Unclog and invigorate with Bioré Nose Strips

It has been a long long time since I have used Bioré^® Deep Cleansing Pore nose strips and it happened that I came across them on offer in Superdrug whilst distracted by the Essie stand that I decided to buy them.

I have oily-combination skin, though thankfully I am not prone to enlarged pores, flare ups of spots or blemishes.  Also, despite living in London where no doubt we have a lot of pollution, I don't have too much of a problem with blackheads and try as best I can to keep them away using scrubs and masks.  However, as it has been a while and these Bioré^® strips were on offer, I decided to spend £5.32 instead of the usual £7.99 and see how effective they are and as I type this review, I have one on my nose and you can find them HERE

Inside the box, as you can see, there are 6 individually wrapped nose-strips (I am sure you used to get 12) and the foil packaging itself contains all the information on it you need to know about using them and it has a handy arrow pointing to a top section where you can open the packet.  Once out of the packet, the nose strip is neatly stuck to a piece of plastic and as you can see it is designed to fit over the bridge of your nose and to the sides of your nostrils, the places where perhaps you have the most problem.

How to Use

I used this strip exactly as I was instructed to do. I cleansed and cleaned my face to remove my day’s make-up along with other dirt and grime which might have been clinging to my face, patted my skin dry and then wet my nose to apply the strip.  One thing to make note is that please do ensure that the strip is completely in contact with skin and not hanging off anywhere or is loose, as you apply the strip, I found it clung to my skin with minimal effort.  Once on the skin you can tell there is tea tree and witch hazel used as ingredients because you can smell them, thankfully they are no too over-powering as you have to sit and wait for about 10-15 minutes for the strip to dry, I myself am not the biggest fan of either fragrance, but it was bearable.  

After your allotted time, when it comes to peeling off the strip, it is pretty straightforward though it does feel a little odd because you can feel it pulling off your skin, I assume it is pulling out blackheads and other bits of gunk as you rip.  Once off the nose, as you can see there is the evidence for all to see, little pockets of blackheads and other bits of dirt, quite gross really!  I have to admit, there is also something satisfying about ripping these off your face (yes I am a ghoul).

Once I have removed the strip and binned it, I always wash my face again and then ensure that my face is properly moisturised because in the past I have found similar strips to be quite drying on the skin.  Overall though, these strips clearly do work and they do leave my skin looking much clearer.

For more information on Bioré^® Nose Strips, you can find it HERE along with further information on other products from the Bioré^® range. 

**Did you know...

• Over 28.8 billion pores have been unclogged by pore strips sold to-date!
• The average pore is about as large as the point of a ballpoint pen. (With Bioré^® Pore Strips you can make yours appear even smaller!)
• Pores are about as deep as the ridges on our fingerprints — about a hundredth of an inch.
• Blackheads are full of bacteria. So fingernails and squeezing can actually tear your skin and spread bacteria, but using Bioré^® Pore Strips helps get rid of dirt and oil that can cause blackheads without tearing your skin OR spreading bacteria.

**Info taken from Bioré^®

Shoe's that make you slim?

So summer time is almost here and feet will be out! Back in 2009 I discovered my first ever pair of FitFlops and ever since then I haven't looked back.  This is how I discovered them.

My Dilema...

Despite the fact I hate feet, I do love shoes. If my husband knew how many pairs of shoes I actually had, he probably wouldn't be a happy bunny. But what is a girl to do when her favourite pair of Flip Flops which she has had for almost 10 years decides that they have had enough and retire themselves off to Flip Flop heaven? Yes you guessed it right, buy a new pair and that is just what I did. When it comes to Flip Flops I have never ever quite found a comfortable pair that I could literally live in and that is part of the reason why I stuck with my last pair for so long. Then I saw an advert online for some FitFlops which sounded far too good to be true, so I Googled the website and went off to read more about them. 

What is it that they do?

Now, if I told you that it was possible to buy a pair of FitFlops that "will make your bum look smaller" or if I told you that they would be responsible for:

• Toning and trimming your legs
• Improving your muscle tone
• Improving posture and balance
• Burning calories
• Absorb shock on your feet, knees and back

would you believe me? "No" I thought not and I didn't believe it either, but that was just the feedback from Tina who writes for the Saturday Times Magazine. Not only Tina but Helen from Wales reckons she had less dimples on her thighs through wearing the FitFlops everyday and Tricia stated she lost 4 inches on her thighs and then if you read through further testimonials on the website you can kind further good news stories on these miracle Fit Flops and they are self styled as being "the FitFlop, with the GYM built in" and then it went on to say "The FitFlop WalkStar (the type of FitFlop I bought) gives you a work out while you walk". The FitFlops have been designed by two Biomechanics making the FitFlops biomechanically engineered so that they absorb shock, lesson joint strain and recreate the gait of barefoot walking.

I suffer from back pain, it is hereditary condition within through my dads side of the family and it something you learn to live with. I've been a regular patient at the chiropractors which solves the problem for a few months at a time, but eventually the pain comes back, so I did mention to him on my last visit that I would be purchasing a pair of these FitFlops after reading about them on the internet and even he thought it would be a good idea to try something other than rolling around on a tennis ball to ease the pain (yes it does help...really). So with all of those positive statements and an approval from my chiropractor, I quickly purchased some lovely new shiney black FitFlops and sat back and waited, with a lot of excitement, for them to arrive.

So what a FitFlops and do they do what they claim to? Well to look at they resemble nothing more then a pair of FitFlops and if you didn't know any better, you would be hard pushed to think they were anything different, the only thing which does stand out is that on the front of them are the words FitFlops. When you receive the FitFlops they come with a little care booklet which tells you in a lot more detail about what FitFlops are, how it works and what it has been designed to do. Most strikingly is the bright yellow warning card which warns you to use your FitFlops progressively to avoid excessive muscle soreness because potentially they can increase the muscle activity. 

The FitFlops have been designed quite cleverly and each part of the FitFlop be it the toe end, mid section or heel end, they all have a role to play in the toning of your legs by making your muscles work harder whilst encouraging blood circulation. The cushioned sole of the FitFlop is shaped for your foot to fit snuggly into it and it is said that this sole and the way it fits your foot is designed to slightly destabilse the way you walk which in turn makes you use more muscles in your legs when walking because the muscles in your legs work harder to ensure that the instability is conquered therefore giving you a work out as you walk. 

However, it doesn't end there. FitFlops have been around for some time now and as with most products they are often re-released and marketed along of the guise of being new and improved, well the FitFlop is no different. They are now available in all kinds of styles ranging from WalkStar , WalkStar II, Electra, The Gill and Dass to name but a few and FitFlops are now linked with the improving of your posture, minimizing back stress and make it easier to stay in shape to name but a few. All of this is achieved with how the FitFlop makes you balance when walking, how hard your muscles have to work and acting as a work out as you walk. 

I ordered my pair online from Boots for the price of £40 and they arrived the following morning in the black colour that I had ordered. FitFlops come in a variety of colours such as yellow, white red, blue and black and in some cases even Pink. They are also available for men and women and come in a range of sizes from a 3 to 9. However before you do buy them, I would recommend visiting a recommended retailer selling FitFlops to download and use the size guide prior to purchasing and the reason being that I am usually a size 6.5 in shoe but in the case of FitFlops I needed to purchase a size 6 which fitted both my feet perfectly. 

When they arrived, not in a shoe like box, which I was slightly annoyed about, I opened the plastic bag within which they were sealed and the first thing you notice is the plastic smell which soon wears off. You will also receive a booklet which as mentioned gives you more information about the FitFlop and how to care for it, keep it clean and most importantly washing them! With all that aside I couldn't wait to try them out and immediately put them on to walk around the house in and I was surprised at how comfortable they are and how easy they are to walk in, they is a slight bounce to your walk which I was immediately aware of although it doesn't look unnatural in any way, it just feels a little odd until you get used to it. Over the top of the FitFlop is a strap, which is quite thick to hold your foot in place as well as the piece of plastic which sits between your big and second toe. I found both parts to be really comfortable when wearing. After reading the blurb about making your walking style unstable to ensure you use more muscles, I was expecting to walk like I was slightly intoxicated until I got the hang of walking in the FitFlops, but bizarrely they seem no different to any other Fit Flop that I have owned or walked in. 

I now wear these FitFlops constantly, I now carry my work shoes in a bag and wear my FitFlops to walk to and from work in. and although I am not supposed to wear them in the office due to health and safety, if I have a quiet day I do tend to wear them. Having owned a pair now for over 4 months I have to say they are the best FitFlops that I have ever owned, they are just so comfortable and easy to wear. I have never suffered so much as a blister, sore skin or any other ailment due to wearing these FitFlops other than after wearing them constantly for the first few days I did feel slight tightness in my calf muscles. I think the money they cost me is definitely justified, its just a shame I cannot wear them all wear round. 

Would I recommend them? Yes I would for being so comfortable more than anything else and because I do a lot of walking anyway so my legs are not in that bad a condition, for me the FitFlops act as an extra work out when I am not at the gym taking a spinning or step aerobic class. So not only are they comfortable but they help to keep your feet feeling cool, whereas when they are covered up all day in socks and shoes the feet naturally sweat and this leads to further problems, with FitFlops they are uncovered and the skin can breathe naturally. 

The main improvement for me however has been my posture, whereas before I would slouch into my work chair to try and ease the pain in my lower back, I now seem to suffer less with the ache in the first place and it has been commented upon that I now seem to sit with a straight back and rounded shoulders, which again helps with my lower back muscles and since I have been wearing my FitFlops I haven't been back to the Chiropractor which is not only saving me £35 per visit, but it also means I am suffering a lot less than I used to and for that reason alone, for me the cost of £40 for some FitFlops was justified. Sadly, you cannot just pop into your High street supermarket or chain shop to buy FitFlops, although I have already seen replicas in some local shoe shops, they are available through online stores likes Boots, Amazon and their own homepage has a link to other websites which also sell them. FitFlops range in price from £36 to £60 depending on make and colour, so it is worth having a browse before punching in your credit card details to make the purchase. 

They are also easy to look after and take care of. Like most shoes after wearing them for an excessive amount of time they can begin to pong slightly so it is essential that they are cleaned. To do this task you simply need to use an old toothbrush or a cloth and with a small amount of washing powder scrub them lightly and then leave them to dry. 

Finally, If you intend to wear them a lot of the time and are not just buying them because you read good reviews about them then they are definitely worth an investment and at the end of the day they are probably the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever owned, I can walk around in them for hours and don't end up with aching feet or sore toes.

And as if all that isn't enough... I actually have a Fit Flop wishlist and here it is...

Top row we have Hibiscus Ballerina Pumps Coral £75 / Middle Row Purple Frou Fitflop £75 / Bottom Row Hibiscus Ballerina Pumps in Black and Tan £75

Lush Imogen Rose Perfume

With my love for Lush I am intending to make way through their entire product collection, I seem to be up to date with trying all of the Bath Ballistics and I am almost done with the Bubble Bar slices, so its no mean feat being a Lush-o-holic. However, I am always really happy to try new products and the one product section with Lush that I am not so familiar with is their perfume range. So I decided that it was about time I tackled this problem and purchased myself something from the range, whilst trying some of the new products.

Lush perfumes come in 6 different aromas - Tuca Tuca, Ginger, Orange Blossom, The Smell of Freedom, Karma and Imogen Rose. They are all sold in store and online.

Lush Imogen Rose Perfum

As ever with Lush, nothing is ever straight forward when it comes to a product and the perfume range is no different. For starters with Imogen Rose, of which I have in my possession, it is available in a bottle or as a solid perfume. I have never in my lifetime tried a solid perfume, so I thought I might as well give it go and see if I could be converted. 


So the solid perfume is priced at £10 and for that you get a 12g stick and I say stick because what you get is a fatter, dumpier version of a chapstick to describe how it looks and the tube itself is black and on the tube it features white writing which tells you it is 'Imogen Rose' and a solid perfume, so you definitely know which product you have purchased. The lid is one of those similar to the ones you find on a tube of lip salve and is simply removed by pulling it odd and then re-applied by pushing it back on, so thankfully that is a simple task. Then to reveal the solid perfume, again the characteristics of a lip salve/chapstick come into play with the twisting section at the bottom of the perfume which raises and lowers the solid perfume in and out of the tube. The one thing I immediately liked about this product was how easy it was to use and how easy it is to carry on your person or in your bag, I always have a bottle of perfume in my bag, no matter where I am going, and it has been known for that bottle, which is always made of glass to break which in turn becomes a complete waste of money and if it hasn't ruined my current handbag by staining it, I'm left stinking rather strongly of perfume! 

Imogen Rose was designed by a Lush product designer with reference to his one year old daughter also named Imogen Rose, and he, Simon, wanted to make a perfume containing roses because in his own words "They're either too granny-ish or seem so synthetic that I'm sure a rose has never been anywhere near them" and from here Imogen Rose was born. As you would expect Imogen Rose is a nice bright pink colour and it really stands out against the blackness of the tube and when applied to the skin, thankfully it does not leave a pinky stain behind, although it does look pink on your skin when you do apply it. 

Solid perfume

When I first removed the top from the tube, I was pleasantly surprised at how nice this perfume did smell, like Simon who invented it, any perfume that usually contains Rose does remind me of my Granny and not in a nice way, so it is nice to have something which smells quite floral but fresh at the same time and not overly potent. The one remark people always make about Lush is how pongy their products and shops are and for me that is what I love about them, the solid perfume however is not pongy and would not give you a headache but it is a prominent smell as soon as you remove the lid.

So when it comes to the list of ingredients you wont be surprised to learn that as ever with a Lush product there is an exhaustive list which accompanies it and even more unsurprising is that the first ingredient to mention is:

• Rose Oil and Rose Oil comes from the flower petals of the damask rose and is used in more than half a dozen lush products because on the skin it has an amazing ability to moisturise and improve the skins appearance. 
• Next is Orris Butter which has a very delicate, sweet floral and a slight woody aroma. 
• Vertivert Oil which is again used in a lot of Lush products, is good because it helps to help clear the mind and help dispel anger and anxiety and on the skin hosts similar properties to Rose Oil, however within a perfume it has an earthy aroma and works well alongside Orris butter. 
•  

There is a further list of ingredients that can be found on the back of this product or from Lush.
 
When it comes to using this perfume, because it is a solid there is obviously no need to spritz it here and there and for me at first this did pose a problem because if I am spritzing it I can tell how much perfume I have applied, so for the first few attempts I did find applying this perfume a little bit hit and miss but soon got to grips with it. So to apply it, you simply rub it onto your pressure points and apply as much or as little as you feel your skin needs and as I mentioned earlier within this review, given that the perfume stick itself is a bright pink colour and when it is applied to the skin you can see a slight pinky stain on your skin which disappears almost immediately and is not a permanent mark and I find it useful to pinpoint where I have applied the perfume as I am applying it. Once it is applied to the skin the fragrance for me comes alive and there is, as Lush tell you, a slight hint of the baby powder aroma, which is simply divine and for me makes this a fantastic perfume, if anyone has ever had a Baby Powder Yankee Candle then the aroma is distinctly similar and it is for me incredibly girlie and definitely not 'Granny-ish'. 

For me this is a brilliant product and one I am really quite fond of, when applied it is very fragrant and the aromas last for a good few hours because a re-application is required and my own husband even likes the smell of it, despite knowing it is from Lush! So this is one product that I intend to carry around in my handbag for the immediate future and should it run out then I am very much tempted to either buy it again or try my luck with another one from the range. I suspect this product will last for different amounts of time depending on how often you feel the need to apply and re-apply it, I have had my 12g tube for 5 weeks now and suspect I've got just over half of the stick left and I apply it 2 or 3 times a day some days, although I don't actually use it every day of the week, so it is worth its money. 

Perfume Lover?

Here is the guest post I did for the lovely Hayley over at Sparkles & Stretchmarks as she was due to (and now has) given birth to the very handsome and beautiful Tyne - see HERE about some of my favourite perfumes.  Just lately as I find myself coming to the end of bottles, I debate trying something completely new... I am drawn to the Marc Jacob bottles because they are stunning... should I try them? I am not sure...  Anyway here was my post for Hayley...

I love perfume, though I am quite fussy about what I will and won’t wear.  I am sometimes tempted to purchase a perfume because I like the bottle and am desperate to get my hands on Dior J’adore (the advert is also catchy) and Mark Jacobs Daisy because I like the look of them.  But I never tend to buy a perfume on a whim, I will go into whichever store I am near, test it on my skin, walk around and then if I like it, I might purchase it or add it to a list of ‘wants’ and when birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas are on the horizon, said perfume(s) show.

There are now, some perfumes I can just go out and purchase because I have worn them so often and I thought I would share some of my favourite perfumes with you.

Shown above in those 9 squares you will find:

1. Chanel Allure which will cost you around £46 for 50ml

2. Bvlgari Coral which will cost around £33 for  25ml

3. Miss Dior Cherie which will cost around £55 for 50ml

4. Clinique Happy which will cost around £35 for 30ml

5. M&S Blush which currently costs £8.50 for 25ml

6. DKNY Be Delicious which costs around £48 for 50ml

7. Bvlgari Pour Femme which costs around  £35.50 for 25ml

8. Valentino Rock N Rose which costs around £50 for 50ml

9. Fame Lady Gaga  which costs £25 for 50ml and the only ‘Celeb’ perfume I like currently

I am a huge fan of Bvlgari perfumes, they all smell really lovely when I wear them and they are the ones which tend to last the longest before I need to re-apply.  I carry the Marks and Spencer’s Blush around in my handbag because it is so light to carry around and perfect handbag size.  I do like to chop and change on a daily basis which perfume I wear, but it is likely it will be one of those listed above.

Now I don’t know if anyone remembers Tribe perfume? I used to wear it all the time as a teenager, I loved it and imagine my delight when I found some in a storage box, still wrapped and unused.  It is now discontinued and I am told a bit of a collectors item!  I also used to wear Ex’cla-ma’tion as did all my friends and although you can still buy this, I really don’t like the scent anymore.  The final perfume I used to wear is Vanderbilt, again my best friend and I used to wear this and well.. . It is still available to buy and will cost you about £10 for 100ml.  

If you can’t remember any of these perfumes, you will find them shown below:

What perfumes do you love to wear? What was your favourite Childhood perfume?