Soap & Glory Puffy Eye Attack Turbo-Boost Hydragel

Hi everyone! I'm back with a skincare review today because what can I say, I'm a skincare buying addict!  I am always on the look out for miracle creams to reduce my puffy eyes and to give me that 'I've just had 8 hours of blissful beauty sleep' look that I can't achieve myself because I'm officially the world's worst sleeper. I picked up this Soap and Glory Puffy Eye Attack Turbo-Boost Hydragel on a whim after reading so many positive reviews on Boots' website. The last part of the product's name makes me smile a bit because it sounds like something for a car!

I am a sucker for pretty packaging and Soap and Glory never let me down. I love the pink vintage-esque box yet the product packaging itself is clean and simple which I think gives it that high-end feel.

So, what does this eye cream claim? As well as mentioning lots of fancy sounding scientific words that are way over my head, it claims:
"to tackle dark circles and puff, firms tones & rehydrates, boosts collagen production and helps kick-start stagnant undereye circulation"

I blame my poor quality camera for the before and after photos - but I PROMISE I will be buying a new camera soon! I keep saying this but now I'm home for good and university is finished I will definitely get round to it.

If you look closely you can see that my eyes are definitely less puffy and slightly less dark, particularly on the outer corner of my eye on the left hand side of the photo. I would say I would probably repurchase this again, but I wouldn't say it was an absolute under eye saviour. My dark circles don't disappear at all, but the puffiness is definitely improved.

Overall, I would say that the cooling and hydrating effects and how it makes me feel more wide awake outweigh the improvements in actual appearance.The gel is so cooling and my skin feels hydrated and refreshed and I feel as though I have had the best night's sleep ever. My eyes were often dry, irritable and itchy before I discovered this cream but now they feel hydrated throughout the day and this gel really opens them up more and I feel so much more wide awake. I would recommend dabbing a small amount under each eye and leaving it for around 5-10 minutes before applying make up or anything.

I might just keep shopping around a little more to try and find a product that ticks all the boxes!

This retails for £12.50 at Boots.

Can you recommend any under eye creams to banish my dark circles?

♥

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Soap and Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen

Hi everyone! For this blog post I have to thank so many beauty bloggers who follow me on Twitter. I tweeted asking for liquid eyeliner recommendations and this won hands down in terms of the number of mentions it received, so I just had to give it a try.

The first thing I noticed was how much I love the packaging. I'm often not a huge fan of drug store make up packaging but I absolutely adore Soap and Glory's branding and packaging across their entire range, and this eyeliner is no different.

As someone who is really impatient when it comes to applying eyeliner, I have fallen head over heels in love with this pen. I think you have so much more control over the application process with a pen and can achieve so much more precision than with a liquid bottle. I find that the brush allows you to apply close to the lashes so there are no frustrating gaps, and the nib allows you to achieve a thin or thick line and flick depending on your preference.

I find that this eyeliner doesn't smudge easily throughout the day and is really long lasting. The test of good eye make up for me at the moment is seeing how it survives after I've been for a run, and this definitely passes the test!

As someone with incredibly sensitive skin, I'm always a little cautious with eye make up, but I have experienced no itching with this eyeliner and that despite its longevity throughout the day, it is still easy to remove at night with Micellar Water or a make up wipe with no irritation. It dries quickly as well so I find that my eyes are a lot less sore than they used to be when I was using alternative eyeliners.

This retails at £6 in Boots - and Soap and Glory is currently on a 'Buy One Get the Second Half Price' on selected Soap and Glory products

Have you tried this eyeliner? If so, what did you think? Do you have any other recommendations which you think are even better than the Supercat eyeliner?

♥

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Maybelline Eyestudio Colour Tattoo Eyeshadows

Hi everyone! I hope you're all well and enjoying your bank holiday weekend. I thought I would review my Maybelline Eyestudio Colour Tattoo 24 hour Cream Gel Eyeshadows today as I recently purchased the Pink Gold and Metallic Pomegranate shades in a really naughty 'I have exams and I want to treat myself to pretty things' Boots haul.

Maybelline claims that these eyeshadows offer:

"24 hour wear shadow... Intense, long-lasting colour saturation. The cream formula glides on without creasing and keeps colour vibrant"

I never know what to make of these grand claims of 18-24 hour wear, because on the one hand I do of course want something long lasting, but always feel a little miffed because I know I will NEVER wear a face of make up long enough to test it out. I would definitely say that these are long lasting though and last throughout the day without sliding or creasing at all. Out of the three I have tried, I would say the Pink Gold has the worst lasting effect but I think that is because it is the lightest shade so any fading is most noticeable. 

I think these are not only easier to build than powdered eyeshadows so you can get your desired shade and effect, but the cream formula means that they are a quick addition to your make up if you are in a hurry or want to transform your make up from day to night. 

Usually I'm not a fan of drug store make up packaging because I just don't think it can compare to the quality and luxurious feel of high end, but I think the packaging of these eyeshadows suits the product really well and is also really practical. The screw top lid means that they won't make a mess in your make up bag or your handbag if you're on the go, and they are nice and compact. 

I love the way the light reflects off these eyeshadows and I've been really really impressed with the three I've purchased so far. These retail at £4.99 at Boots - and at the moment Boots are offering 3 for 2 across all Maybelline products if you wanted to give these a try! 

Have you tried any of the Maybelline Colour Tattoo eyeshadows? If so, what did you think?

 Also, in the next few weeks I'm looking at purchasing a new camera so I can majorly improve the quality of my photos on here. If you have any recommendations at all I would really appreciate it! 

♥

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Life Update: May 2015

Hi everyone! Even though I have been posting twice a week, they've actually been scheduled in so I feel like I have been away from the blogging world for sooo long. The past month or so has been so hectic, I've had several assessed essays due in as well as my 10,000 word Dissertation, and then two weeks after that my final exams at university started.

My last exam was yesterday and so I am now back home in Lincolnshire chilling out in my pyjamas! I thought I would do a quick Life Update post because they've been really popular in the past and when I've been away for this long I feel like there's so much to tell you all! 

I think my exams went well overall, I always find it difficult to judge but I know that I tried my best and couldn't have asked anymore of myself. I am still in shock that I have finished my Undergraduate degree and I don't think it will sink in for a few days. Part of me is super excited for the adventures ahead, but I'm also a little sad. University has been a real rollercoaster of ups and downs for me, but some of the people I have met along the way are just incredible people and it makes me sad to think I won't be seeing them everyday.

I'm also nervous because I don't have the next stage of my life planned yet. And I am a serial organiser. So for me, the fear of the unknown is still taking over my brain a little at the moment. But I have a job interview arranged for mid June which I'm really REALLY excited about as it is for my dream job, and fingers crossed they see some potential in me. 

I'm looking forward to having a nice few months with no stress now. My 21st birthday is coming up in early June, and I have a family party to look forward to and my best uni pal is coming up for it which I'm really excited about. Me and my Mum have also planned a really exciting day in London on my actual birthday so I can't wait for that. I plan to keep up with my running and push myself harder, ready for my Race for Life in July. I will be receiving my university results in late June so can't wait to celebrate those, and I will also be attending Graduation Ball in mid June and have my dress and shoes already sorted for that! It's going to be at the Hilton in Birmingham so I'm really excited as I've never been to a ball before. My Graduation, mortar board, gown and all, will be in July so I'm currently making sure that is all organised as we have a little convoy of family members coming with us on my special day! I just hope I've done everyone proud and we have a really happy day making lots of memories. 

The rest is a little unknown at the moment. I'm going to take each day as it comes, taking up my craft hobbies again and applying for jobs and things. But I'm in a really good place at the moment and can't wait to see what the future holds!

Good luck with your exams/coursework over the next few weeks if you have any. Do you have any exciting plans coming up?

♥

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I'm not far off 400 followers on Bloglovin' at the moment - I would love it if you could follow me so I can hit 400 before my blog's first birthday in June :) 

Crest Teeth Whitening Strips

One of my main New Year's Resolutions for 2015 was to whiten my teeth. My teeth weren't completely discoloured before, but as someone who drinks a lot of fizzy drinks and tea, there was definitely room for improvement.

Earlier in the year I tried the Blanx Intensive Whitening Treatment and you can read a review of that here. But after watching Tanya Burr's video on Youtube about how she whitens her teeth, I thought I would give these Crest Whitening Strips a go.

I decided to purchase a 10 day package on eBay for around £17. Within each pouch there are two strips - one for each row of teeth, and you are supposed to stick the gel side to your teeth for 30 minutes each day. Applying the strips was very easy and it didn't feel too uncomfortable, but I must admit I absolutely hated the taste. They are revolting and I find that it leaves a really nasty aftertaste in my mouth for ages.

After using these strips for three days, I started to get sensitive teeth. And I mean REALLY sensitive, to the point that it was painful every time I took a breath inwards. They felt really painful and it was a really irritating sensation. I decided to stop using these as I thought it really wasn't worth it. I noticed no change within three days, which I know isn't long but I had noticed a change three days in with the Blanx kit. These do contain hydrogen peroxide and so if you are a little worried about trying something so harsh, I would definitely recommend the Blanx kit mentioned in my other post, which did a brilliant job and is peroxide free so more teeth-friendly! 

I'm really disappointed with these strips, particularly because I have heard so many amazing reviews. I just couldn't see the full 10 days through. I like to think I have quite a high pain threshold - I have had numerous piercings and I have a tattoo, but this pain just didn't seem worth it and put me in a really bad mood. 

Have you tried the Crest strips? Did you have a better experience than me? Can you recommend any other over the counter whitening products?

♥

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Perfect Night In

While I'm away at uni, I find it difficult to relax in the evenings and I don't sleep very well at all. So when I'm home, I love to take advantage of my home comforts and love nothing more than spending a night in unwinding. So I thought I would share my perfect night in with you in case you wanted to mix yours up a little!

I start my perfect night in by running myself a bath with one of my favourite Lush bath bombs. The more colourful, the better! I love using face masks and my favourite are definitely these Montagne Jeunesse ones - especially the White Chocolate or peel off Passionfruit. I often paint my nails in the bath and at the moment I'm really lusting after this Models Own Chrome Rose polish to fuel my rose gold addiction. Once I've had a nice long bath I will make myself a nice Cadbury's hot chocolate - hopefully with squirty cream and marshmallow!

After making my drink and applying all my body lotions and potions, I will then put on my pyjamas and slippers and get all wrapped up and cosy. I don't actually own these Wildfox pyjamas because they are really expensive, but I have always wanted to own a set that look just like these! I'll then get cosy in bed with my hot chocolate and either watch a film, which is usually a chick flick like Grease, The Bodyguard, Dirty Dancing or my magical faves like Harry Potter or Twilight. If I'm still not ready to sleep I'll often watch a few Friends episodes - my box set lives beside my bed!

What is your perfect night in routine? 

♥

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Garnier Micellar Water for Combination/Sensitive Skin

The Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water is one of those products which has been raved about endlessly in the blogging world, and I love it and so do many of my family and friends. When I was last in Boots I spotted this little green topped number, which is specifically for Combination or Sensitive Skin. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it before and couldn't wait to give it a try. 

If you haven't heard of or used the Garnier Micellar water before, it is basically a water which, when applied to cotton pads, removes all traces of make up. It is far more effective yet gentle than a make up wipe, and I find it is particularly good for eye make up. As someone who wears a lot of eye make up but has sensitive skin, I find that when using any product other than this water, I lose a lot of eyelashes and my eyes are left looking red raw.

I am a huge fan of the Micellar Water and this lives up to the reputation of its pink topped cousin. As someone with sensitive skin, I have fallen in love with this even more than the original. I find that this is even more gentle, whilst still as effective, and doesn't leave my skin feeling as sticky. This does the trick in removing all traces of make up at the end of the day, but I find that it does just have that little extra touch for those of us who suffer with sensitive skin.

This is £4.99 in Boots in the UK. 

You can find out more about this water on the Garnier website here

What do you think of the Garnier Micellar Water? If you've tried both, do you prefer this one as well?

♥

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Sally Hansen Nail Growth Treatments

After trying and loving the Sally Hansen Nail Growth Miracle Serum (which I have reviewed here) I thought I would try more products within the Sally Hansen Nail Growth range. I picked up the Vita Surge Growth Gel Treatment and the Nail Growth Miracle Growth Treatment and thought I would use them both together.

The Vita Surge Growth Gel is a green gel containing blue Vitamin A microbeads. I apply a thin layer of this to each nail and massage in to my nail and cuticle bed. I find that this is really hydrating and love to carry this around in my bag so I can apply it 2-3 times a day.

The Nail Growth Miracle Growth Treatment is a clear varnish which I have been using after applying the gel. This says that it can be applied over coloured nail varnish so is great for you girls who always paint their nails. This dries really quickly and leaves nails looking beautifully shiny, but I find that the varnish starts to peel within a few hours and doesn't last a full day out.

My favourite of the two is definitely the Vita Surge gel. As I massage this in, this takes less time to apply than the polish which of course needs a few minutes to dry. As the polish peels I feel that the nail growth I have achieved has been due to the gel. However, after using these products for over a week and a half, I must say that I am slightly disappointed. The Miracle Serum I used originally was definitely more effective and I found that my nails looked healthier too, which for someone with really short nails, I was really chuffed about.

I won't be repurchasing these unfortunately and in future I will definitely be sticking to the Miracle Serum.

Have you used any of the Sally Hansen growth treatments? Do you have any tips for someone who is trying to quit a life long addiction to nail biting?

♥

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Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum

I picked this up on a whim in my last Body Shop haul as it was recommended to me in the sidebar. As someone who never gets enough sleep and whose skin has been a little lack lustre lately, I had high hopes and I can safely say that this has not let me down!

The Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-oil claims to "Give the appearance of 8 hours sleep... replenishes and recharges moisture... leaving the skin looking fresher, more rested and radiant". 

I absolutely love the smell of this and think it is perfectly gentle for a product you apply just before you go to sleep. I can't quite put my finger on what the smell is, but it reminds me of aromatherapy treatments I've had before. With the syringe applicator, I apply a few drops onto my fingertips and sweep gently over my face in an upwards motion. I find that the oil is really light and doesn't feel greasy and soaks into the skin beautifully, and when I wake up my skin is definitely more hydrated, glowing and I look rested and more awake. It has really helped to give me that radiant dewy make up look that is perfect as Spring approaches.

This retails at £13 and you can find it here.

♥

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10 Revision Break Ideas

With essays and my dissertation due, and exams fast approaching, I am feeling quite anxious and stressed at the moment! Whether you're currently at school, college or university, these revision break ideas will be perfect for you to make sure you don't overdo it with revision and that you take enough breaks, looking after your mental and emotional wellbeing.

1. Go for a run, swim, go to an exercise class or hit the gym. 

2. Ring home. I miss home sooo much while I'm away at uni. Sometimes a phone call home can be refreshing and motivating that it won't be long before you will be seeing everyone again.

3. Go for a nice walk. 

4. Hobbies. If you like to sew or knit, or enjoy making greetings cards, or if you enjoy playing on your Xbox, why not let yourself have 15 minutes sat doing that? Don't let it become full-blown procrastination and take over from work completely, but sometimes it can be nice to do something you really enjoy to break a long day of work up.

5. Go out for a meal. Whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner, it can be nice to get out and about. Not only is it important to take breaks, but we all have to eat, and it's important you eat well while you're putting your brain to hard work!

6. Pamper yourself. Once I've finished revising for the day I like to unwind with a full blown pamper session each evening. It's just nice to unwind and also to look after yourself. I sleep much better if I do this, rather than put the books down and try to sleep straight away.

7. Make a hot drink. Sometimes if I only want to take a small break from staring at the same thing for ages, I will just go and make a cup of tea. It only distracts me for five or ten minutes, but sometimes that is all I need to just clear my head for a few minutes.

8. Start a new TV series. Starting to watch a TV series from scratch can be a good way to take some time off from work and because it is divided up into episodes you can schedule in an episode every evening or something. Just don't let yourself become so addicted you want to watch it all the time!

9. Meditation. I attended a de-stress class once and this was something that was mentioned. It's not a cross-legged, humming type of activity. Just laying down on the bed and relaxing all your muscles and breathing in for 10 seconds, then out for 10 seconds, slowly and calmly with your eyes shut for 10 seconds, can be a great way to switch off or to de-stress, particularly before bed so you don't go to sleep worrying about work. 

10. Baking! This can be great for taking your mind off work and helping to de-stress, not to mention being able to eat some yummy things later! Here are links to previous baking blog posts of mine in case you would like to try something new. Malteser Tiffin Recipe  or  Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

Good luck with your exams, essays and your final weeks at school, college or university!

♥

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