Monthly Favourites: July

Tis the end of another month which can only mean one thing. It's monthly favourites time and this month I have a lot more non beauty favourites than I do beauty favourites purely because make up has been the last thing on my mind during this horrendous heatwave and skincare I have no new favourites.

I haven't worn a full face of make up in weeks, choosing lighter, skin tint/tinted moisturiser bases instead. But I still wanted the little coverage I was wearing to stay in place. I also wanted something that was going to disguise any redness that warm weather had brought to life. Which is where the Maybelline Master Primer Anti-Redness Primer comes into play. This primer has worked wonders for my skin everytime I've used it, it's disguised redness, blurred my pores and gave my skin a perfected look without that horrid green cast that many colour correcting primers do. And make up actually does last longer with this on, something I happily discovered as I rushed sweatily to dinner with a friend the other night. I've been enjoying this that much I haven't even reached for my trusty SuperStay Primer from Maybelline and we all know how attached to that product I am.

The only other beauty product I've been loving this month is a setting spray from I Heart Revolution. I credit a lot of my 'make up' staying on my face to this as well as the Maybelline Primer. There are various scents in this range but I have the Guava and Rose scent which seems to calm and hydrate my skin, making my make up look natural yet still flawless or as flawless as it can be in thirty degree heat. It's lightweight but powerful and has stopped me looking like an oil slick whenever I've wanted to look nice instead of my bare faced teenage self again.

I have a new TV addiction and it's all Shemar Moore's fault. His latest show S.W.A.T just premiered here in the UK and I was hooked with the first five minutes of the first episode. That hooked that between work, sleep and baking, I binge watched the entire first season in a week. And I may or may not be indulging in a rewatch as I wait for Season Two to arrive in September. Centered around the LA Metro SWAT, the show focuses on the work of Sergeant Daniel 'Hondo' Harrelson and his team of extremely badass colleagues. Each episode is packed full of drama, action, humour and realistic issues that the world is facing each and every day. It's easy enough to get lost and binge a good three or four episodes at a time without realising you're doing it.

 I don't even think I need to explain why I loved this next favourite so much but I'm going to any way. Mamma Mia Here We Go Again is the amazing sequel to the ABBA fest that was Mamma Mia. I can't even put into words how much I loved this film and how uplifting and feel good it was. The soundtrack was phenomenal (I've had it on repeat all week) as well as the cast, who brought back all the memories of the original Mamma Mia but with the added additon the younger versions of the original cast. Lily James smashed it as young Donna whilst Amanda Seyfried gave me all the feels as present day Sophie. Too some people it's camp and over the top but it's a good way of relaxing for two hours with amazing music, scenery and several heartfelt moments that'll have you reaching for the tissues. And it has Cher in it, what more could you want from a film.

Apart from the Mamma Mia soundtrack there has only been one other album I've loved this month. And that comes from Canada's greatest export, Shawn Mendes. His new self titled album can be described in no other words than amazing. In My Blood, Nervous, Lost In Japan and Particular Taste are my most played songs but really there isn't a bad song on the album and coming from someone who's fussy as anything about albums like I am it's saying something. It's been my baking playlist, my blogging playlist and my relaxing playlist since I downloaded and apart from my next favourite, I haven't listened to much else.

My penultimate favourite is a musician who can do no wrong in my eyes. Her voice is sensational, her music is incredible and I can remember every word to every song better than I can remember any other song lyric in exsitence. Carrie Underwood is the queen of country music, her albums the only other music I've been listening to after Shawn Mendes this month and I'm counting down until her new album is released in September. Songs like Choctow County Affair, Church Bells, Undo It, The Champion, Cry Pretty and Cowboy Casanova are some of my favourite songs but again she is an artist that doesn't produce bad music and if Cry Pretty is anything to go by, her new album titled Cry Pretty which is released in September will be another sensational album from my musical idol.

And for my last favourite I'll have to ask you to ignore the awkward pose and the dirty mirror and focus your attention on the jeans. Never did I think there would be a day where I would prefer wearing a loose fit blue jean over my standard go to black skinny jeans. These little beauts are from Marks and Spencers and are the best money I've ever spent. They're a mid rise, relaxed fit, slim leg jean that have the most flattering turn up on my 5'3 frame. They cost a little more than I'd usually like to pay for my jeans but they are so comfy and give such a nice relaxed look to any outfit whilst keeping me cooler than skinny jeans would in the hot weather.

Review: Loreal Bonjour Nudista Skin Tint

I always like to go for a lighter base when the weather warms up, yes I know that's an understatment for the UK right now. But I do, I put away my medium/full coverage foundations and reach more for my tinted moisturisers, BB creams and skin tints. So when Loreal released a new skin tint, I just had to give it a go.

 The Bonjour Nudista Skin Tint from Loreal is a skincare/make up hybrid product. It looks like a foundation but is actually more of a tinted moisturiser. It's got very minimal/natural coverage that lets skin look and feel like skin. It's lightweight formula is extremely lightweight, breathable and just gives skin a healthy lit from within radiance. It's packed full of nourishing ingredients such as apricot, coconut and shea so it nourishes skin as you wear it. It comes in four shades which isn't necessarily the best selection but because it's such a light coverage it's quite adaptable and works with a multitude of skintones. But it's not to be confused with the Loreal Nude Magique BB Cream. The Nude Magique is grey in colour and adapts to match skin's natural colour when applied whereas the Bonjour Nudista is coloured like a normal foundations and blends out like a foundation would without adapting, oxidising or changing colour as you apply/blend out.

I'm in two minds about this product. On one hand I love the concept of this product but on the other hand I've really struggled to get along with it. I like the idea of having a barely there base, especially in this heatwave but with this skin tint, barely there coverage would almost be like hyping it up too much. I apply this with my hands and for the most parts after I've applied and blended it in, it just looks likes I've rubbed clean hands over my face. And the areas where it does show, it doesn't show in the good way. It's streaky and takes a while to blend in and even then looks uneven and requires more concealer than what I'd be looking to apply in a minimal make up look. I think if you have skin that didn't have a ton of imperfections then this would probably be a natural skin tint but for someone like me who has dark circles and redness, I think you're best going with a light coverage foundation that still allows skin to breath but is more likely to cover what you want covered without being too heavy or pore clogging.

Empties: July

It's come round to that time where I share my trash with you. Now I know a lot of you probably don't want to see what I've used up or care if I'll repurchase. But I do know a lot of you are just as nosy as I am and love seeing what beauty products people have used up.

Let's kick things off with under eye patches. And as you can see I used a lot of them. I love a good under eye patch for depuffing, hydrating, smoothing and reducing the appearence of my dark circles. And yes that is multiples of each set that I have used. My most used are the Primark Sunflower Under Eye Patches and the Soap and Glory Puffy Eye Attack Under Eye Gels. They're inexpensive and work well for me so I don't mind going through several packs (see five) reguarly. Patches such as the Rodial Dragon's Blood Under Eye Patches and the Skyn Iceland Eye Firming Gels are a little more pricey so I limit myself to how many I use. That being said I still managed to get through several packs of each because they are my absolute favourites even if they do make me wince when I repurchase them.

Another thing I clearly use in large quantities is sheet masks, so let's get them out of the way next. I'll start with another ode of love to the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Masks. My favourite is the Lavender De-Tiring Masks but I am partial to the others in the range if I feel my skin needs it. And I also recently tried out the new Ultralift Tissue Mask. It was okay, I wasn't bowled away by it but it wasn't terrible by any means. I think I will be sticking to my Moisture Bomb Masks in the future though.

Three other sheet masks I used up were the Simple Water Boost Hydrating Tissue Mask, the PS Hydro Gel Mask and the Nip and Fab Glycolic Fix Extreme Bubble Mask. I used up a couple of the Simple masks on the days when my skin needed hydrating but not a deep burst of hydration like you get from the Moisture Bomb masks. The PS Hydrogel Mask was okay but it didn't work wonders or blow me away. For it's price point, it's good option but I'd personally pay the extra for the likes of the Garnier or the Simple. And finally the Nip and Fab is forever a favourite but because it's slightly pricier than the others I limit myself to one every now and again. This has to be one of the most fun masks I've ever used. It makes you sound like a bowl of rice kripsies whilst you look the abominable snowman. Now if that isn't reason to use this mask, I don't know what is.

And finally on the sheet mask front I used up a couple from Soap And Glory. The Pore Refining Mask and the Miracle Moisture Mask have to be my favourites from my range. They both adhere nicely to the skin, don't drip or slide about and leave behind visible results that last longer than the half an hour other masks results last. I particuarly like the Pore Refining Mask for when my skin is more hormonal and always make sure to keep a stock of them ready for Mother Nature's visit.

Whilst we're on the subject of masks, I used up two samples of wash off face masks and was highly impressed by both. The first was the Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Mask and the second was the Origins Clear Improvement Mask. Both worked wonders for deep cleansing and purifying my skin, making sure no shit was left lingering in my pores. Sure I got a couple of breakouts afterwards but I never mind because my skin always looks so clear once they've gone. They're not the cheapest deep cleansing charcoal based face mask on the market but I'd happily buy both in full size, seeing how well they worked for my skin.

It wouldn't be an empties post if I didn't have at least one bottle of my Clean And Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion in there. You all know the drill with this by now. It's my morning cleanser, has been for the last twelve years, never breaks me out or dries out my skin and really works to wake my skin up in the morning. Again countless bottles will feature in the future as until they release a product as good as this, I'll only exclusively reach for this in the mornings.

I finally finished a bottle of my Nip and Fab 6% Glycolic Fix Extreme Liquid Glow. This is my holy grail evening toner. It's 6% glycolic acid formula works to really deep clean and retexturise skin, revealing skin's glow as well as promoting heathly cell turnover. I thought I'd go through this bottle quickly but a little really goes a long way, something I'm happy about with it's near on twenty quid price tag. However I'd happily pay that and more for the way it's changed how my skin both looks and feels.

Talking of Nip and Fab, I finished two sets of their pre soaked pads. The first set I finished was the Dragon's Blood Fix Cleansing Pads and the second was the Glycolic Fix Pre Soaked Pads. To be honest I've gone off these pads since the 6% was released so I ended up using them daily just to finish them and get them out of my collection. There is nothing wrong with these pads but they just don't work with my skin anymore. I think it's become used to higher concentrations of AHA's so these were barely doing anything. However if you don't think your skin could handle a high percentage of AHA then I recommend checking them. I won't be buying them again though.

I finished not one but three different facial spritzes. The first was another bottle of my Botanics Refreshing Facial Spritz with Rosewater. I've gone through multiple bottles of this, it's one of my favourites and I'm sure you'll see more bottles in the future. The second is the B Hyaluronic Facial Spritz. Again you've seen this in empties posts before and will probably see more in the future. It's light, it's hydrating and can easily be used over make up, a brilliant factor during this heatwave the UK is enduring. And the last is the B Vitamin Facial Spritz. This is a great dupe for the Pixi Vitamin Mist, works wonders to refresh and rehydrate skin as well as working over make up to give skin that lit from within glow. I love it that much I've almost finished my second bottle already.

Two serums I finished won't come as a surprise to any of you. The first is the Loreal Hydra Genius Aloe Water. I've gone through countless bottles of this and still haven't grown bored of it. It's like a splash of water on the skin that lasts all day long and doesn't let skin loose it's plump, hydrated look. And the second is the Simply Pure Hydrating Night Serum. Again I've gone through a few of these now but it just does exactly what I want it to and I would be silly to use a different product that doesn't give the same results.

I finished another pot of my Garnier Moisture Bomb Glow Enhancer Cream. This again has been featured before, I'm halfway through another pot and I'll continue to feature it in empties in the future. It's my go to, everyday day cream, it's really light and hydrating and works perfectly under SPF or make up.

Again another product you've seen repeatedly is the Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream. I adore this stuff. It's bouncy/bounce back gel like formula really works over night to reduce any appearence of fatigue and leaves skin looking hydrated and refreshed, whilst soft and smooth to the touch.

I finished another pot of my Olay Total Effect Eye Cream. I don't usually stick to an eye cream for long and I'm starting to think that maybe it's time to try a new one. It doesn't seem to do as much for my under eye area as it used to. If any of you have recommendations for a good eye cream, leave them in the comments, I really don't know what other ones I can try.

SPF is a big part of my skincare routine but whilst it's been extra hot over here in the UK, I've been extra diligent about it. So I've gone through another Hawaiian Tropic Air Soft Face SPF30 and am already halfway through another. This is lightweight enough to be layered under make up but doesn't clog pores or weigh skin down. It's oil free and fragrance free making it suitable for all skin types.

I am a strong believer of not using wipes on your face but I do manage to go through quite a lot of wipes and my favourite are the Garnier Micellar Oil Infushed Wipes. These are my go to's for when I need to remove any lipstick of any kind, especially the long lasting liquid lipsticks that other wipes don't touch. These don't break me out, don't leave a horrible oily residue around my mouth and are the only wipes I trust for removing lipstick or lip swatches.

I have a few make up empties this time around including empties of my two go to everyday primers. I'm not going to go into too much detail as you've seen them featured before. The Barry M Hydro Fix Primer Water and the Maybelline SuperStay Primer are the best primer duo I've ever used and I've gone through countless bottles of both. Usually there are more of each but due to the heatwave I've been wearing make up less often, so I haven't gone through as many.

I finished two base products since my last empties, the first being the Rosie For Autograph Sheer Finish Complexion Enhancer and the second the Make Up Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer. The Rosie For Autograph is my go to light coverage, barely there base product on those days when I want a little something but not a full medium coverage foundation. It's a stunning base that really lets skin look like skin whilst giving it a healthy lit from within glow. The Conceal And Define however is a lot more coverage and feels heavier on the skin. It's perfect for covering blemishes and brightening the under eye area, however I would only advise wearing it when your wearing a heavier coverage foundation as it takes away from the no make up, make up look that lighter bases give.

I've actually finished a mascara. That is unheard of from me. The Maybelline Total Temptation Mascara has been one of my go to mascaras since it's release earlier this year. It's natural bristle brush and coconut oil enriched formula have really worked to give my lashes volume, length and definition whilst leaving them conditioned and stronger. I've already got another tube of this open and I can gurantee you'll be seeing more of these in empties in the future.

I was lucky to recieve a sample pack of the Body Shop's newly release Body Yoghurts. I've used two of the three and I absolutely love them. They're lightweight yet ultra hydrating, they sink into skin immediately and smell absolutely divine. Out of the two I'd probably buy the British Rose in full size but I'd also love to try the Coconut Body Yoghurt if they ever have it in stock.

And last but not least I finished two bottles of perfume. Again this is unheard of for me as I have tons of bottles of perfume and never stay loyal to one but somehow I've managed to finish two. The first is the Christina Aguilera By Night scent. I used to wear this years ago and found a little bit left in a bottle tucked in dark corner of my wardrobe. It still smelt okay so I just kept wearing it whenever I went to work. It's musky but feminine and has a slightly sexy edge to it that boosts my self confidence whenever I wear it. The second is an all time favourite of mine and I've gone through many a bottle. The Rosie For Autograph Nuit is again that musky, deeper scent that is suited more for the evening wear but boosts my self confidence whenever I wear it. I love it that much I'm already halfway through my next bottle.

Recipe: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

When it comes to baking, I always find myself researching loaf cakes, big cakes and cupcakes over anything else. And they’re the things I tend to bake and share the most. And recently when I was looking back old recipes I posted, I rediscovered my Galaxy Choc Chip Cookies. I remember how good these were, how well they went down as a post and that I had the perfect ingredient for tweaking this recipe and making a brand new cookie recipe. So today I’m sharing with you my recipe for Double Chocolate Cookies that are easy to make and absolutely delicious. 

Ingredients 

150g Salted Butter, softened 

80g Light Brown Muscavdo Sugar 

80g Granulated Sugar 

2Tsp Vanilla Extract 

25g Cocoa Powder 

225g Plain Flour 

1/2 Tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda 

1/4 Tsp Salt 

150g Hershey’s White Chocolate Chips 

Method 

1- Pre heat your oven to 180c. I sometimes do mine at 200c to warm it up as my oven takes a while to warm up and then turn it back down to 180c just before I start creating the balls of dough. 

2- Line several baking trays with greaseproof paper or baking parchment. I always do three trays as I never know what size they’re going to turn out and I like to be prepared. 

3-In your stand mixer place the softened salted butter, granulated and muscavdo sugar and beat until creamy and smooth. You can use a electric hand mixer but I just find a stand mixer a lot easier. 

4- Add the vanilla extract and egg and then beat again. I always take advantage of this step to really scrape around the bowl and make sure everything is incorporated. 

5- Then sieve the salt, bicarbonate of soda, plain flour and cocoa powder into the mixture. I cheat slightly and use/buy a flour that is already sieved so I don’t have to worry about having a flour explosion as I try and sieve it in to my stand mixture. 

6- Beat briefly until everything is combined and you have the makings of cookie dough in your bowl. 

7- Then it’s time to add the chocolate chips. I had the Hershey’s White Chocolate Chips that I wanted to use but you can use any white chocolate chips you have to hand. You can easily use your stand mixer to mix them in but I much prefer taking the bowl off the stand and mixing them in by hand with a silicone spatula. I find it distributes them more evenly through the mixture and ensures everything is combined and ready to bake. 

8- Now comes the messy bit. With your hands create small balls of dough/mixture and place them on the prepared tray, leaving enough room between each cookie so they can spread out. I managed to get five on each tray but if you made smaller balls than I did then you’d probably get more on each tray. 

9- Bake in the oven for 8-12mins or until the edges are firm and the centres are still a little wobbly. 

10- Once out of the oven leave them to rest on the tray for a few minutes. It just allows the centres to firm up and less likely to stick or fall apart when you transfer them to a cooling rack. 

11- When they’ve firmed up transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely or enjoy whilst they’re still warm. 

Review: Maybelline Master Prime Anti-Redness Primer

 

For the longest time I've religiously used the Maybelline SuperStay Primer whenever I've done my make up. It's an amazing primer and really helps with the longevity of my make up but it doesn't do a lot in terms of disguising or blurring my redness, something I can have a lot of. And normally I don't go for those green, redness minimising primers because they never seem to work but today's talking point has impressed me more than I thought it could.

The Maybelline Master Prime Anti-Redness Primer is part of Maybelline's recently release Master Prime range and is one of three primers in total. It's a very lightweight primer that contains green neutralizing pigments that blur and diminish the appearence of any redness your skin may have. It doesn't leave skin feeling greasy or looking like an oil slick, having an almost silicone like texture to it that reminds me of both their original Baby Skin Primer and Benefit's Porefessional.

To say I'm impressed is a bit of an understatment. I never usually trust green neutralising primers as they never actually cover or minimise the appearence of my redness but leave a horrible green cast over my skin that causes any base product applied over top to break down and move on my skin. This primer though actually works and doesn't leave me looking like The Mask afterwards. A little goes a long way and instead of looking like Shrek, my skin looks perfected, my redness blurred and neutralised whilst my skin feels soft but still tacky/adherent enough to keep any base products applied over top in place. Sure a little redness showed through by the end of the day but that's to be expected when you don't do well in the heat and are currently in a thirty degree heatwave that doesn't look to be leaving any time soon.

I was worried this was going to make my skin look and feel greasy but instead it left it feeling smooth and looking blurred/perfected. Another worry I had was the slight silicone texture you feel when applying it but my make up stayed in place all day long even though I wore it for a good seven hours. If you suffer from a lot of oil in general or from the heat; I recommend giving this a go, it keeps everything locked in place without the need for excess amounts of powder which will more likely cause your skin to product even more oil. As I said earlier in the post, this is one of three in the range and if you're not looking for a redness neutraliser then I'd highly recommend checking out the Pore Minimising Primer or the Anti-Dullness Primer. If they're as good as this one, you may have just found yourself a new holy grail product that cost less than a tenner.

Review: Garnier Ultralift Tissue Mask

 

If you've been around for a while you'll know I'm obsessed with the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Masks. So when I saw they were releasing a new tissue mask to conincide with their Ultralift range, I knew I had to try it.

The Ultralift Tissue Mask is advertised as a Anti-Ageing Tissue Mask that helps skin appear firmer, smoother and more radiant after one use. It contains a mix of hylauronic acid and grape seed extract, both ingredients that are known for working in tandem to give skin a plump hydrated look that will last longer than standard moisturiser without weighing the skin down. It's primarily aimed at those whose main skin concern is ageing and the first signs of ageing (dull skin and lack of firmness) but can be used by any skin type, including those with sensitive skin. 

This mask did not impress me one bit. Sure it was hydrating and left my skin feeiling moisturised and plump to the touch but beyond that there were no other visible results, not even a slightest hint at my skin looking firmer or smoother. As I said it did looked radiant, felt hydrated and quite plump to the touch but those results are nothing new and can easily be accquired by using one of the original Moisture Bomb Tissue masks. Now this was just after one use but I don't see/can't imagine how using one of these once a week would work in the longterm for your skin. Sure you'd get the short term effect of having hydrated, radiant skin but by that evening or even the next day the effects will have worn off and you'll be back to using your normal routine of products that probably work better with your skin in the long run than this mask. I can only picture it working long term if you religiously used the other products in the Ultralift range alongside this mask.

What's In My Bag

I'm a bit of a nosey parker and I love seeing what people are carrying around in their handbags. I'm always amazed at how much a woman can fit into her handbag no matter how big or small it is. So today I thought I'd share with you the things I've been carrying around lately in my absolute favourite backpack of all time.

This backpack is from Primark, gives me tons of Gucci vibes and only cost a tenner. It's a relatively small backpack but what I'm carry around when I'm out and about, it's perfect. I do use a bigger backpack for work but that's only so I can carry around enough water to get me through the day. And on a quick side note I am missing several things such as my lip product of the day, it's coordinating lip liner and compact mirror but the UK is currently enduring a horrendous heatwave and there is no way you'll catch me wearing much if any make up at the moment.

 The most important thing I carry around in my backpack, or any bag in fact is my purse. And it takes up most of the space in my bag. It comes from Acessorize a few years ago and I'll ask you to excuse the scuffs and tinges of red marker from work. It holds everything I want and more, meaning receipts and store cards. I usually prefer a zip around purse but the oversized flap on this that covers everything has never failed me and I've never lost anything unintentionally. I am though on the lookout for another purse, a mustard coloured one to be precise but I think I'm going to have to wait until Autumn until I'll be able to find anything like that.

The second most important thing I am carrying around in my bag, especially at the moment is a pack of pocket tissues. I suffer from hayfever and it always seems to be at it's worst when I don't have a pocket pack of tissues on me. So I've started carrying them around with me so that when I do have a random attack of sneezes, I'm prepared. These are just some Superdrug own brand tissues that I picked up whilst shopping and whilst they're nothing special, they do the job.

Another crucial thing I carry around in my bag at all times is a pack of paracetamol. I used to and still occasionally do suffer from migraines so having some painkillers on me at all times is essential. I find that these Panadol Actifast are the only painkillers that actually work as quickly as they state to. I had a headache last week due to the heat, I took two of them, downed half a can of coca cola and within half an hour it was gone and I was back to my normal, albeit sweaty self.

And the last thing I always have in my bag if not on my face is a pair of sunglasses. It's Summer and as I said the UK is going through a heatwave so having something to protect my eyes when I'm out and about is a must. Sure these probably don't have the best protection but they work well for me and I find myself squinting a lot less when I've got them on. This particular pair is from Primark and are giving me designer vibes but I can not for the life of me remember which particular designer it was. I also meant to feature my keys in this post but forgot that I'd taken them out until I imported the pictures and it's way to late at night as I write this to get a decent picture of all the key rings I have keeping my measly three keys company.

Review: B Camomile Facial Spritz

 

I love a good facial mist and for the longest time I used the Liz Earle Instant Skin Booster Tonic religiously. It seemed to be the only soothing facial mist that wasn't overly fragranced and agreed with my skin. However I've barely reached for it since I started using the latest arrival in my collection.

B have recently released a third facial mist into their skincare range. They started with the Hyaluronic Acid Facial Spritz then added the Vitamin Facial Spritz earlier this year before releasing their take on a soothing mist last month. Their Camomile Facial Spritz is packed with Camomile, Rose and Plum extracts as well as Allatonin and Glycerin to create a soothing combination that's going to look after your skin and get you ready for the day. It's suitable for all skin types but is aimed mainly at those with more sensitive/reactive skin. It does have a slight scent to it so if your skin reacts badly to even the tiniest amount of scent in a product then this may not be for you and I'd recommend trying the Hyaluronic Acid Facial Spritz instead.

It can be worn alone under skincare or used as a refresher over top of make up. And I know you may be thinking that it'll ruin your make up but it won't. It doesn't drench skin when applied unless you go overboard with it and the mist is so fine that if you did apply it over top, there's no way that it's going to disrupt and ruin your look. All it'll do is soothe skin and refresh the look of your make up, meaning you can carry on with the rest of your day knowing your make up still looks as flawless as when you first applied it.

I absolutely adore this facial mist. I was worried because the last time I tried a Camomile Facial Mist I broke out terribly and since then I'd stuck religiously to my Liz Earle mist when my skin was in need of soothing. However my skin absolutely adores this stuff and it's helped massively to calm down my redness as well as leaving my skin feeling refreshed and hydrated. This does have a slight scent to it, fragrance being something that usually breaks my skin out, but with this I haven't had any issues apart from a couple of hormonal break outs on my chin. It's perfect for the heatwave the UK is experiencing right now and really works to cool my skin down as well as soothe and reduce the ever present redness the heat has caused.

Coming in at £7.99 a bottle, this is a brilliant budget friendly dupe for the Liz Earle Instant Skin Tonic Booster. It's also a great way to dip your toe into facial mists or even add a mist into your routine without breaking the bank. And the best bit, it can always be found on a half price offer or buy one get one free deal in Superdrug.

July Goals

                           

Hello July! How on earth is it July already? Last month I let myself fall into a few bad habits and spent more time procrastinating than work to bring you all the best content I could possibly bring you. However this month I'm going to focus on getting back into a routine and good habits which when put together will allow me to enjoy life whilst still working hard to post good content throughout the whole of July. 

One of my major goals this month is to post every single post I've got planned for here. Last month I let myself down and missed two of my planned posts for no other reason than I spent too much time procrastinating and then couldn't be bothered when I actually looked at the post. However this month I'm going to push myself to post every single post I've got planned. I know like it sounds I'm being too hard on myself but I've got some good posts plans and a few products I really want to talk about and I know if I miss a post in July I'll never get round to posting it. 

My other major goal this month is to get back into reading. I let it slip last month because I couldn't be bothered a lot of the time but also because I couldn't find any books that really caught my attention. It's all going to change this month though as I've found around eight books that I'm dying to read and because of that I'm going to make more of getting off of social media during the evening and picking up a book instead. 

Another smaller goal I'm going to try and work on this month is getting recipes planned for the rest of the year. Usually I struggle to think up two different yet easy to make and delicious to boot recipes to make each month. However I'm really making an effort to try and plan out my recipes in advance, especially my recipes for Halloween and Christmas. And yes I am think of Autumn/Winter already, my body wasn't designed to handle the heatwave we've got at the moment. I've got some really good ideas written down and I want to get them planned out and trialed in advance so that I don't panic bake closer to the time and run the risk of messing the recipe up.

And my last goal for the month is to look after myself a bit more. I've let my skincare routine slip, I've stopped going to bed at a reasonable time and I have a tendency to wake up in the early hours of the morning for a snack, even though I'm not hungry and don't need to eat. And all of these are making me lose self confidence and are showing in my behaviour and in my skin. So starting today (the 1st) I'm aiming to get my skin in a good place, to sleep more and stop scrolling as much and actually staying asleep instead of waking two or three times in the night for absolutely no reason for a snack. I don't know how long it'll last but I know I'll be making a more conscious effort to look after myself and get my self confidence back. 

So that's July for me. What about you? What are your goals for July? I'd love to hear them all.