Sample Review: Sanctuary Active Reverse 30 day Thermal Transformation

I do love my samples! I received this one in my 'Latest in Beauty' Little beauty box. This service is fab! If you've not heard of it before, I'll explain; you fill out a quick beauty profile on the website, then the clever system works out what products would work best for you based on your answers. You then choose a combination of 3 samples, pay £1.50 by text and wait excitedly for your box to arrive at the front door!

So, one of the products I chose to sample was the Sanctuary Active Reverse 30-day Thermal Transformation Mask (a bit of a mouthful, I know). It came in a very cute purple packet, and inside were two good-sized sachets. The idea is that this is a 2-step mask, consisting of a Peptide Transformation Serum, and a Thermal Rose Clay Mask.

Following the instructions, I plastered the sachets on my face in that order and waited 10 minutes before washing it off. The first thing to note is that when they say 'thermal', they're not lying! I've used a quite a few of these 'self-heating' face masks before, but none of them have ever had the power of this one, it really did feel hot! I also think the formula is ingenious - I don't know if this was done on purpose, but the serum seems to 'fix' the mask to your face. I find with most self-heating masks, they seem to melt and slide down your face very quickly, meaning you end up only wearing it for a few minutes. This just does not happen with the Sanctuary mask, meaning you get all the benefits of the mask for the full 10 minutes, which is great!

The only thing I didn't like was the smell - I'm not a great fan of rose at the best of times, and this mask absolutely reeked of it! But it gave me super smooth, clean skin, so I can't complain! I'd definitely like to try this mask again to see the effects after a few uses.

Have you tried this mask, or any Sanctuary product? Do you like the Latest in Beauty boxes?

DIY beauty at it's best!

Need to smooth your rough, winter skin but pay day is still an eternity away? Try this homemade, natural body scrub, made from products you'll find in your kitchen cupboard! I guarantee you'll love it, as it exfoliates and moisturises really well, for a fraction of the cost of your regular scrub.

First, take about cup of sugar (each type has a different level of exfoliation, so experiment to find which works best for you) - for this one I have used golden caster sugar. Next, add a couple of drops of an essential oil, such as lavender or peppermint. Then, simply mix together, whilst adding an oil (olive or almond work well) slowly, until the mix is damp but still grainy. 

And there you have it! You can experiment with the ingredients in the scrub to make it unique to you. Salt and crushed nut shells are great exfoliaters, and there are so many different moisturising agents you could use, oil is just one of them.

How did you get on with this recipe? Are there any DIY cosmetics that you swear by?

Want a FREE bath bomb?

Then why not take a look at my Facebook page! I sell homemade bath bombs and other products at great prices! Now Christmas is also upon us, it's the perfect time to start looking for those special presents - https://www.facebook.com/BathTimeTreats - please like and share with your friends! Leave a comment on my wall to tell me you found the link through my blog, and i'll give you a FREE bath bomb with any order!

'The Body Shop' Sale Haul!

With The Body Shop having a huge sale online, I thought it was the perfect time to stock up on some treats for the beauty draw! Below are the lovelies I got delivered; 

So, What did I think?

Candied Ginger Body Scrub - This scrub has a lovely sweet and warming smell, great for the winter months! It's particularly good because of it's creamy texture, which leaves your skin nicely exfoliated but still soft and moisturised. All of the Body Shop scrubs are great, and this is one of my personal favourites.

Vitamin C Microdermabrasion Scrub - If you're looking for a face scrub to brighten up your complexion, this is the one for you. It's very gentle on your skin and leaves a lovely citrus fragrance behind. A word of warning - use sparingly as it's not cheap (£12 for 75ml)

Vitamin C Skin Reviver - A lifetime favourite of mine! I discovered this last year when I did a spell of Body Shop consulting, and I absolutely adore it. It has the same great fragrance as the scrub, and is a multi-purpose product which can be used as a moisturiser, serum or underneath make up as a primer. The best thing about this is how soft and smooth is leaves your skin, you can't help touching it!

Delipcious in Watermelon - Being quite fair-skinned, i've always found it difficult to find a suitable daytime lip colour that doesn't wipe me out. However the colour of this is very warm but not too bright, and glides onto your lips to leave a pretty shimmer. Personally, I like to mix it with my cherry chapstick to make it a slightly cooler shade.

Earth Lovers shower gels; Lemon & Thyme; Fig & Rosemary; Watermelon & Eucalyptus - These shower gels are very unique, as they are fragranced with fruit and herbs, which makes them lovely and refreshing. They lather well and do not dry out you skin, even in sensitive areas. My favourite is Watermelon & Eucalyptus as I just can't can't enough of watermelon fragrances and this one does not dissapoint!

Soya Milk Foaming Bath Powder - I'm not convinced with this product if i'm honest. The bag instructs you to add a tablespoon of the powder to your bath, however I found this wasn't enough to really do anything. It foamed on contact with the water then quickly disappeared. It did have a nice, subtle fragrance (similar to talcum powder) and seemed to soften the water a bit but in my opinion, it's one of those things you use once or twice, then tuck in the back of the draw.

Facial Brush with Lid - a soft bristled, cute little brush perfect for making your face wash work a bit harder. The bristles feel lovely on your face and help to give it a soft exfoliation, which is great if you're like me and have oily skin.

Love Etc... Sun Kiss Eau De Toilette - I am in love with this; I'm not a perfume person at all, but I bought one of these earlier on in the year for a holiday and just couldn't stop wearing it! It's very fruity and sweet so it's not for everyone, but if you like that kind of perfume, it's heaven! The staying power is very good, and is actually much better than many top brands.

Have you tried any of these products? What are your favourite Body Shop products and why?

Rimmel in 'Sweetie' - Only £1.50 at Sainsbury's

Magazine Freebie!

Fancy a beauty treat that won't break the bank? Then head over to your local newsagents and grab a copy of this month's GLAMOUR magazine. You receive a FREE Nails Inc polish worth £12! (available in 4 colours) So for £2 you get a quality nail varnish and a magazine - perfect for a night in!

FLASH SALE!

If you're looking for a beauty bargain, head over to The Body Shop website tonight, where they have a massive 50% off sale! Not only that, if you enter code EXTRA at the checkout, you'll also receive a huge 40% off all non-sale items!

How to keep platinum blonde hair looking it's best!

If you've ever had platinum blonde hair (or any dyed blonde hair colour for that matter) you will know how difficult it is to keep it looking great all the time. Here are a few tips that should help with the upkeep;

• Keep it moisturised - This has to be one of the most important pieces of advice when it comes to looking after platinum hair. As it is regularly being bleached, it CRAVES moisture. I personally find I need to use a deep conditioner 2-3 times a week, such as Tresemme Keratin Smooth deep conditioner. This one is particularly good as it replaces the hair protein Keratin, that is lost through dyeing/heat damage.

• Less is more! - Keeping hair moisturised doesn't just mean dowsing it in conditioner; your scalp already produces it's own oils to keep the hair in great condition. To make sure it is doing it's job, try to wash your hair as little as possible, 2 or 3 times a week if possible. Use dry shampoo/talcum powder in between washes to keep it fresh-looking.

• Fix the Colour - Platinum blonde hair is notoriously difficult to keep looking bright, as the colour tends to fade quickly and yellow due to pollution etc. I find there are 2 ways to tackle this; purple shampoo and a monthly toner. Purple tones work so well on platinum hair because they are opposite to yellow on the colour wheel, hence neutralising the brassy tones. I like to use a purple shampoo (such as Touch of Silver) every other time I wash my hair, and a more potent toner (such as Colour Restore, right) once a month - the combination of these keeps your colour looking gorgeous!

• Keep it tidy - Platinum blonde hair damages much quicker than hair that hasn't been bleached, so you must make sure you are regularly having it trimmed to keep it feeling smooth and looking neat and tidy. If you can afford it, I would recommend having it done every month or so.

• Shine! - As dyed blonde hair is so porous, it is very hard to get it looking shiny, so what's the best way to do it? FAKE IT! A good serum will add shine and softness to your platinum hair and give it the 'WOW!' factor. At the moment i'm loving Loreal's Extraordinary Oil (RRP £9.99) - a bit pricey but it is a big bottle so will last for ages.

• Hold the Heat - As I said before, bleached hair is already damaged, and you need to do everything to stop it damaging any further. Try to limit the use of heat appliances (hair dryer, straighteners etc.) to once or twice a week if you can, and MAKE SURE you use some form of heat protection. I find if you wash, dry and straighten your hair well, you shouldn't need to do it again for a few days.

So that's it! Try these tips and let me know how you get on - i'm sure your hair will thank you for it! Even if you don't have platinum hair, these tips are great for keeping any hair colour in good condition - just make sure you use a toner specifically for the colour you have. Have a happy hair day!

Glossybox October 2012 Review

This is actually my second Glossybox (I will review the September one shortly). For anyone who isn’t familiar with Glossybox, it’s a monthly beauty box that gets delivered to your door and contains 4-5 luxury samples – the products change every month and can include body scrubs, lipsticks, moisturisers etc. all from top brands. It costs £10 + £2.95 p+p, so £12.95 a month.

My October box contained the following;

* Anatomicals ‘Don’t just clean it woman, scrub it’ Body Scrub

* Skinetica Anti-blemish Lotion

* Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure

* Yves Rocher Anti Wrinkle Moisturiser

* Dr Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm

Well, I’m rather happy with this box I must say! It is really good value for money, as the moisturiser and the nail varnish are both full size, and worth £25 together! Glossybox have also done well in including a wide range of products (body, make up, skincare), though it would have been nice to see a haircare product in there! 

The body scrub is lovely – it has a refreshing grapefruit smell and small granules which exfoliate and smooth the skin. I’ve only used the Skinetica lotion once so far, it felt very gentle on my skin and does seem to have dried out the spots I’ve got, so hopefully it will clear them in a couple of days! The nail varnish again, is another winner for me. The colour is beautiful and the formula feels very luxurious and glides on the nails. I’m not a great fan of the beauty balm, as it does have a fairly thick texture, which is no good for people with oily skin like myself – it also doesn’t seem to offer any coverage. Last but not least, the Yves Rocher Anti-wrinkle moisturiser; this is the only product I haven’t properly tried yet, but from swatching it on my hand, it feels very light and sinks in quickly, so I’m looking forward to giving this a go. Whilst I don’t have any wrinkles yet, prevention is better than cure!

What do you think of this month’s Glossybox?

WARNING! YOU MAY BE TEMPTED TO BUY!

I must say, I’ve fallen in love with Rimmel nail varnishes over the last few weeks – Barry M used to be my go-to brand, but not any more! Nail varnishes on a whole have been getting very exciting this year, with magnetic, glitter and crackling polishes grabbing the spotlight. One of the newest are the metal-effect varnishes, such as the one below.

During a Boots haul I discovered this little beauty – Rimmel London Metal Rush. The colour instantly caught my eye and I had to have it! The only way I can really describe the shade would be the kind of colour you see when oil hits water on the road – two toned and shimmery. To get an opaque shade, I did find I needed about 4/5 coats – though this wasn’t a problem as Rimmel varnishes have thick brushes and the formula dries quickly. Personally, I LOVE this polish! It has a unique and gorgeous colour, which I think can be worn day or night – it also catches the light beautifully. At around £3, you can’t go wrong with this!

'Tis the Season to be Sparkly!

Trawling through the aisles of Sainsburys, I came across this little beauty - Rimmel I Love Lasting Finish Nail Polish Disco Ball. It cost me about £3.69, though I’ve just seen they are selling it at Superdrug for £2.99! But even for what I paid this nail varnish is a bargain.

Whilst it does take a few coats for full coverage, that really is the only down point. As you can probably see from the bottle, the polish is made up of lilac, blue and silver specks of glitter, which can be used alone or on top of another colour. Also, the fairly neutral colour scheme goes with most colours, which is great. Just like all other Rimmel nail varnish, the brush is thick and perfectly-shaped to coat the nail evenly. Most surprisingly, the product doesn’t chip and stays on REALLY well – perhaps a little too well! If you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful treat on payday, give this a try.

Welcome to Beauty on a Budget! I LOVE all things beauty; products, treatments, the lot. But, I don’t like paying the world for it, and why should I? I’m on a mission to find great buys that are affordable – and all my findings will end up here on my blog! Please enjoy viewing it, and if you have any suggestions for things for me to try, flash sale info or products you want reviewing, just let me know and i’ll try my best to get it done