Nip + Fab Skin Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads

When a product that you are sent is so good, you go out and stock up on them so you never run out obviously means not only is it an amazing product but everyone needs to be using it right? Well I am a fan of the Nip + Fab range which has featured on this blog before and today I have another amazing product to share and it is one I wasn't expecting to like, infact when I realised they were infact exfoliating pads, my whole teenager years flashed by my eyes and the horror that was those Oxy pads - eurgh!

The Nip + Fab Skin Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads (whew) are amazing and each tub contains 60 of these pads which means you either get one or two months supply depending on how often you use them. I prefer to use them once a day in an evening as part of my cleansing routine because I feel that is most effective.

Each pad is soaked in exfoliating glycolic acid which my skin reacts to really well. There is also Witch Hazel which helps to tone the skin plus hyaluronic acid which again my skin absolutely loves and finally blue daisy which soothes and calms the skin.

The pads are really well soaked with the glycolic acid and the screw-top lid is really easy to open and close, plus if you screw it on properly it prevents the pads from drying out. If you do find them drying out, simply store the pot upside down, ensuring the lid is tightly screwed on, then all the glycol ice acid from the bottom few pads will soak those at the top - same trick for face wipes! 

The pads themselves have a textured side which is used for a gentle scrub and a smooth side which I used after the textured side to remove anything which has been brought to the surface of my skin . The pads themselves as you can see are a really good size, not much smaller than my cotton wool pads and when I use them, they absorb and contain enough of the product to coat my entire face, neck and décolletage.  They are not overly abrasive and do feel cooling in the skin. After using them your skin feels so clean as though you have just had a facial, it is amazing.

The Nip + Fab Skin Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads retail for around £12.95 but if you look out for them in Boots they are half price!

Have you ever tried these pads?

bagsy - Meet your handbag's new best friends!

Today I am introducing bagsy to you, a new beauty collection of multi-tasking must-haves for the handbag. If you are anything like me then the make-up bag you carry around is probably full to the point of seam ripping because you need and want so many products with you on the go. Well bagsy is a British born collection of easy to use beauty essentials which let you be prepared for any event with their new collection.

The one thing that stands out to me with bagsy is the packaging, yes really. I was lucky enough to to go a preview event to see the collection for myself and it is stunning. Someone has clearly put a lot of thought and effort into making these items look aesthetically delightful, making you want them before you even know what it is. Created by a team of people who have for years worked alongside some of the worlds biggest brands, they have come together to launch their own collection, using their expert knowledge of formulas, shapes, shades, colours and popular selling products and this is what they have:

Wonder Wand - I absolutely loved this product from the first swatch. It is one pencil which doubles up to be a highlighting and concealing crayon (how clever is that!). This little 2-in-1 product is great for highlighting and concealing on the go, so whether it is blemishes or undereye circles - voila, toodle pip Wonder Wand has it dealt with. (£18).

Pretty Cheeks - The little blush is dome shaped and has a formula that looks like a cream, feels like a cream but it isn't a cream, it acts like a powder. The dome shape allows you to use it on those cheeks bones and then effortlessly blend it in, using your fingers or a brush with no effort at all. It is available in two shades - Velvet Rose and Velvet Coral and even I loved the look of Coral on my swatch. (£16)

Ray on Sunshine - This matte-finish bronzer is delightful. The packaging is slim rather than bulky and it has a mirror. It is engraved with "Sunshine is my favourite accessory" to make it even more amazing and it is sold in two shades - Light medium and Medium Dark which sounds a tad daunting, but the light medium works really well with my skin tone because again it is an effortless blender. (£18)

There are three types of lip products which are called Lip Velvet, Wow Lips and Lip Cocoon and all three are again items I feel like I need in my life.

Lip Velvet is a matte liquid lipstick which is lightweight, soft, hydrating and amazingly pigmented. Once applied it lasts for a good 4-5 hours before you need to re-apply it but as it does fade, it leave behind a lovely tint on the lips, which can be brightened with a bit of clear gloss. 

It is available in four different shades - No Frills, Spilling Plates, Rush Hour and Living the Dream. What I love about these is the packaging, some people on Instagram have compared them to the Opaque Rogue sticks from Hourglass, but you can judge for yourself what you think. The shade swatched below is Spilling Plates (£12)

Lip Cocoon - This is another product I loved as soon as I saw it. It is a lip balm but not just any lip balm, it is one of the prettiest designed lip balms I have come across. 

Available in Lemon and Raspberry, they are scented and smell like fresh Lemons and Raspberries and give a very subtle hint of colour. They glide onto the lips and are super hydrating. (£7)

Wow Lips is a chubby stick, something most people love, have and use. There are four different shades available - Killer Heels, Happy Days, Ready to Wear and Cocktail Hour and they are not only glossy but also again very pigmented. (£12)

The final piece of make-up is for the eyes and is called Beautiful Eyes. This lightweight eyeshader is easily blended and the feathery texture stays put throughout the day no matter what’s thrown at you. Available in Pearly Bird, Caffeine Fix, The Big Smoke and Take The Plunge.  The shade swatched below is Caffeine Switch.

Hair Wonder - (£5.00) An instant refresh for hair, this subtly scented dry shampoo mist volumises roots and absorbs oil with a blend of rice and tapioca. It smells absolutely amazing and in my view, you can never ever have too much dry shampoo at home because you never know when you might need it!

Heavenly Hands - (£6.00) Made with a blend of natural essential minerals of zinc, magnesium, iron and silicon, this soft-whipped cream leaves hands silky soft but never greasy.  Again, this is another definite handbag must for me and the cream for this is divine.

Make Up Bag - (£15.00) For all your bagsy treats, this amazing Flamingo designed pouch is roomy, it looks amazing, it is very cute and it looks amazing in any handbag.

So there you have it, bagsy!  A range which is beautifully packaged and one that has excited me enough to want to know what they have planned next!

The bagsy collection is launching on Monday 15th June on Feelunique.

What are your impressions of bagsy?

PMD Personal Microderma Device

Microdermabrasion is something that has always intrigued me and is a treatment that I assumed you should only have done at a clinic/treatment center.  So when I was offered the chance to try a device that could be used at home, I jumped at the chance.

The *PMD Personal Microderma (£150) is said to replicate the treatment given by professionals to help unclog pores, smooth and even tone, reduce blemishes and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  Inside the box you will find everything you need - 7 exfoliating discs, 1 electrical cord, 2 caps and a really helpful and easy to read/understand leaflet and instructional DVD. So, before I even considered using the device, I watched the DVD a number of times just to ensure I understood what I need to do to get this right and to ensure I was using it properly. 

The discs that accompany the set include an initial white training disc, two green discs and four blue discs all of which have different levels of abrasiveness. 

To use the devise, your skin needs to be product free and completely dry and then holding the skin so it is taught slightly, gently glide the device over the skin making sure to only pass over the same area once. The first time I tried this, I used my arm to practice on and whilst I was expecting the sound to be that of a dentists drill, I was surprised to find it less noisy than my hairdryer, though the noise is quite similar.  Once I had done my test patch, there was some slight reddening which quickly disappeared, so I was quite keen to try it on my face.  I don't have sensitive skin, but I do have an oily t-zone with dryness on both cheeks, so I started with the blue disc which is designed for sensitive skin and it took me quite a while to get the hang of it.  

As the disc spins, it not only exfoliates but has suction to it, so it sucks up the skin and any other grime that comes off your skin right out the way.  For me this took a few attempts to get used to, especially on my face because even though there is no pain, it does feel slightly odd to start with.  After finishing, the one thing I did notice was a very small amount of redness after using the device but not nearly as much as I thought I would and I haven't experienced any other effects such as breakouts which I had expected. 

Having used the device for the past few months, there is a notable difference in the softness of my skin and there is less dryness, plus the number of blackheads that had gathered on my chin have now almost gone, so for that I am hugely impressed.  What I do like about this device is how easy it is to use once you become comfortable with it, it is lightweight so it doesn't leave you with a dead arm and it is also really easy to clean which is another added bonus.

Have you tried an at-home or salon microdermabrasion treatment? Have you tried this PMD Personal Microderm device?

It's all in the Eyes!

Just like going to the dentist, getting your eyes tested is really important. I know that, you know that but it is one 'thing' that I always put off.  Infact I haven't been for over five years oops and it isn't as though the television advertisements are not a constant reminder.

I am short-sighted or what is referred to as mild myopia, which is not too severe but enough that I need to wear glasses when watching the TV, driving, reading a book/Kindle and sitting at a computer.  I went through a phase of wearing daily contact lenses, but a very drunken night out led to my forgetting I had them in and it was painful to remove them and my vanity was shoved to one side and I was back wearing glasses, not something I like wearing, but they are must.

So I need to go and have my eyes tested again to see if there has been any improvement or to see if I need new glasses and where I live there are not many easy accessible places to get to despite living on a high street.  Do I choose one of two independent optometrists or something more recognised like Optical Express?  I did use Boots for a time but my local store moved their resources to a new bigger store.  So for me it is more about finding somewhere new that I am comfortable with, a bit like going to the hairdressers, when my regular stylist who had been doing my hair for over ten years left, I suddenly didn't want to go to that salon anymore, even though everyone in there knew me and were very friendly.

I know I am going to have to go and have my eye tested, I need new glasses, my current ones (Silhouette Rimless) are in need of refreshing and there is now so much more choice than there was and even apps you can use on some online sites to upload your photo and choose your frames, something I have spent hours doing and here is my shortlist:

However I do need to get my eyes tested first before I can buy glasses!

How often do you have your eyes tested? Is it a regular appointment or are you like me and go infrequently?