Monday 5 November 2012

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?

Friday 2 November 2012

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!

Thursday 1 November 2012

'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?