The Five Minute At Home Facial by Superdrug

I love having facials and I love face masks, the nearest I get to having a regular facial. There is something quite relaxing about covering your face in lotions, potions, gels and fabrics to cleanse and clean your face.

Superdrug have just launched 'The Five Minute At Home Facial' in the form of fabric masks and I have very kindly been sent the set to try out.  Designed to give your skin an indulgent boost, these masks have been inspired by Asian beauty trends.  The fabric sheet which forms the mask has been soaked with effective b;ends to give the skin an almost instantaneous boost.  The five minute home facial title caught my eye because as someone who always feels like they are on the go Monday to Friday, I find it hard to find long enough to stick on a face mask to give it time to work, with this, 5 minutes is all you need, perfect.

I have been more than impressed with Superdrug products lately and not too long ago reviewed the Overnight Glycolic Peel which to me rivals Origins Overnight mask, you can read all about it here.

The collection contains four masks which have been created to address the most common skin problems Dull and Blemished skin, Parched and Rough Skin, Stressed and overworked Skin and Clogged and Tired Skin and the masks are packaged like this:

Working from left to right:

Hydrating Facial Mask is designed for parched and rough skin.  Using a rich complex of Plant Collagen and Glycerin along with Pelvetiane seaweed, this mask infuses the skin with goodness to leave it ultra-smooth and supple.

Calming Facial Mask is for those people who have stressed and overworked skin.  Using a herbal blend of Green Tea, Cucumber Fruit and Aloe Vera Juice, this mask is said to provide a soothing sensation whilst reviving the skins radiance, leaving it beautifully supple.

Deep Cleansing Face Mask is for people with clogged and tired skin and is designed to cleanse away impurities and detoxify the skin.  Using Dead Sea Salt, Menthol and Seaweed this mask cleanses and renews the complexions radiance to leave your skin silky smooth and reinvigorated.

Purifying Facial Mask is for those with dull and blemished skin.  Using a blend of Green Tea and Spearmint Oils, this mask cleanses the skin of any blemishes and refreshes it with cooling spearmint to leave the skin soft and supple.

I am looking forward to putting all of these masks to the test, so look out for reviews on each of them.  They retail for just £1.29 which is an absolute bargain and you can find them in your local Superdrug.

Do you like using facemasks? Do you like the sound of these?

Keeping fresh and flawless skin through the seasons

The changing seasons can play havoc with skin – dry, cold, hot, sweating – it all affects skin in different ways. Luckily, there are lots of different skin care routines you can do to keep it looking healthy, no matter what the climate or weather!

Here’s how to keep your skin looking fresh and radiant throughout the different seasons.

Smooth the wrinkles away

If you’re noticing a few unsightly marks around your face such as crow’s feet, frown lines or forehead lines, why not take a quick trip to a business like Cosmos Clinic, found here, which will have them smoothed out in no time. Anti-wrinkle injections are quick and efficient, as they slow down muscle movement in the areas where wrinkles are most problematic. In approximately five days, your face will be smooth and fresh, and you’ll have shaved years off your appearance! 

Cutting down baths and hot water showers

If you’re a regular bath buddy, or love your piping hot showers in winter, your skin may be suffering. Unfortunately, hot water strips your body of its natural oils, which can cause very dry skin. If you’re having baths or really hot showers multiple times a week, then your body is probably struggling to keep up producing enough moisturizing oils for your skin to stay soft and supple! 

Instead of using hot water, try lowering the temperature to warm. Try to limit your time in the bath to around 15 minutes – it might be hard, but your skin will thank you for it! Using a soap designed for delicate skin is also recommended, as this is another product that strips the natural oils.

Knowing the right time to moisturise

Dry skin sufferers can’t live without their moisturiser, and knowing when to apply it makes a world of difference to its effectiveness! Apply right after you get out of the bath or shower, after softly patting yourself dry. Also, applying just before bedtime will give you noticeable results. 

Summertime sunscreen

It seems obvious, but sunscreen is crucial to keeping your skin fresh, healthy and burn free during the summertime months. A great tip that most people don’t realize is that you can help protect your skin even more by applying it before you hit the beach. If you pop a bit on every night before the next beach vacation, your body builds up ‘stratum corneum’ – which stops your skin from burning! A great way to prevent the dreaded beetroot look, and to stop your skin frying and becoming damaged.

Exfoliate your skin to keep it fresh and vibrant

Skin sheds at a ridiculously fast rate. If they’re not exfoliated off, they’ll sit on top of your healthy new skin, making it look dry and sullen. There are lots of great body scrubs on the market perfect for exfoliating the old skin away, and ensuring that the new skin gets its time to shine! 

Exfoliating 2-3 times per week is optimal for lovely, luscious skin.
Changing your skin care to suit the seasons is important, and luckily, very easy to do!

What are some of your favourite ways to keep your skin fresh and healthy through the seasons

Guest Post

DKNY Be Delicious!

Every now and again I come across a product/brand and have an obsession. The current obsession is DKNY Be Delicious perfumes, they smell absolutely phenomenal and I cannot get enough of them.

I currently have three of the eight (that I have seen) that are available and I absolutely love the scent of all the ones I have tried and am sure I will be adding to my collection.

DKNY Be Delicious  - This perfume is described as being "A refreshing scent in an iconic apple-shaped bottle tempts you to take a bite out of life. A sophisticated blend of apples, exotic flowers and woods creates a fresh, juicy scent that can only be called delicious."  This was the first DKNY Be Delicious perfume I tried and I loved it from the first spritz, it works well with my skin and is really long lasting and I use it so much I have recently re-purchased, hence the reason I have two.

DKNY Red Delicious - This perfume is described as being "Sunflowers symbolizes the sun, capturing its goodness, naturalness and energy. The sunflower best represents what women today strive to become: strong, beautiful, healthy, smart and intuitive".  I bought this without smelling it, there was an offer in Boots and it was less than half price, last bottle, slightly damaged box and it was too good for me not to buy it.  That said, as soon as I spritzed it, I loved it.  Again it works well on my skin and is quite floral and simply lovely, I can't help but love it.

Be Delicious Fresh Blossom - This perfume is described as follows: "DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom transports you to that first stroll of spring in Central Park when it's abloom with flowers. Like a flirtatious smile it charms everyone it encounters. Light-hearted and intensely feminine, the scent is a mix of luscious fruit and delectable flowers. A blend of sparkling grapefruit, cassis and sun-kissed apricot meets a heart of sheer muguet and petal rose, wrapped in luminous jasmine. The apple sensation finishes with a body-lingering base of blonde woods and smooth skin accords. You can't help be instantly smitten as will he". I bought this in the airport in France a it was on offer for £19 and I knew it was missing from my collection, luckily I was able to try it before I bought it and surprise surprise I loved it, so much so I managed to encourage one of my work colleagues to buy it for his girlfriend who also loved it.

Now all I need are the following to complete my collection:

From LtoR - Be Delicious Night, Be Delicious City Blossom Urban Violet, Be Delicious Golden Delicious Hydrating, Be Delicious Skin Hydrating, Be Delicious Fresh Blossom Skin Hydrating

And of course the new DKNY My NY which I cannot wait to try.

Do you have any of the DKNY perfumes in your collection?
Do you have a favorite?

My current favourite TV shows!

I don't know about you, but there are times when all I want to do is grab my iPad, put on my lounge pants and a big baggy t-shirt, grab my blanket which my mum spent over 6 months knitting for me, curl up on the sofa, a few candles lit and watch a TV programme.

Over the past few months I have been doing exactly this, attempting to spend some time away from the trials and tribulations of everyday life and finding something to totally help with de-stressing and relaxing.  These are the TV shows I have been loving.

Revenge - I was hooked on this TV show, I couldn't stop watching it and find myself still sitting on the sofa into the early hours watching episode after episode. It is about the daughter (Emily) of a framed executive, who makes it her mission to infiltrate upper Hamptons society and exact revenge on the people who set her father up, namely the Grayson family.  

From start to finish I loved this show, the opening pilot caught me and dragged me into and under the spell of Emily who will stop at nothing to get that revenge she has set her heart on.

Orange is the new Black - Well if you haven't been watching this, then where have you been? I started watching it because everyone I knew seemed to be watching it.  It is based on the memoir of Piper Kerman about her experiences in prison.  The show follows the story of Piper Chapman, a woman in her thirties who is sentenced to fifteen months in prison after being convicted of a decade-old crime of transporting money for her drug-dealing girlfriend.  

For me this programme was laugh out loud funny in places with some amazing characters and I am eagerly awaiting series 3!

Nashville - It follows the lives of Country singers Rayna James and upcoming star Juliette Barnes.  Rayna is the 'Queen of Country Music', with quite a few skeltons in her closet, and her currently album isn't selling, tour venues are empty and rer record label suggests that she open for Juliette Barnes, the young and sexy best selling singer of bubble gum country. However, Juliette, seeing Rayna as privileged, purposefully alienates her. Rayna, who dislikes Juliette's style of music, rejects a joint tour out of hand. The two women come into conflict as each tries to get guitarist Deacon Claybourne, Rayna's bandmate and former lover, to sign on to their tour. Rayna's life is further complicated when her estranged father, millionaire businessman Lamar Wyatt, convinces her husband, Teddy Conrad, to run for Mayor of Nashville.

Again, another American series which I have absolutely loved and am eagerly awaiting series three.

Graceland - A group of undercover agents from various law enforcement agencies in the United States, including the DEA, the FBI, and the ICE, live together in a confiscated Southern California beach house known as "Graceland".  "Graceland" is a place full of secrets, and bad, good, and blurred moments too. The only idyllic thing is its outside look, but the lives of its residents are nothing like it. The lies which are in the base of their undercover work, are formed a web of lies that pervades everything. Coming of a new graduating at the top of his class, FBI rookie, Mike Warren, could make the life of a legendary FBI agent Paul Briggs and the others, more complicated or it could reveal the truth. It is based upon actual events.

I have only just started watching this series and already I am obsessed with it and am sure I will soon be finishing it in search of something new to watch.  Recent TV shows the mister and I have watched entirely are (and ive probably missed a few):

• Hannibal
• Dexter
• House
• The Shield
• The West Wing
• The Sopranos
• The Mentalist
• Blue Bloods
• The Following
• Spooks
• Luther
• Criminal Minds
• CSI - all of them
• The Wire
• Veep

So if there is something you think I should be watching based on those four shows, please let me know in the comments because I am always on the lookout... 

Have you watched anything really good recently? What do you recommend?