Create your own skincare regime with MixNature

Having tried a lot of skincare in my time, ive never had the opportunity to make my own, until now. MixNature is one of the most interesting brands I have come across in a long time. Based at their state of the art lab in Latvia, MixNature create unique, handmade, vegan and natural products, which are freshly made with a promise: “You are unique, your cosmetics should be too”. With that in mind you can create face creams, scrubs, liquid soaps, cleansing milks, face masks, eye creams, shampoos, hair masks, hair balms, shower gels, body lotions, hand or foot creams, practically everything you need for a bespoke skincare regime all at the click of a button.

The process of deciding which products you want and each one has a base category to get you started - Is your skin dry, combination, oily or mature. Once you have made your selection, you then begin the process of adding essential oils (such as Neroli, Myrtle, Peppermint, Lavender, Jasmine and Rosewood), extracts (such as Rosehip, Dragons Blood, Ginseng, Green Coffee, Echinacea and Chamomile) and then activating agents (such as Aloe Vera, Hyaluronic Acid, Bio Collagen and Arnica) each one comes with an easy to read description as what properties it holds and what it will do for your skin, body or hair.  I sat and read through quite a lot of information before deciding which products I wanted to try and naturally given the number of combinations, you can select from thousands of combinations, which in part makes it all the more fun.  I am a firm believer in knowing what is best for my body and having the ability to choose and make my own products is just amazing.

Even more amazing is that a service like this will not break the bank, infact I was incredibly surprised at how affordable it is. The starting price is around £7.07 for the basic cream and then for each additional ingredient (but no more than 6) it costs just 79p (*This week all ingredients are free). Adding all of those together and you can have specially formulated and unique to you products for less than £15.

I was kindly given a credit to allow me to create my own products and I choose and formulated:

Body Scrub for Dry Skin (150ml) and I included Jasmine Essential Oil, Pentavitin and Neroli Essential Oil.  Body scrub for dry skin based on sweet almond oil, avocado oil, panthenol, sugar and vitamin E is a perfect cleanser, making your skin softer, firmer and velvety. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and moisturizes, softens and smoothes the skin. 

This scrub is incredible, it is similar in texture to Soap & Glory Sugar Crush only the exfoliating particles are slightly bigger and they are more effective at removing dead and dry skin without being overly abrasive. 

Face mask for normal and combination skin (50ml) and included Sea Buckthorn Extract, Lavender Essential Oil and Lemongrass Essential Oil. This nourishing mask contains natural cocoa, jojoba, sacha inchi and almond oils, vitamin E, urea and panthenol to deeply nourish and rejuvenate your skin. It makes the skin softer and more elastic and younger and healthier-looking. 

The cream is quite thick and therefore you only need a small amount to cover your face and neck. I leave the mask on for up to 15 minutes before washing off with warm water. 

Eye Cream for Dry Skin (30ml) and included Ginseng Extract, Parsley Extract and Linden Tree Extract. This moisturizing and nourishing cream-gel for dry skin with no aromatic additives contains macadamia oil, vitamin E, panthenol and hyaluronic acid and is for the delicate sensitive skin around the eyes. The cream-gel will repair, relax and refresh your skin, keeping it moisturized for longer and helping to iron out fine lines. It will relieve irritation and dryness and make your skin feel smooth and silky. 

I have had a skin scan on a few occasions where they look for issues or concerns. Each time, there has been slight dehydration under my eyes, despite using eye cream regularly. So I have opted for this product, picking ingredients which are known to moisturise and nourish to see if it can make any difference, again the cream is quite thick so one pump is enough for both under-eye areas. 

Shower Gel for Dry Skin (250ml) and I included Silk Protein, Pentavitin and Lemongrass Essential Oil. The natural soap base and Atlantic salt gently remove dead skin cells and dirt. The active ingredients protect the skin from dryness, improve cell respiration and balance microcirculation. They have an active effect on subcutaneous fat. 

This is a luxurious feeling shower gel, the gel is thick and gloopy and you only need a small amount to create a lather.  It smells incredible given the Lemongrass inclusion and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth to the touch. 

So having had fun deciding what to include within my products, it is worth noting that all MixNature products are 100% natural and are free from colorants, silicone, paragons, mineral oils, artificial flavours and sodium laurel sulphate; they are also vegan, freshly handmade and freshly produced. I placed my order on a Wednesday and they arrived the following day, beautifully packaged via DHL which is just amazing service.

The lovely people at Mixnature have put together a video to explain more about themselves in this video.  Personally speaking, this is an amazing service and one I have enjoyed exploring, I like knowing that I am choosing what goes into my products and that there is nothing hidden.

Maui Fantasy by Britney Spears

I am not usually a fan of celebrity perfumes but there is something about those by Britney Spears that are just that little bit good, okay they are really good and whether you are a fan of her music or not, Maui Fantasy, the new offering which is limited edition, is a fragrance well worth looking for.

Maui Fantasy is Britney's 19th scent (wow) and it a scent I would associate with summer holidays. It is said that Britney feels a deep connection to Maui and whenever she has a break she travels to the breathtaking island to relax, kick back, rejuvenate and spend some quality time with her family.

The bottle is quite something, designed to embody the essence of Hawaii, the bottle takes its inspiration from the crystal blue waters of the sea which surrounds the island and featuring a pink Hibiscus flower, one of the many symbols of the tropical island. The shape fitting in perfectly well within the Fantasy Collection.

The fragrance is infuses elements of Maui's natural beauty and it opens with a mouthwatering combination of bird of paradise flower, pink grapefruit and passion fruit. The heart is a heady mix of beachy florals such as hibiscus petals, cyclamen, orange blossom and tiare flower (Hawaiian monoi). The base brings a warm and sensual aura with notes of coconut, vanilla, blue musk, white amber and beachy blonde woods. Put together you have a fragrance that is said to represent Britney's multi-faceted personality and it is really lovely.  

I had assumed that this fragrance would be for the teen market and that I would therefore not like it at all, however whilst it may be suitable for the older teen, I have no qualms about wearing it, it is as equally floral as it is sweet and is a scent that you could very well imagine wearing whilst relaxing on a white sandy beach as the waves ripple in the background.

You can find the limited edition Britney Spears Maui Fantasy here for £35 for 100ml.

O’Sullivans@The Shard

If I could afford to, I would happily pay for someone to wash and blow dry my hair for me a few times a week, there is something about that freshly blow dried hair which makes you feel a million dollars.  Last week, I was given the opportunity to go along to The Shard Arcade and have my hair washed and blow dried at an amazing salon called O'Sullivans.

This was my first visit to The Shard Arcade and the boutique was really easy to find. One of two hair salons, O’Sullivans@The Shard is a place which offers you the perfect cut, expert colour or complete restyle, the group’s latest state of the art salon specialises in big bouncy and luxurious blowdrys which I was there to enjoy.

Walking into the salon, you cannot help but notice how quaint yet bright it is. Immediately welcomed, my confirmation of appointment was confirmed and I was shown to an amazingly comfy chair to await my stylist for the day. Morgan, my stylist, was amazingly friendly, bubbly and a delight to chat too as she washed my hair and then making sure to ask what I would like as my blow dry, I trusted her enough to say 'Free reign, do whatever you think' - a rarity for me in any salon. 

As my hair was dried, it was nice to look around and see customers come in and go whether it was for a hair cut, style or a manicure, another of the salon's offerings. Stocked with well-known brands of both nail polish (Essie) and hair care (think L'Oreal, RedKen and Kerastase) which I found really impressive and not forgetting to mention the pink hair styling tools!

As you can see my hair went from being poker straight to big bouncy curls which on the night lasted longer than they ever have before despite the rain and humidity.

My appointment lasted just 40 minutes which is incredibly impressive, a great service for those in a hurry and need their hair being blow-dried before a big event or just as a treat.  The service is really lovely and relaxing and if you are in need of a last minute blow dry then O'Sullivans is well worthy of your attention, even better you can book online with even less of a need to rush giving you time to take in the most amazing views of The Shard both before and after your appointment. Prices start from £15 depending on what treatment you have.

Thank you O'Sullivans and Morgan for my amazing bouncy curls, I am sure I will be returning soon.

*The service I received was complimentary and all words and views are my own.

Little-Known Box

Little-Known Box is the UK’s newest luxurious beauty subscription box and you might have spotted them on your social media because they have, in my opinion, put a lot of effort into getting themselves noticed, no mean feat within a market that seems saturated with beauty boxes offering everything!

Little-Known Box is something a little bit different, every month you will receive a box of carefully selected luxurious beauty products and gifts featuring 'little-known' products, from independent, niche, upcoming and emerging brands. Chosen with ethics and wellness in mind. Having recognised that emerging and small luxury brands are really under-represented in beauty subscription boxes, Little-Known Box aim to fix this gap and use their beauty box to introduce you to some fantastic little-known brands, particularly those specialising in niche beauty fields including; natural/organic, vegan friendly, cruelty free and free-from brands.

Having caught my attention, I decided to sign up and see for myself what Little-Known Box was all about. Promising to include full and sample size luxury products from skincare, makeup, hair, body and grooming products to nail care, nail art, lifestyle and beauty accessories and with the occasional surprise thrown in! This is the first box:

Flint and Flint Moisturiser 3x (Full size 50ml rrp £42) - A rich repair cream that protects against glycation, boosts collagen and elastin production and regenerates the skin. Contains a powerful combination of active ingredients including Hyaluronic Acid, Retinol and Malikara Leaf to reverse the signs of premature ageing. Hydrates and nourishes the skin.  Whilst the packaging is quite simple and understated, to me it does seem just a little bit masculine and isn't ordinarily something I would usually pick up.

The Vintage Cosmetics Company Eyelash Curlers - These are a limited edition rose gold pair of eyelash curlers and I am quite a fan of The Vintage Cosmetics Company for their cute and kitsch packaging. What makes these curlers slightly different is that they are spring loaded. These are obviously full sized and cost around £7.00.

Medusa Makeup Lipgloss - Described as being fun, vibrant and innovative, Medusa's makeup is made in the USA, Vegan and is Paraben free.  I have shade Bite Me which is a fantastic vibrant red shade, whilst I won't be able to get any use out of it as I don't pull of red at all, a friend of mine will and it is perfect for her.  Available in 12 different shades they retail at £6.25 (Full sized product $9).

Dirtea - I am a tad obsessed with tea and coffee bath products nd Dirtea is described as being the 'original self-love tea scrub'. Dirtea products are products are tediously tested and have unique recipes formulated to target acne, scarring, stretch marks, cellulite, psoriasis, eczema, and more. Our organic tea's are freshly ground into a fine powder and combined with specific high-grade essential oils, minerals, and vitamins to create a powerful blend that works wonders for your skin. They are not only Vegan but also Paraben, Gluten, Cruelty, Phosphate and Chemical Preservative-Free. (£2.15 per sachet)

Thumbs Up Nail Wraps - I have to admit, I am not into nail wraps at all and they are everywhere right now. This set has a metallic marble gold effect which will delight some people, personally, I prefer nail polish.  Each pack contains 20 nail wraps and they are described as being easy to apply and waterproof. (£7.99 full sized product)

For a first box, I think this is pretty okay, I am not as wowed as I thought I would be, but I am not overly disappointed because there are some new brands for me to try out. A one off box costs £15.95 upon which there is a postage and packaging charge of £3.75. A monthly subscription to this box costs £14.95 and there are further subscription options available.

What do you think to Little-Known Box?

Sleek Whimsical Wonderland

Sleek is one of those brands who continues to surprise me, I adore their makeup and they are forever bringing out surprises. If you are a fan of pastel shades and something that little bit different, then Whimsical Wonderland will be right up your street. Launching on the 1st June with an i-Divine Palette, Lip VIP Lipsticks and Gel Cheek Blushers, this is a launch that will have you whooping with delight.

All the Fun of the Fair i-Divine Palette - £7.99

I love my Sleek i-Divine palettes and have 3 or 4 within my collection. This one has 12 mineral based long-lasting eyeshadows which are long lasting and simply stunning shades which I wish I could get away with wearing. They have quite a creamy texture and have very little fallout which is really impressive and they are more pigmented than I had been expecting. The palette hosts 5 shimmery shades and 7 pastel mattes shades and they are as follows:

On the top row from left to right, the shades are - Carousel, Shoot-The-Chutes, Loop-The-Loop, Ferris Wheel, Twister and Teacups.

On the second row from left to right, the shades are - Hit-The-Bell, Swing Boats, Hook-a-Duck, Helter Skelter, Dodgems and Hall-Of-Mirrors.

 Carousel, Shoot-The-Chutes, Loop-The-Loop, Ferris Wheel

 Twister, Teacups Hit-The-Bell and Swing Boats

Hook-a-Duck, Helter Skelter, Dodgems and Hall-Of-Mirrors

Lip VIP lipsticks - £5.50

Again, with all the fun of a funfair in mind, these three lipsticks are just incredible shades - Fancy Pants, Big Shot and Hot Tottie and in keeping with the VIP lipsticks, of which I am a fan, the formula and pigmentation is superb. All three lipsticks are semi matte and they give a velvet finish with the intense colour. Again, as with the rest of the collection, they are also moisturising and the colour pay off lasts for a good 3-4 hours before you need to re-apply.

Big Shot, Hot Tottie, Fancy Pants

Sweet Cheeks - £5.99

The final item within this collection comes in the form of three Sweet Cheeks Gel Blushes. Again, there are 3 shades that reflect the tones of the lipsticks and they have a gel like formula which allows you to have a sheer wash of colour across your cheeks which you can build upon to your desire.

The three shades are Lickety-Split, Hullabaloo and Tomfoolery and each one is so pretty and not at all as I expected them to be. The texture is one which is really lightweight and it is quite cooling on the skin.  The swatch below shows just one swipe across my arm and each shade is buildable to really make the colour pop, depending on your comfort zone.

Lickety-Split, Hullabaloo and Tomfoolery

The collection will be available from Boots, Superdrug and www.sleekmakeup.com from 1st June 2016.

Soft & Gentle #BodyBalance

For many of us, Soft & Gentle are synonymous with deodorant. Now they are taking to the high-street with a launch of a brand new collection of innovative feminine care products and as I have been trying and testing them out, I am today sharing them with you.

Soft & Gentle are experts in the field of women's personal care and the new collection presents the introduction of a new pH balanced intimate wash and care range.  I am sure many of us have wondered around supermarkets and high-street stores trying to discreetly shove the intimate washes into a basket without anyone seeing us. The lovely people over at Soft & gentle have taken this into consideration and have created a range that is not only discreet but has multi-use benefits.

Enriched with a prebiotic complex which protects and stimulates the skin's natural defences, bringing you beautifully balanced skin.  Each product uses soothing ingredients and cleansing extracts found in all products, they help to reduce any skin discomfort, whilst the delicate allergen-free scents offer all day freshness.

The products are:

2-in-1 Shower & Shave Mousse - described as being the hero product, this shower essential is a must-have as part of your daily routine. The innovative formula delivers a luxurious mousse that leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and moisturised.  What I love about this mousse is that you only need a small amount for a large amount of lather and at just £3.99 it is a bargain.

Daily Shower Wash - This is my favourite product from the trio and it is really gentle on the skin. It can be used all over the body and it smells just divine.  It not only moisturises the skin but give you that clean feeling.  Priced at £2.99 for 250ml again I think this is a bargain.

The final product is a Fragranced Spray and until now, I had never used anything like it. Designed to be an intimate deodorant spray for intimate skin it is suitable for use on underwear, sanitary wear and straight onto the skin and it neutralises any odour caused by sweating.  I have found no irritations when using this product and think it is just a brilliant concept.  Priced again at £2.99 it is well worth trying.

All these products are gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin, it is gynecologist approved and dermatologically approved and dermatologically tested range is pH balanced.  You can find them at Superdrug, Boots Morrisons and in independent pharmacies.

Panasonic Facial Ionic Steamer

Living in London, you won't be surprised to find it plays havoc on your skin, anyone who travels regularly on the tube will be all too familiar with black tissues! With that in mind, imagine just how dirty your skin can get and indeed feels after a day travelling round, never mind at least 5 of the 7 days each week! I do as much as I can to ensure my skin is as clean as I can get it and whenever the opportunity arises for a facial, I jump at the chance.

So being given the chance to try the Panasonic Facial Ionic Steamer, I jumped at the chance, it had to be a better method than leaning over a bowl of hot water. As you can see it looks like a simple, easy to use contraption and thankfully it is. 

"Panasonic's Nano Facial Steamer helps to remove makeup and dirt, promotes smoother, softer skin and can be used daily as a fuss-free component of your skin care regimen."

Using the water tank that is easy to remove and insert into the steamer, you have two options, half fill it for a 3 minute treatment or fully fill it for a 6 minute treatment and for this I just use normal tap water. Then using Ultra-fine nano-sized particle steam which is 4,000 times finer than normal steam to penetrate the skin and effectively supplement moisture and encourage deep pore cleansing. It is also said that cleansing with the facial ionic steamer will result in the removal of makeup, dirt and excess oil to leave your skin feeling incredibly clean and refreshed. 

What I love about this machine is not only how easy it is to use, but how incredibly effective it is.  After washing my face with warm water and wiping it dry with a muslin cloth, I set the steamer up ready to go, again, if you have a tight schedule then 3 minutes is perfect timing or if you do have that little bit longer than 6 minutes once a week is even better. So once the water tank has been filled and inserted, steam will begin to appear within about 15 seconds, so it is really quick. To use, you need to ensure that your face is 20cm away from the opening to avoid burning your skin, helpfully there is a measurement tape included to show you how far back you should be.  Then with your eyes closed, set a timer (I use my iPhone) for 3-6 minutes and allow the steam to work its magic.

Once that allotted time is up, simply grab two/three cotton wool pads and wipe your face and it is here you will see how much 'stuff' has been removed - honestly it is like the first time you get a Dyson Hoover and despite hoovering your carpet everyday, this thing still manages to find stuff to hoover up! Seriously, these cotton wool pads are just vile, but at least that stuff is no longer sitting on my skin!

Since using this steamer for the last few months, I have been amazed at how effective it is at cleaning my skin and they do say that the cleaner the skin, the easier it is for your products to work like they are supposed to.  So not only do I have baby soft skin, I do feel that my skin is being the chance to breathe once the dirt and grime has been removed.  I have had less blackheads on my nose, less dry skin on my cheeks and my makeup is lasting much longer on my skin, which is always an added bonus and it is a great way to have a facial at home!

If this sounds like a machine you would like to try, honestly I cannot recommend it highly enough, then you will find it retails for around £99.99 online and is worth every penny.

Makeup Revolution Flawless Matte 2

Following on from the success of the original Flawless Matte palette, Makeup Revolution now bring to you Flawless Matte 2 which has 32 highly pigmented Matte eyeshadows on one rather sleekly designed palette.

With a fabulously bright burnt orange outer packaging, this is not a palette that you are not going to miss on a shelf. Inside is the shiny sleek blackness that we have all come to recognise from Makeup Revolution and it is palette that has a little something for everything.  Whether you like your nudes (like me) but sometimes want to be a little adventurous, this palette can take you out of your comfort zone into a new one row by row.  With names such as Look, Standard and Order being somewhat within my comfort zone, I can see and want to try shades which are called Finest, Vintage and Total.

• From left to right across the top row we have - Flaw, Less, Perfect, Neat, Master, Accurate, Ripe and Matte
• From left to right across the second row we have - Look, Standard, Order, Able, Rate, Finest, Final and Famous
• The third row from left to right is - Ranking, Two, Tone, Best, Top, Notch, Valid and Total
• Finally from left to right in the bottom row we have - Whole, Sound, WII, Known, Right Vintage, Beauty and Define.

This is what the swatches look like!

Flaw, Less, Perfect, Neat

Master, Accurate, Ripe and Matte

Look, Standard, Order, Able

Rate, Finest, Final and Famous

Ranking, Two, Tone, Best

Top, Notch, Valid and Total

Whole, Sound, WII, Known

Right Vintage, Beauty and Define

I am sure you will agree that there are some absolutely stunning shades on this palette and whilst some of them stand out much more than others - Ripe, Valid and Vintage there are some other shades such as Best, WII and Known which are beautiful.  All of these swatches are done with just one swipe of my finger onto each colour.

I have also been using Flaw, which is an almost white in colour as a base for my eyeshadow and it works amazingly well (HINT ADAM) with any of the other shades over the top without altering the colour.  For just £8 this is amazing value for money, especially if like me, the thought of wearing something other than nude on your eyes is a step too far but you want a palette that will slow move you out of your comfort zone.

This post may contain PR Samples and/or Affiliate links. For more information please see my disclaimer page.

Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely Sheer Eau de Parfum

Celebrity fragrances are not usually my 'thing' but every so often there is one which lands in your lap and you expect to dislike it but infact the reaction is the exact opposite. I am not a fan of Sarah Jessica Parker admittedly, I cannot stand TV programmes such as Sex and the City and the films just irritate me beyond relief but Sheer Lovely as a fragrance is one I cannot help but like.

Sheer Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker is described as being a soft, sheer and gentle follow up to the classic and much loved Lovely, a shade I have not tried or ever come across, so how it compares I cannot comment but at just £20 for 100ml it isn't going to break the bank.

Encased inside this beautiful pearlesque initial embossed bottle with a stunning gilded lid is a fragrance which is light, refreshing and undoubtedly feminine. So with top notes of orange flower, mandarin and sicily the fragrance opens with a beautiful citrus twist before gardenia, pink peppercorns and blonde woods as the heart notes bring a slightly floral aroma as it begins to settle and then the base notes of musk, vetiver and amber finish off the fragrance.

As fragrances go, this one is that perfect Spring/Summer scent in a bottle because it isn't heavy and it does have really good lastability, one spritz onto my pulse points in a morning and I can still catch a whiff of the scent on my way home some 8 hours later.

Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely Sheer Eau de Parfum £20/100ml via Superdrug.