The Body Shop Seaweed Oil Balancing Clay Mask

Anyone that knows me knows I have a soft spot for The Body Shop, I think you could call it a mild obsession. The worst thing I ever did was sign up to their mailing list, now any time they have special offers I get emails and I feel the need to buy everything in sight!

Today I'm going to review their Seaweed Oil Balancing Clay Mask. This is a must have for people with oily or combination skin. I have a really oily T-Zone esp coming into the summer. I definitely have noticed a change in my skin since I have started using it, my T-Zone isn't as greasy as it has been and my makeup isn't as shiny in that area.

The first time I used it I put it on when my face was dry and found it quite hard to apply so the next time I used it I wet my face before hand and it was so much easier to apply. You leave it on 10-15 mins then take it it off with a damp face cloth or wet facial sponges. As it has dried in you need you dampen it down before trying to rub it off, it makes life a whole lot easier.

This retails at £14 but there is currently 30% off everything if you use the code 19807. Also there is a free gift if you spend over £10. If your anything like me you will stock up on everything when there's the offer on!!

Macklemore concert

So on Thursday evening I went to see Macklemore & Ryan Lewis in the SSE arena. He was amazing and certainly knows how to put in a show! I'm such a concert junkie, all my friends know that I like to go to a concert or two so they were surprised to find out this was my first of 2016.

This was my third time seeing Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, 1st time being at BBC Radio 1s Big Weekend in Derry a few years ago then at Marley Park in Dublin two years ago. Although it was a rushing session between all of us getting ready after work and then rallying up the road to Belfast. When we first went in we felt like dinosaurs the crowd were so young but the oldies soon came along and we didn't feel just as bad then.

I definitely think he's suited more to outdoors, inside just gets far too warm with everyone bouncing about like eejits to his songs.

He played songs from his three albums and opened with Light Tunnels, his first song off his new album. He was on such a high because his daughter Sloane took her first steps in Belfast. In between songs he was good fun between throwing cookies into the crowd and getting a fella up on stage for a dance off, the atmosphere in the arena was unreal!

I love Macklemore and would definitely recommend going to see him, and I know for sure I will be going to see him again when he's over next.

Making a comeback!

So ashamed of letting my little blog go astray these past few months! I have been meaning to get back into it but with the new year brought a new job and life has been pretty hectic ever since!

So I've made a very late new years resolution to get my bum back into blogging. Expect to see loads of reviews, monthly favourites and posts about my general where abouts. Feel free to give me a wee nudge if I start to slack again.

Clarisonic Facial Brush

A little bit later than planned but here is my review for the Clarisonic Aria.

I had been looking at facial brushes for a while and always kept going back to the Clarisonic and looking at it! After reading how good the reviews were about it I finally decided to purchase one. At £155 it is quite a steep price so I took myself off to eBay and found a brand new one for £70, complete bargain! In the package you get a sample of their refreshing gel cleanser, it was amazing and you only need a tiny amount so the sample lasted a whole month! After it ran out I just use The Body Shop's Seaweed Purifying Cleanser and it works just as well.

I have quite oily skin in my t-zone and this brush had made the world of difference to my face, my skin feels so much better for it. Before I got my Clarisonic I was using the garnier micellar water every night to take of my makeup and my skin felt clean. Now that I have the Clarisonic I use the micellar water before using the brush to take off my makeup and you honestly want to see the brush after I use it, it's like I haven't took my makeup off at all. Imagine the buildup of all that makeup residue in my pores?!

Even though it is is dear I whole heartedly recommend this brush to EVERYONE, if mine broke in the morning I would repurchase it again! My skin feels so much softer and looks a lot clearer since I have been using it. If I don't use it for a few days my skin knows it and it is so greasy!

This is the dirt left on my brush after I had took my makeup off  with the micellar water before cleansing my skin with the Clarisonic. Look how much makeup residue has been left behind!

November Favourites

I can't believe it's December already! Not only has the past month flown by but this year is nearly over in the blink of an eye! With the end of the month brings a monthly favourites post.

I couldn't wait to finish my Soap & Glory moisturiser to get using this. The first day I used it I fell in love with it, my body feels moisturised all day and I smell like a walking mojito! You need to rub a bit of it in your hands first before applying it to your body as this makes it go on more evenly. After applying it mum has asked me what I had put on as I smelt nice which is always a good compliment to hear. This body butter costs £14 for 200ml but keep an eye out as The Body Shop always has offers on.

I got this in a Latest In Beauty beauty box and I would definitely repurchase it separately. It contains Shea butter, seaweed extracts and macadamia nut oil to moisturise and soften your hands and it also contains myrrh to help condition nails and cuticles which is an added bonus. With the winter months and colder weather approaching my hands are so dry at the minute so when I seen this was in the beauty box I was delighted. As soon as I put it on my hands feel instantly nourished and it doesn't leave an oily residue which I hate with hand moisturisers. It is quite dear at £15 for 100g but it definitely an amazing hand cream.

No words can describe how excited I was when I seen this was coming out! I got it when I was in Belfast and it has been my go to palette since! With a mixture of matte, metallic and shimmer colours there is something for everyone!  Dirty Sweet and Smolder are my two favourite colours in the palette, Dirty Sweet is medium bronze and Smolder is a deep plum - taupe. This palette is £38 and is definitely worth investing in.

After my favourite foundation got discontinued I tried a few different foundations and was never fully happy with them until I found this little wonder! Dream Satin Liquid from Maybelline is not too greasy or too drying on the skin which is great for my combination skin. I got it in the shade fawn which is a lovely colour but I think I could have got away with a lighter shade. It is £7.99 in boots and usually is on offer at 3 for 2.

I have saved the best to last. The Clarisonic Aria is a miracle worker! I will be writing up a full review of it at the end of this week as I have been using it for a month now and I can give an honest review of it. I honestly wouldn't be without this and would repurchase it if it broke tomorrow. It is quite expensive at £150 but I shopped around and found one on eBay for £75 which was a great bargain and it's definitely worth the hefty price tag.

This month I am absolutely loving this show. Is is about lawyer Patty Hewes who in each series takes on a major case. She hires recent law school graduate Ellen Parsons and it's so interesting to see the relationship between the pair of them as it's so complex. It finished in 2012  and with 5 series it will keep me occupied for a while. I would definitely recommend watching it, there's so many twists and turns in it you never knownwhat is going to happen next.

I'm totally loving that Adele is back, and her new stuff is so good. Anyone who hasn't listened to her new album yet get on the ball and do it. Graham Norton did a special TV programme with her a few weeks back and it was so good. She really is just a down to earth girl who just happens to have an amazing voice.

Throwback Thursday

It's time for the second installment in my mini series. This week it's 1995 to 1999

Some really good music out in this 5 year period.
Gangstas Paradise by Coolio
Wannabe by The Spice Girls
Barbie Girl by Aqua
C'est La Vie by B*Witched
Praise You by Fatboy Slim

Such a cheesy pop era but I loved it! No one can say they listen to C'est La Vie and don't say the "I fight like me da" line! Every girl loved The Spice Girls and wanted to be them, it was the first girl band and everyone had their favourite spice girl.

Next up is films
Toy Story
Jerry Maguire
Austin Powers
Something About Mary
Fight Club

Can't believe these films are as old as they are, Toy Story only seems a few years old! Fight Club is such an amazing film, every time I watch it I see something new that I've missed previously. This started me with an obsession of Chuck Palahniuk, I seriously recommend you read some of his books! One line that can't be forgotten from Jerry Maguire " Show Me The Money!" Such a classic film, even watching the trailer makes me love it!

Now it's time for TV programmes, so many good shows!
Father Ted
Ballykissangel
Ally McBeal
Sex & The City
Bad Girls

Also who can forget Saturday mornings waking up early just to watch Live & Kicking and SM:TV?! Father Ted is such a great show, I still watch all the episodes now and laugh as hard as I did the first time I watched it! Also Ally McBeal and Sex & The City, two cult classics that I can still watch today and love them just as much!

Ah I totally forgot about this clip, I now want to go and watch this from the very start!

So there you have it for another throwback to the 90s, I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I have writing it. Leave me a comment to tell me about your favourites from back in the day.

Throwback Thursday

Who says throwback Thursday has to be for Instagram or Facebook I want to bring it to my blog! For the next four weeks I'm going to be doing a throwback to the nineties and noughties taking it in four installments. This week I'm starting with 1990 - 1994!

First up let's talk about music, if you aren't dancing around your room singing into a hair brush by the end of this you need to re-evaluate your life!

Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice
It's In His Kiss by Cher
Rhythm Is A Dancer by Snap!
I'd Do Anything For Love by Meat Loaf
Saturday Night by Whigfield

Even trying to pick five songs for this was hard, so many tunes that I haven't heard in forever. I was totes singing away writing this!

I love 90s films so much so that I still watch them if they come on TV now. When I was looking through all the different films I can't believe they've been out that long, it feels like only yesterday I was watching the genie work his magic in Aladdin!

Home Alone
My Girl
Sister Act
Mrs Doubtfire
Forrest Gump

I HAD to put this trailer up, watching it makes me miss Robin Williams so much.

TV programmes is next, some of them I had forgot about!
Crystal Maze
Clarissa Explains in All
Gladiators
Saved By The Bell
Friends

Ah I loved watching Saved By The Bell on a Saturday morning. Getting up early and watching Live and Kicking is what it was all about! And Crystal Maze, everyone wanted to be on that gameshow, my favourite bit being at the end where they had to grab all the money blowing around them!

 

I hope you all enjoyed my throwback this week, I certainly enjoyed writing it. It makes me feel so old that all these things that I thought were from only a few years back are actually over 20 years old! I'd love to hear all your memories from then and let me know what you thought of the throwback post.