Review | Botanics Skin Calming Night Cream

I've read so many bloggers raving reviews about Boots Botanics range so inevitably was too intrigued to see what the fuss is about! I've been on the hunt for a night cream which can moisturize well but not leave my face feeling greasy - something I really can't stand. So I went over to the Botanics section and saw they had various different night creams - one for sensitive skin, one for normal/dry skin and one for age renewal. 

I decided to pick up the one for sensitive skin even though the normal/dry skin night cream smelt AMAZING but I thought as it was for dry skin, it may make my skin more oily.

This honestly is such a lovely night cream. It smooths into skin really nicely without leaving behind a shiny tinge to your face and feels really soothing so lives up to it's description of being 'skin calming.' 

I have found my skin to feel smoother than usual when I've woken up in the mornings after applying this cream straight before bed.

It contains Linden Flower which is a soothing agent to the skin along with Marshmallow which contains natural sugars and polyphenols which leave the skin calmer. 

I'm so impressed with this night cream and I'm really enjoying using it! I definitely recommend trying this out if your skin can sometimes feel sore and delicate after removing all your make-up or you just want to try something which feels really gentle on your face.

Have you tried this night cream or any other product from the Botanics range?

Love Leah x

Repurchases!

Everyone has those staple purchases that you subconsciously pick up in store because your brain is programmed into doing so. I certainly do anyway and buy my favourite foundation for example without even stopping to think 'Oh, I could try a different one instead of the same old one.' But once you've found your staple products, you get into a routine and find yourself not wanting to change certain things. Don't get me wrong, as a girl suffering from a severe make-up addiction I do try many different products but to be honest, when it comes to things like foundation/skincare/haircare I 9 times out of 10 buy the same things because I know I like them and know they work for me!

So here is a round-up of some products I have repurchased countless times:

(Ps. Sorry for the shoddy photography. I'm trying to get the best lighting possible with my phone!)

Left to right: Rimmel Hide the Blemish Concealer| Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum| Catwalk Curls Rock Amplifier by TIGI| Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam| L'Oreal True Match Foundation| Benefit Dallas| Simple Kind To Skin Facial Wipes| Rimmel Bronzing Compact Powder

Rimmel Hide the Blemish Concealer

This is a really good concealer if you want good coverage with a really creamy, blendable consistancy. I've used this countless times when a very much unwanted spot has rudely appeared on my face and has solved the issue straight away. I usually dab it on with my finger without rubbing it in as I find this just smears the product off whereas if you dab it, it really gets the product onto your skin well which means better coverage of any blemishes/spots or under eye circles!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum

I have used this probably since I was about 14 which means I have probably owned around 20 bottles but to be honest, it might be less than that as this foundation lasts me for months. It is very blendable and sits well on my skin lasting all day with no patches. The only problem is their colour range - sometimes this foundation can be too orange for me even in the palest shade so I really have to work with it and blend A LOT. But, if you can find the right colour then this foundation really is lovely and smells fruity!

Catwalk Curls Rock Amplifier by TIGI

This again is a product I've used since around the age of 13 as I have always had really, really, really curly hair. Even though it is not as curly now due to the copious amounts of straightening I have put my hair through over the years, it has been a fabulous product in taming my wild hair when it was at it's curliest. I still use it now when I have my hair curly and find that it is best applied to wet hair as it is VERY sticky so the wet hair helps to smooth the stickiness away. I absolutely love this product so much so that I buy it in bulk on Ebay as I know I will always use it.

Paul Mitchel Sculpting Foam

I've come to the realization that his hair mousse smells of coconut after years of pondering what it smells like! This is such a great hair product that my Mum introduced to me again years ago and I've always had a bottle handy to tame any fly-aways. It's such a fun product as it comes out of the bottle in liquid form and then grows in your hand into an airy mousse! (It's the little things which amuse me!) I'd really recommend this as it is super conditioning, smells lovely and the best hair mousse I've ever used.

L'Oreal True Match Foundation

This is a new one I've tried so I'm only on my second repurchase but I bought this one I realized the Bourjois foundation takes too much battling with the colour to get it to match my skin. As much as I love it, I've had to move on. I'm so glad I tried this as the colour matches perfectly and they have so many different shades to suit different skin tones which is fabulous. It feels really light on the skin, doesn't cake at all and blends really nicely.

Benefit Dallas

Love, love, love this blush/bronzer (not quite sure what to call it!) It's a lovely plum shade with a slight amount of shimmer which I often get compliments on when I'm wearing it so can't be bad! The only thing I'm not particularly keen on is the scent - I don't even know how to describe it but it definitely isn't a scent I'm a fan of but I simply ignore that as I love the colour too much!

Simple Kind To Skin Facial Wipes

I never understand when people say it is bad for your skin to take your make-up off with wipes! It depends which wipes you use in my opinion but I always have the Simple ones stocked up in my drawer as they are brilliant. There is no need for wiping vigorously with these as they are full of moisture so your make-up is off in no time. They are extremely soft and leave my skin feeling hydrated and smooth after use.

Rimmel Bronzing Compact Powder

Last but not least, this has to be my favourite bronzer in the world. I accidently picked up the shimmer one instead of the matte which is what I usually go for but I've been enjoying using it! The colour is really blendable and pigmented and lasts all day long. For the cheap price, I would definitely recommend picking it up if you haven't already!

What are your staple products you like to buy? :)

Love Leah x

NEW YOOORK

I'm lucky enough to say I'm going to New York in less than two weeks to celebrate my 21st birthday! *happy dances everywhere around the room* 

I'm so excited having never been before yet this is the first family holiday myself and my Mum have been on since my Dad died three years ago so it's kinda bittersweet I guess. Still, I know how amazing it is going to be and how fortunate I am to be able to go. 

Has anyone else ever been and any places you would recommend going??

Love Leah x

Memory Box

I recently had the idea of buying a memory box where I can keep all things that mean something to me in one special place to prevent things that I want to keep getting misplaced/lost. I really feel like this is such an important thing to do as I often find myself saying "Oh where have I put it?!" or "Oh no, I can't find it!"

There is nothing more irritating than losing something that you really wanted to keep hold of, right?

I've especially learnt this since losing my Dad three years ago so this is a special place where I can keep little memories of him in one place such as all the tickets from concerts we always used to go to. Not only that but little things in general where people have thought of you such as postcards or special birthday cards. 

So I bought my little memory box and have started it as of July 2014! It sort of feels like a relief in a weird way as before I had things scattered about in different places. Now I know exactly where all my keepsakes are.

Does anyone else do this? :)

Love Leah x

Favourites | Handcreams

I don't know if you're anything like me but despite us all being indulged with long Summer days and (mainly) beautiful weather, I still tend to get dry hands no matter what month of the year it is. So here is a quick round-up of my four all-time favourite hand creams. Every one of these does the job perfectly for me and all leave my skin feeling so soft and moisturized.

What is your favourite handcream? I'd love to know!

Love Leah x

My Two Cents On The Product Everyone Has Blogged About | Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Can I just start by saying what on earth is Micellar?! It sounds so scientific and fancy and oh so confusing. Boy was I right. By just Googling this term, the first definition that comes up is Wikipedia defining the word 'micelle' as follows: 

Particle of colloidal divisions that exists in equilibrium with the molecules or ions in solution from which it is formed. 

Ermmm what?!

I can say though that this product is as cool as it sounds and my make-up came off with no problem at all.

No struggling and tugging and wiping and battling to get off that mascara that just will.not.budge.

So apparently, according to Garnier, the water is like a magnet and lifts away make-up and dirt from the skin. A pretty cool and accurate description I'd say!

I have to admit that I only purchased this today as it was on offer with a 1/3 off the regular price of £5 and because of all the fabulous reviews circulating the blogging world. However, it definitely didn't disappoint and I feel like this will become a much loved product even after only using it once!

Love Leah x

Sophie Kinsella | I've Got Your Number

Hey gals and pals. 

If anyone is after a hilarious, light-hearted, can't-put-it-down kinda Summer read then this book is definitely worth picking up and spending the best part of 3 hours reading. One word: fabulous!

Honestly, Sophie Kinsella is definitely up there as one of my favourite Chick Lit authors and has absolutely done it again with this novel. I may be behind in reading this as it was released in 2012 but I honestly have had no time to read books for pleasure. Instead, my degree in English Literature has resulted in reading mountains of compulsory books which I basically have had to analyze and tear to pieces.

WELL NOT THIS ONE MISS KINSELLA.

I don't want to give too much away but all you need to know is it involves a girl, a lost ring and a claimed mobile phone along with comedy, romance and a lot of fun!

Happy reading!

Love Leah x

June Favorites??!

Can someone please pinch me and confirm that it is actually July now?! June went so unbelievably quick which makes me really sad as it was the last month I would ever spend in my uni town as a student. So now I'm all moved back home as a soon to be English Lit graduate - bittersweet I guess. The past three years at uni have been the best ever and even though I'm really proud of myself for achieving a degree, it is so sad to say it's all come to an end now. All good things come to an end as they say! Anyway, if you are still reading you're probably wanting to see my favorites of June. After all that's why you clicked here! 

*Note to self... stop rambling* 

I picked up the MUA Power Pout Colour Intense Tint & Balm (what a mouthful) in Superdrug recently as I'd never seen them before and any form of lip product instantly draws me in! I've got to say that for £3 each, they are completely amazing for such a cheap price. The colour really stays on your lips for hours, they are really creamy and feel really light on and they smell minty! 

I got two in the colours 'Irreplaceable' which is a lovely purple/pink and 'Broken Hearted' which is quite a bright pink.

I've been wearing either one of these balms mostly every day - either in the day or for a night-time look. I completely recommend giving these a twirl if you enjoy using other lip crayons but are on the search for a cheaper alternative.

Another product from MUA I picked up is their 'Undressed' eyeshadow palette. I'm completely addicted to the Heaven and Earth palette which is a staple in my make-up collection. I literally use it every day so thought it's about time I tried another one of their palette's out and for £4, who can even resist. The pigmentation is AMAZING and the colours, as you can see below, are absolutely beautiful.

Moving on from MUA and a sort of simple yet brilliant product is the L'oreal Super Liner Black Lacquer. I am certain this is the best liquid eyeliner I have ever tried for easy application and colour intensity. It glides on really smoothly and stays on all day/night without budging yet is easily removed with make-up remover. I absolutely love this and I'm so glad I bought it - definitely recommend!!

Another product I've been loving is something I found recently from a Marie Claire event I attended last year in London which I completely forgot I had! It is the L'Occitane En Provence Dry Skin Hand Cream.

I find I get really dry skin on the back of my hands yet this has instantly made my hands so much smoother. Goodbye scaly hands! (I realise how gross that sounds) It feels so luxurious to apply - like you are applying silk or something! The smell is of shea butter so if any of you love the shea butter products in The Body Shop, you would really love this!

Finally, my last pick for June is a gorgeous nail polish called a Ciate Paint Pot in the colour Ivory Queen. It is a lovely shimmery peach shade which is perfect for Summer if you wanted more of a nude nail!

Monthly favorites posts have to be the ones I enjoy reading most so I'd love to hear what everyone else has been enjoying?!

Lots of love

Leah x