It's so plucking easy!!

The one thing I cannot live without in my make-up bag is a pair of tweezers. I use them for plucking my eyebrows mainly and I generally feel more at ease knowing that they are there should I find a stray hair.  Up until recently I have used bog standard tweezers that I have found in Boots or a Supermarket and after so long they have always lost their spring and have become pretty useless.

I was recently sent a pair of Tweezerit tweezers and I have spent quite a long time reading up about them and I have learnt so many things about owning pair of tweezers that I wish I had known some of the information before now.  The brand is owned by a man called Richard Batten-Edwards who has a reputation which spans over 28 years for providing the highest quality instruments to the podiatry, beauty and medicinal industries and Tweezerit tweezers come with a lifetime warranty and will be replaced free of charge if found to be defective.

The Tweezerits I was sent are from the Glitter Me range of tweezers and they are the most magnificent pink glittery tweezers ever.  To give them their proper name they are called Pink Champagne and retail for £23.  They come encased inside secure soft plastic packaging with the ‘Tweezerit’ logo clearly visible and one I really like with a pair of tweezers being the exclamation mark.  There is also a cover for the tips of these tweezers and the care guidelines state that when your tweezers are not in use, they should be looked after and cover should be on the tip.

When it comes to storing your tweezers, I immediately realised where I might have been going wrong.  With Tweezerit tweezers there is some really useful factual information on storage, not something I would have thought to look up before, but if you protect every other aspect of your make-up case such as your brushes, eye-lash curlers and so on, keeping them clean and in good use, why wouldn’t you do that with your tweezers?  Instead I just used to chuck them in my bag or case and always wondered why they would get bent out of shape and in some cases have snapped by the time I had discovered them a few weeks later at the bottom of my bag.  So here are the three simple suggestions for storage:

• Always store your tweezers in a clean dry place.
• Your tweezers have been set in the factory to give the correct spring tension. Do not overstretch your tweezers, or store them stretched.
• Always replace the rubber cap to prevent damage.

I am guilty of number 2 over many occasions given the state of my last pair and frankly it never occurred to me that they had been set in a factory to a certain angle to make them easier to use and I have never, before now replaced the rubber cap, it never occurred to me that by doing so would protect the tweezers and keep them both sharp and precise when using - now I know!

When it comes to using them - the official specification reads as follows:

This tweezer has been made out of the finest high grade stainless steel, hand finished to the highest professional standards. The tweezers you have selected are used by professional beauty therapists, and are now offered to you for personal use.

These hand finished tweezers feature our special slant designed tips, which allow you to pluck individual hairs more easily. Your tweezers are quality instruments and should be cared for as such.

The information give above can be found on the Tweezerit website HERE 

To look at these tweezers, they are 9.5cm in length and  are really easy to grasp a hold of and host a slanted tip which does make the task of plucking hairs much easier, I was quite surprised at how easy I could grasp onto the stray hairs of my eyebrows without having to attempt it numerous times before succeeding and these are the easiest, most straightforward and practical pair of tweezers I have ever owned and had the pleasure of using.

The  brand as a whole has really caught my attention.  There are no less than eight different categories of tweezers to look at and decide upon and if I had been left to choose some tweezers, I might very well be still sitting here debating what I prefer because I love them all.  

Then comes the Curve Selection all of which have been ergonomically designed to feature the very latest in tweezer design and I love the design of them.  

The final one I am going to make reference too is the Vintage Collection and again they all feature some very funky colouring and patterns which catch the eye.

Then, if you are a bit of a novice when it comes to your eyebrows and how best to shape them and I found this really useful to read because it contains all the basics that you need to know, for example:

• Always pluck in the direction of hair growth.
• Alternate brows to make sure they match.

Overall I love these tweezers and I love this brand.  Reading the website has really given me a kick up the backside when it comes to looking after my tweezers, using them and a reminder on eyebrow plucking, everything you need to know from one brand in one place and if that isn’t enough you can find them on Facebook HERE

What do you think to these Tweezers? Do you have a favourite style?

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

One thing that really annoys me is chapped lips and for me, lip care is quite an important part of my beauty regime and the reason for that is because I spend a lot of my working day not only dealing with ordinary members of the public but also business clients and other professionals within my work place. So to have well a manicured hand and a smart suit for me isn't enough, there is a little bit more to it and that. 

I am a huge fan of lip scrubs. Why do I like these products? Simply because I feel there has been a gap left on the market for high street leading cosmetic companies to fill. It has become increasingly difficult to find a lip scrub at a reasonable price rather than some exorbitant price which leaves you weeping as you leave the checkout. So Lush it seems has catered for this niche in the market and at a reasonable cost as well and I am yet to find a product that is better than this product.

As shown on the Lush website

Bubblegum Lip Scrub is one of my favourite Lush products and the blurb used to describe this lip scrub states that it will "make your lips smell like our best-selling Snow Fairy shower gel. Bubblegum is made with castor sugar and our delicious vegan flavour to gently exfoliate, keeping your lips smooth and kissably soft. So what more could you possibly need from your lip scrub? Hunky man to test it one...tick....and that's all. 

Bubblegum Lip Scrub is designed to keep lips kissable, smooth, conditioned and dry, flaky skin free. So, whenever the weather changes so rapidly your skin can look dry and tired and sometimes you feel washed out and use a treatment or lotion to combat this, so why not your lips? When your lips are dry and chapped it can be quite painful to remove the dry skin and it can be quite difficult and before I spotted these two products I used to rely on using an old toothbrush to remove such skin from my lips, not that it was very easy to do or as successful as using something especially designed like this. 

Bubblegum Lip Scrub comes packaged in a small round glass tub with a black lid and on the jar of this product are the words Bubblegum on both the lid and surrounding label along with the most important two words which are lip and scrub. The pot itself is see through behind the label and through the pot you can see a bright pink sparkly looking scrub which looks like a jar of pink sugar as it glistens under the light and the pinkness of the scrub is exactly the same as the Snow Fairy Shower gel. It retails at £5.25 for a 25g jar.

I think this is a fantastic product, it does everything that I had anticipated it would do and makes your lips feel fantastically smooth. Once the lid has been removed, inside the tub the sugary cream I described as being bright pink is caster sugar which gives it the rough texture you need to act as the exfoliator on your lips which will work to remove all of the dead skins cells from your lips. The other main ingredient included is Jojoba Oil can be used on all skin types but is especially used as a moisturising ingredient for dry, flaky skin. Unlike other Lush products this one doesn't come with a long list of other ingredients to look into but it does have two colourings within it and their secret ingredient which makes it smell so wonderful and very much the same as Snow Fairy Shower gel. Its a simple product with a simple ingredient list. 

When it comes to using this Lip Scrub, it is exactly the same as I mentioned in my previous review, but got the benefit of those people who haven't read it yet. One of the first things you need to do is to remove any traces of products such as lip gloss, lip balm or lipstick which you might have applied and this is to ensure your lips are as bare as they can possibly be and as clean as they can be as well. Then I would suggest cleaning your lips using water and a relevant facial cloth before using this lip scrub, just to ensure your lips are clean and that there is no chance any bits of dirt are left clinging to them. Then as this lip scrub is quite thick in consistency and because it is to be used on your lips you don't actually need to be using too much at a time. Like with most lip balms you apply this directly onto your lips, but instead of running your finger along your lips to get that smooth look, you will need to rub it into the skin on lips in small circles to remove all of the dead skin cells and any other impurities from your lips and once you have worked your way across your lips, using some slightly damp cotton wool you gently remove the left over product from your lips and then using your finger check your lips to make sure you haven't missed anything, if you have simply copy the actions you have just done. Once you have finished, what you will notice what effect this product has had on your lips because you will see traces of what has been removed and if your lips are really chapped you might find they sting a bit if you have pressed too harshly with this scrub, because although it is castor sugar which acts as the exfoliating agent, it is quite harsh on the skin, particularly as the skin on your lips is quite sensitive compared to the skin on other body part, so take extra care the first time you use this product. Once I had finished scrubbing my lips my first initial reaction was to see how smooth my lips felt, so I ran my tongue along them. When my lips become dry it is always tends to be in the same place and that is right in the middle of my top and bottom lip and once I had used this product my lips felt soft and smooth all the way along. The after feel should be a soft and smooth one, what I noticed was no sign of any hard or loose skin but soft smooth lips and because it is a scrub you will need to use a lip balm afterwards to ensure you keep your lips moisturised. 

As shown on www.lush.co.uk

I have since continued to use this cream once a week as I go between both this one and Sweet lips and I carry both pots around with me in my bag all the time because the pots are quite petite, they add no extra weight to my bag. 

Overall I am very impressed with Bubblegum lip scrub, it was easy to use, it smelled lovely, anything which smells like Snow Fairy shower gel will be wonderful and it has a lovely smell and feel to it which is an added bonus and price wise I don't actually think it is expensive because it lasts a very long time. So for a cheap in-expensive product to keep your lips smooth, soft and kissable, I would recommend this one.

Chocolate that is GOOD for you??

Easter is coming and every time I walk into a shop or a supermarket I am faced with a zillion different eggs to choose from.... but...Imagine if you could eat chocolate that was good for you and was only 72 calories!! Well you can! I was recently asked if I would like to try some from the Ohso range, not one I have heard of, but I am a chocoholic, so I gladly accepted. 

 A few days later, in this lovely and very different packaging came the chocolate. Inside I found one bar of orange flavoured chocolate bar and a whole pack of 7 original chocolate bars. Before getting to the bars themselves, there was also a really handy information card which gave a little more information on the range.

What they say

At last, a guilt free chocolate bar that loves your tummy….ohso probiotic chocolate bars (available in original and orange flavours), made from 53% delicious Belgian chocolate are clinically proven*  to be three times more effective at delivering your daily probiotics than a yoghurt drink  – and at only 72 calories a bar!

Each no added dairy, gluten, wheat and nut free,  individually wrapped bar is designed to provide you and your family with the optimum daily amount of probiotic to help support your digestive health, restoring the bacterial flora of good bacteria in your gut to help improve immunity and overall health and wellbeing. 

*Based on the survival rates of probiotics passing through the stomach to the small intestine, it was found that the survival rates in the probiotic yoghurt matrix were three times lower than in chocolate .  Source: Ghent University, Belgium

Well if I can eat chocolate and there are only 72 calories, does that mean it won’t taste as good as my favourite Mint Chocolate Aero Bar?  Well it actually tastes so much better than I thought I would and I quickly devoured the orange flavored bar before promptly hiding the pack of 7 so I could eat them all to myself.  Actually that isn’t quite true, I have been having them as a little extra treat in my packed lunches for work, instead of putting in a penguin (old school) or buying some chocolate because I need a quick fix, Ohso have provided me with just that and it is the perfect size to fit into my bag.  But taste is naturally quite important in any food products and when you bite into these bars, the first thing you notice, especially with the orange version is how natural the orange taste it and the chocolate, which is made from 53% dark Belgian chocolate is simply divine, it melts on your tongue

So as well as being gluten, nut, wheat and cholesterol free and contains no added dairy, Ohso also contains plenty of what is referred to as "good for you" which is proven to be three times more effective at delivering your daily probiotics than a yoghurt drink bacteria and if you look at this diagram shown below, you can read more about how good for you Ohso is:

That is not all, with Ohso, you can subscribe to it and it is available in 7-bar weekly packs for convenience and it is delivered to your home via Royal Mail, now the good thing about this is that the packaging is so good, it fits through your letterbox, as shown in the photo below, so there is no need to have to go and collect it from anywhere.  If you are not wanting to subscribe you can get Ohso from Harvey Nichols Food Halls, Ocado, The Nutri Centre, Amazon and health food stores and independent retailers nationwide.

For more information on Ohso on Twitter see @Ohso_Chocolate 

Getting a bit Lippy!

When I was sorting through all of my make-up the other day to see what needed to be renewed and… well to be honest, see what I could justify buying, I was intrigued to see just how many Lip Balms I had, especially as I had bought a few new ones lately.

I confess to being addicted to lip balms, I have loads of them and they all come in different shapes and sizes, some are tubes, some are pots, some are slimy, some are gloopy, some you don't even know you are wearing and some you wonder why you bought them, the answer usually being - on a whim.

 

Shown above is almost all of the Lip Balms, Glosses, Scrubs and creams that I could find in my bag, make-up bag, make-up case and sample boxes

And this is what they are:

1. Nspa Pick me – is a pack of 3 lip balms which come in Mango, Raspberry and Shea Butter flavours.  The pack cost £5 from Asda.
2. Anatomicals What a complete and utter glosser Strawberry Milkshake  - not one I did purchase, well I kind of did, it was part of my February Glossybox and I love everything about it.  If purchased it would cost between £2.20 and £3.49.
3. Lush Bubblegum – okay not quite a Lip Balm, but it was in with the rest of them, it is great for buffing the lips and removing dry and dead skin cells.  To purchase it costs £5.25.
4. Vaseline – Now this tin is looking old and battered and even though I haven’t used it in a long time, it still works totally fine, though I am not a fan of Vaseline on my lips.  A tin of this will cost £1.99 in Boots
5. Figs and Rouge sweet geranium lip balm – Again comes from Glossybox and I absolutely love the packaging.  To purchase it will cost between £2-£5 and is available right across the internet.
6. Vaseline Limited Edition Pink Bubbly Lip Therapy - Okay so I am not a fan of Vaseline on my lips and I bought this, well it said limited edition and it looks nice.  It retails for £3.49 in Boots
7. I love Raspberry and Blackberry glossy lip Balm - super juicy and bursting with life is what sold it to me, that and I had gone to meets friends and had no lip balm with me.  It costs just £99p from Superdrug and I really like it.
8. Clinique Happy Lip Gloss with perfume roller - this came as part of a gift set and whilst the perfume is lovely, I really don't like the Lip Balm, it is really sticky and gloopy and clings to your lips like copydex glue sticks to your hands. 
9. Nivea Caramel Cream Lip Butter - Again another impulse purchase from Superdrug and it smells absolutely wonderful when you first open the tin and it does glide onto your lips - bargain for £1.99
10. Jason Bee Lip Care - Came as part of a Glossybox package but can be found online from places like Amazon where it retails for £3.99 and I really like it because it is enriched with Aloe Vera Gel , Vitamin E, Shea Butter and Sweet Almond Oil and it smells really lovely
11. Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm Clear Satin Gloss Finish SPF15 - I am a fan of Carmex lip balms and I bought this because it was 'new' and I was intrigued by the design of it. It works really well on your lips and is definitely hydrating.  Retails for £4.49 and I bought mine from Boots
12. Carmex Mint Moisturising Lip Balm - I really love the design of this lip balm, makes life much easier with the design of the tube and the applicator and it is minty and makes your lips tingle when applied.  It retails for £2.69 and again from Boots
13. Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker  - A broze coloured lip gloss which came as part of a gift set. These glosses can be bought seperately and retail at around £9
14. Sweet Revenge Lip Balm - Smells of cherries and was sent to me by a friend in America in a package a few years ago
15. Too Faced Diamond Gloss Super Shine Ultra Glam Gloss Pink Diamond - This was a gift a few years ago and it is brilliant for adding shine to your lips and it tastes quite nice too.  These Lip glosses retail for around £6-£14 but if you go to Fragrane Direct you can often get them for £1.99 
16. Palmers Dark Chocolate and Cherry – This I bought because I knew I would love the smell, never mind what it did for my lips and it was on offer in Superdrug for £1.99 when I bought it

And last but not least, the final lip balm to show is the one I bought last night (Friday) when out and about because I swapped bags and forgot to take my Lip Balm with me, oops, so I bought this:

Vaseline Intensive Rescue Lip Therapy Repair Balm SPF 20 which costs £2.89 in Asda and it Soothes and protects very dry and chapped lips.  

Is anyone else as Lip Balm mad as I am? What is your favourite Lip Balm? Lip Gloss? Lip Butter?