many strokes to cover the whole nail. This varnish took two coats to become fully Opaque and dried quickly. 

Rimmel Lasting Finish in 700 Block Your Green- A lovely green that seems to look more teal in the photos but its a darker green with a slight glitter sheen to it (You can't see the glitter unless you look really close) again like the brush but found got wear on  the tips after a day. 

Rimmel Precious Stones in 001 Diamond Dust- I love the colour of this and it does go opaque after a couple coats but my god is this a bitch to get off! 

Rimmel Apocalips in Stellar and Celestial- I have already done a post on these babies which you can read here

MAC Brick-O-La Amplified Lipstick- I had seen a couple of bloggers mention this and it instanly caught my eye. It's a really browny pink, the name says it all it is a brick colour and I just love this. Perfect for the days were you want a bit of colour but nothing too drastic and I absolutely love the Amplified finish, soft and pigmented. 

MAC Eyeshadows- I needed a new brow shade as the one I was using was in a huge palette and it was just a pain in the arse so I got Charcoal brown, which is a matte shade to fill in my brows with. Just defines them without making them too harsh. Cranberry is one that seems to be very popular at the moment. It's a frost finish so it's got a lovely sheen to it. Haven't had a chance to play around with this yet but looking forward to it! and lastly All That Glitters, which has now completed my quad and a perfect addition. This is the most gorgeous rose gold shade and I imagine would be perfect for any skin tone! 

3 more hyped products that I have only just got round to getting!

Rimmel Scandaleyes in Nude- I already had one on the go hence waiting to get this. It's a nice product and I will be doing a quick review after I have used it for a while. 

Benefit They're Real- I used this yesterday but applied it in such a rush I'm not counting it, although taking it off last night was a bit of a bitch. I only bough a little one as I'm so fussy with mascaras it seemed silly to buy a big one incase I didn't like it. We shall see...

MUA Professional Eyes Primer- I have so much bad luck with eye shadows creasing so just another product to see if I can actually get my eyeshadows to last all day! will report back on this! 

We're nearly at the end I promise.. 

Rimmel Match Pefection Light Reflecting Radiance Foundation- Long enough name?! This is my new go- to foundation. Totally in love! Plus it's light enough YAY! They actually do this in a porcelain shade.  I will be doing a full review of this soon!

Avene Extremely Rich Compensating Cream- I bought this just before christmas and my God this has saved my skin. If you have dry skin, buy this bad boy! You will never look back. Again I will probably  do a more in depth review of this soon.

Boots Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm- I've heard mixed reviews about this. I personally thought it was ok and don't mind the residue it leaves but that is all personal choice. 

Lush Let The Good Times Roll Cleanser- This cleanser has Popped corn oil, polenta, maize flour and cinnamon. It's a really gentle cleanser/ exfoliator and great for everyday use, it leaves my skin feeling so soft and fresh. 

Origins Out of Trouble- I bought this the other day with Sarah who runs new modern damsel. She took me to the Origins counter and I knew i wasn't leaving without buying anything. I did want to buy the Make A Difference + moisturiser but decided not to but bought this instead. I haven't had a chance to use it yet but will be soon!

Lastly two random bits but they were to cute not to include!

Dolly Bow Bow Flower Crown- I have wanted one of these for so long and saw this one and fell in love. I love the colour and the fact that the flowers aren't to big. I might try and do a make up look to fit in with the headband, we shall see! 

Lastly my Cath Kidstion Pocket Diary! I have been trying to find a cute diary for so long and this just fits the bill. Its small enough to pop into my bag but big enough that I can fit everything in. 

So there you have it! I think writing a make up haul is better as it means you can actually see the products and colour better than on a video, let me know what you think? All the products are link just click the bold and that will take you through to where you can buy them. 

2012 Beauty Favourite| Skin, Body and Hair Care Edition

I posted the second of my favouites videos the other day and again thought I would share in on here, incase you don't follow me on You Tube. Skin care was definitely the hardest for me as there were so many other products I could o mentioned but I resisted!

I hope you find some new products that you can add to your wish list.

Please don't forget if you have a video or a post on your 2012 Favourites leave a link in the comments below! 

Mallzee.com| Something Rather Exciting!

Picture taken from www.Mallzee.com

Have you ever come across a website that just completely changed the way you shop? Well this is how I felt when I found out about Mallzee. I am so excited for this website to launch later this year.

You basically create your own shopping mall on the web. There are currently over 200+ brands that have signed up to be a part of Mallzee- that is a lot of shopping! With these 200+ shops you go through them, selecting your favourites and create your very own mall, so when you sign on all your favourites are right there. I love things that I know I can be relatively quick with and with these I know I'll be able to just log on and find my favourites quickly.

To give you an idea of the bands that have been signed up, here are a few; Urban Outfitters, New Look, Feel Unique and St. Tropez. Now I don't know about you but the fact that Feel Unique is on that list makes me VERY excited!!

One of the best things about Mallzee is the fact that as you shop you can earn money. If you shop, or even if any of your friends shop via your 'mall', you earn money to spend on Mallzee or you can donate it to charity.  I know a lot of people will just spend on more items but I'd like to think a lot of people will also donate to charity. I think this is just such a lovely touch! and one that I hope a lot of people will use.

Mallzee wanted to make online shopping a social experience not something you sit at do at home alone. They have added features were you can actually put out polls on items to get your friends opinions before you commit to buying. It's like going shopping with friends but from the comfort of your own bed!

If you sign up for their news letter and give them a little tweet, you will be entered into a prize draw to win £100/$155 shopping spree on Mallzee!

To sign up and have a look at their blog Just click on the link below! I hope you are as excited as me!

www.Mallzee.com

*I was contacted by Mallzee to talk about their site but I am not being compensated for this post and all views are my own.

My Christmas Wish List

Every year my mum asks me to write a long Christmas list so she can pick what to buy me. This year has been a tough one but once I got going I managed to write a huge list (sorry mum!). I am glad I managed to write a long list as it means she gets to pick and choose what to get so even though I am asking for things it will still be a surprise on Christmas day as I won't know what she has picked. 

On the last couple of #bbloggers I have been asking what everyone else has been asking for to get some ideas and I have certainly got a lot of ideas from this. I wanted to share with you what the main things are that I have asked for this year, in the hope that it might help you as well!

Real Techniques Starter Kit | Origins Let it Glow Kit| theBalm Frat Boy

Black Vans| Sigma F80| Humming Bird Skater Dress

Origins Make a Difference Rejuvenating Treatment| 

Asos April Showers Boots| River Island  Jacket| Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask

So that is my Christmas list!

What is on your Christmas list? 

Origins| Clear Improvement

Today I am going to talk to you about a product from one of my favourite skincare brands Origins! I can't recommend this brand enough. Everything I have bought from Origins has amazed me. Everything does exactly what it says it should do. Although it is is not the cheapest Skin care brand it really is worth the money! and I don't think that it is to expensive. 

So the product I am going to talk about to today is the Origins Clear Improvement Mask. This mask is meant to clear out clogged pores. The active charcoal in this mask acts like a magnet it draw out and dirt from your pores and leave you with clean fresh skin. 

I have been using this mask for over 4 months now and I still love it as much as I did the first time I used it! I unfortunately used to suffer with really bad blackheads on my nose (ew) but since I have been using this mask, once a week, I have noticed a huge difference in the amount of blackheads. I am not going to say that this is a miracle product that is going to get rid of all your clogged pores straight away, because it doesn't. I like I said I have been using this for over 4 months and it wasn't until about a month, maybe two that I started to notice a difference. 

I tend to just use this in my lower half of my face, I don't see much point in using it on my forehead because it doesn't need it, but it can be used all over, just avoiding the eyes and lips. One thing I will say when applying this mask make sure you have opened your pores up before otherwise the mask can't do it's job. You will know your pores are open because when you apply you get a slight heat. 

I have included a rather sexy photo of me with the mask on ;) 

Overall I love this mask and highly recommend this, especially If you do suffer from clogged pores. I know wouldn't be without this mask! and for £20- you can't go wrong! 

 This can be purchased from the Origins website for £20 for 100ml

17| Glitter Eye Shadow in Spirit

Like I said in the post about the lipstick I bought from 17, this isn't a range that I have ever bought anything from so when I had a voucher that meant I got a glitter eyeshadow free when you bought any 17 product, I thought it would be silly not to.

I bought this colour as I thought it would be a colour that I could get some use out of. All the others were a bit to out there for my liking but this colour is perfect for creating a smoky look for going out.

As with the lipstick I wasn't really expecting much from this as it really is an inexpensive brand but again I was pleasently surprised.

I am not that fussed with the packaging. It really does give away that it is a cheaper brand and I much prefer a lid that you flip up rather than screw off but it is good enough and it relatively sturdy.

The pigmentation of this eye shadow is really good!

IT doesn't have the best staying power. It is good for a night out but I found that when I wear this during the day it tends to crease a bit towards the end of the day and you are left with a bit of a mess. Like I said though nights out it is really good and you can really build the colour. 

I am not going to say this is this most amazing eye shadow ever, because it isn't but for how much it costs it is a good product and worth having even if you won't used it all the time. 

17 is available  in Boots Stores or online here

Current Skin Care Routine

I love these kind of posts, I think it is the nosey person inside me that just likes to know everything!

Basically I was going to do this as a post but decided it would be FAR to long as I tend to ramble. So...I decided to do a video and to be honest it is still pretty long! Not going to lie I'm not expecting thousands of views but I thought it was something a little different and you might like it. 

Not sure if I will carry on with the videos but I am giving it a go!

tell you what you think and enjoy :) 

and sorry it is so long! I use a lot of products!

Neals Yard| Rehydrating Rose Toner

I have really been struggling with my skin at the moment it seems to be going through some changes and I have noticed that it has been looking slightly less alive as such, it lacks oomph. 

I have been trying to use products that are going to waken my skin up and replace any moisture lost. 

This was an unusual purchase for me as I didn't do any research before I bought it and when I am spending a bit more on skincare I like to buy things that I know are going to work only skin so that I potentially don't waste my money. 

I am not going to lie, what drew me to this product was the packaging. It is just so luxurious! It looks so gorgeous on my dresser. I am quite tempted to buy more just so I can have a little collection sat there ;) 

Now on to the actual product... 

I am not usually a huge fan of rose scented things, does remind  me of old ladies a little but this is a lovely soft fragrance that doesn't linger on the skin. 

The rose in the toner helps to sooth the skin and helps reduce redness. I have what many would call an 'english rose' complexion. I have really pale skin with rosy cheeks. Which usually I am ok with but sometimes I find things irritate my skin easy and my skin goes all blochy and red. I have noticed since using this that my skin has calmed down loads and I am back to that pinched cheeks look. 

I tend to use this toner in the morning as it is lighter on my skin and my Liz Earle Skin Tonic at night. I always try and use lighter products in the morning because I just feel I don't want my skin being suffocated and adding makeup on top I feel can be just to much. However I would happily use this toner both morning and night as it is so refreshing and doing an amazing job on my skin. 

I bought this toner from Boots for £15.00, unfortunately it isn't on the website but the cleanser is if you are interested (and it comes with a lovely pump!)

www.nealsyardremedies.com

Have you tired any Neals Yard products?

Worth The Hype?

As an avid blog reader myself you often come across these cult buys that everyone and there mum is getting and some times it is hard to resist! When I buy things its very rare I just go out on a whim and buy something. I like to research first so when these cult products come along sometimes it is just to hard to say no with them being everywhere!

I thought the best way to speak about these products was in a post altogether just because they have all had so much coverage I didn't think they really needed an in depth review on each.  

Queue my little stash..... 

Caudalie Beauty Elixir: This featured in my may favourites and rightly so. I do love this product! I wouldn't say this is holy grail material but I will continue to repurchase this. If you noticed, in this picture I have a new 100ml bottle and I have just ordered a new 30ml as well as I like to carry this around and it is handy when I go to my boyfriends. 

 Worth the Hype? Yes!

Bioderma Micelle Solution: For me this isn't worth the hype. It does remove my make up quickly and easily but meh. Smells a bit funny and really stings my eyes. In my eyes I can get similar things cheaper and without all the hassle. If this was to become available in the UK I would probably continue to buy but as it's not I think I can do without.

Worth the Hype? Maybe

Bourjois Magic Nail Varnish Remover: I change my nail varnish so often something like this is a god send! Makes things so quick! I have seen so many stick their noses in and smell this saying it smells lovely, don't fall for it! smells like nail varnish remover...but once it drys on my nails you can smell the vanilla and red berry. I can't tell you how much of a shock it was that it didn't smell nice! haha.

Worth the Hype? Yes, although not a totally original idea it's still very good. 

Collection 2000 Lasting perfection Concealer: I do not go anywhere without this concealer! It works for everything! There really isn't much else I can say. I would pay a lot more for this product, not that I want to but I would if I had to! something I will now never be without!

Worth the Hype: Hell yes!

 Maybelline Colour Tattoo: I was really excited to try this and was seriously let down. I love the colour and the pigmentation is good. It is thick enough to stick but not too thick that you can't work with it. Sadly for me this creased like a mofo. After an hour or so it would just be sat in huge creases and after about 5 or so hours it has completely gone, not really the wear I was expecting!

Worth the Hype. No

These are just my views, any one had any different experiences with these products?

Lush Haul!

Ok so I may have got a bit excited when I went into Lush the other day. This is what I ended up with....

I find it so hard to control myself when I go into lush. As I don't have a store near me I tend to do a lot of my Lush shopping online but being in the store seeing all the actual products, well I get a bit excited and if you haven't already guessed, if something smells nice it is a winner in my books.

All the products are linked at the beginning of each description/ mini review so you can look up ingredients and see other reviews on the lush website.

Sweet Lips Lip Scrub: I actually wanted to pick up the Mint version of this but they didn't have it so I thought I would give this one a go! I have been using this for a couple days now, in the morning and evening. I have noticed a huge difference in the condition if my lips. I wouldn't say I have really dry lips but they do every now and then suffer from a bit of dryness. I am not so keen on the scent of this. Really smells like chocolate but a weird kind of chocolate. I will repurchase this but in the mint flavour instead!

Lemon Flutter Cuticle Butter: This is a new product for me so I haven't been using it long. This is basically help with any dry citicles, which I do suffer from. I also get a lot of dry skin just generally around my nails so will be using this to try and combat those! It also says that it can be used on any really dry bits of skin, so will also be trying this on any stubborn dry bits. This is a really thick cream and I used it this morning and you only need a tiny amount so this 50g pot will last ages I imagine. Like most other Lush products this smell amazing! I do love a citrus smell!

The Comforter: You cannot beat a good bubble bath! Again smells amazing (I think like Parma Violets) This makes loads of bubbles and I can get a lots of uses out of this. Well worth the money in my eyes.

Think Pink: Turns your bath a lovely pink colour. I tend to see bath bombs as a not so much value for money but I do love them when I want a little pamper night as they make your bath smell amazing and the oils help nourish and moisturise skin.

Tea Tree Toner Tab: These are great when my skin is playing up a bit. Although advertised as being best for teenage troubled skin I just love these to give my skin a really good clean, as the steam opens up your pores allowing the tee tree to work it's magic. Remember to keep the water as this can be used as a toner for up to a week after use! I love this as I am getting 2 products for the price of one!

These next couple bits are from a recent Online order (told you I have a problem!)

 Full of Grace: This is a solid serum. On one of my trips into Lush of of the lovely girls suggested this. I don't remember why I didn't buy it at the time but decided to buy it when I was having a nosey online. This serum is used to hydrate and moisturise the skin. Basically you rub it between your hands, which warms and melts the product then just apply to the skin. I did find this did moisturise but I didn't like the fact it just kind of sits on the skin (this is defiantly a night time product!) It left me feeling sticky and looking like a grease ball.

Dream Steam: I got this because at the time they didn't have any Tea Tree toner tabs. I have to say I didn't like this as much as the tea tree tabs but they were still really good. This tab actually contains more oils to help with your skin. It contains tea tree, rose, chamomile and lavender. Again this can be bottled up after use and used as a toner for the next week!

Marilyn: As I have said before, I bleach my hair. This hair mask is designed to take the brassy tones out of your hair. This it lives up to! I am not so keen on the scent. It is a bit odd but I love what this has done for my hair. I also found that it added a lot of shine and calmed the frizz down slightly. I am not someone who usually likes pre wash treatments. I just have it stuck in my head that I am just washing off any of the good stuff but that is just me.

tip: This contains chamomile so put it on and sit out in sun and it will lighten your hair. Little tip taken from the packet!

Catastrophe Cosmetic: I loved this mask, it left my skin feeling so fresh! Only thing I would say is with all lush face masks I tend to always leave a bit as they go off before I can use it all up and to me that is just wasting money which I don't like.

Snake Oil: I have a scalp condition which means when I get tired or stressed I get a really flaky scalp and sores (lovely!) It is also really sensitive to new hair products. I bought this to see if it might calm it. In all honesty I have no idea how to even use it! Its a solid form and I have got to get it onto my scalp some how?! any one know? A lot of the reviews I have read said it smells horrible but works. I have had a smell I don't think it is that bad. It's not the nicest but it is bearable!

All I can say if you have made it to the end of this WELL DONE!

sorry it has been so long!