You Beauty Discovery Box - August

It's that time of the month for another You Beauty Discovery Box and if you read my blog regularly, you will know that I am a huge fan of this box and think it is one of the best out there. For August, the box is centered about Summer Essentials and the chance to try some of the best summer friendly products.

This month there are two 'Treats' which area sachet of Sienna X Gradual Glowing Tan which is said to give you natural looking, award winning, sunless tan. I really like the sound of the brand but don't think a sachet will give me enough insight into whether or not I would purchase a full sized product. The second treat is an introductory sampler to the book 'The Mortal Instruments: One - City of Bones by Cassandra Clare and it is part of an Urban Fantasy series which is not my thing at all and not something that I will be reading. So I am not too impressed with the 'Treats' this month.

The next two products are the ones that I chose to try from a selection of 8. This month I opted for two products that I had heard a lot about but have never tried.  

StriVectin – Intensive Illuminating Serum. This Serum is a lightweight skin brightening formula that diminishes dull skin, evens skin tone and enhances overall clarity. Its patented NIA-114 technology minimizes the effect of environmental aggressors while encapsulated skin-brightening ingredients target the key causes of discoloration. It is also said that over time, dark spots, age spots and discoloration are less visible for a more even complexion. Skin texture is smoother and more refined with a radiant, youthful glow.  This product has a value of around £19

Ole Henriksen – Truth Serum Collagen Booster. I have used the Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser and the Pure Truth Oil, both of which I was really impressed and quite keen to try something else from the range and this caught my attention. The Truth Serum is packed full of antioxidants and Vitamin C which as we know, are vital for the skin at this time of year. Whilst the sun works wonders at supplying us with that all important Vitamin D, it can also dry the skin and damage it too if we don’t look after our skin.  This product has an RRP £18

So there you have it, my £6.95 box of goodies for July from You Beauty Discovery. What do you think to my contents?

Elemis Face Masks

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that I love facemasks and like nothing better than using them a few times a week to keep my dry, red prone almost wrinkle free skin in the best condition that I can manage.  It seems to be the 'in' thing right now to try multimasking, something I am bringing to this blog soon, but in my quest to multimask, I have been going through my stash using masks I haven't used in a while and try out some new ones. Two of those new ones come from Elemis**, a brand I feel I should have used more than I have and one whose products I do have and have used, I have loved.

The two masks in question are the Herbal Lavender Repair Mask and Exotic Cream moisturising mask, both totally different but both absolutely amazing.

I can't pick a favourite between these masks and both have their own good points.  The Herbal Lavender Repair Mask is said to purify, sooth and rebalance the skin.  Ideal for those who have sensitive, dull, congested or blemish prone skin, this mask uses soothing Kaolin Clay along with Rosemary, Thyme and Lavender essential oils which are great for purifying the skin, acting as an antiseptic and also for deep cleansing.

The mask comes inside this pure which tube with a silver twist on and off lid and looks very luxurious. The idea is that you apply the mask to clean skin on the face and neck and leave it for 10-15 minutes trying your best not to talk or make any movement which might cause the clay to crack.  

As the mask is drying, I did feel a slight tingling on my skin which always worries me as I have had issues in the past with clay masks.  Thankfully not with this one and instead what it is does is give your skin that really clean fresh feel, the one where it feels as though your skin can actually breathe, isn't clogged up and doesn't need a good wash.  What I also love about this mask is its scent, yes it contains Lavender which is one of my favourite scents, but it isn't the main scent for me, it is in fact Rosemary which is so fresh smelling it is wonderful.

The Elemis Herbal Lavender Mask has an RRP £30 for a 75ml tube and you can find it right HERE.

The Second Mask in my Elemis collection is the Exotic Cream Moisture mask which I also adore.  Found inside this really luxurious silver tube packaging with a pump action nozzle, This mask contains mimosa and amino-acid rich honey, plus extracts of samphire, orange and bergamot and it has one of those scents that you instantly love and would like to see in candle form (Hint Elemis). 

Now if you want a face mask which leaves your skin not only feeling refreshed, but super moisturised and hydrated then this is one worthy of looking at and it is perfect for those of you who have spent a good few weeks somewhere and hot and need some TLC for your skin because one tip I was given with this mask is to leave it on overnight and wash off in the morning and it is just superb.  

To use this mask you simply warm three or four pumps between the palms of your hands and apply onto a clean face and neck.  Once applied, you leave it for up to 10 minutes to allow the mask and all its goodness to deeply penetrate into the skin to push all the rubbish out, not only giving you a deep cleanse but also ensuring your skin receives optimum hydration.  After those 10 minutes, rinse off using warm water, then pat the skin dry before applying your usual moisturiser.  Your skin, should by now feel absolutely amazing.

Now not only is this mask amazing but you can also use it on other dry patches on your body, so whether that is your knees, elbows, hands or feet and the effects are brilliant, well worthy of 10-15 minutes of your time to treat these parts of your body which often get forgotten.  This mask is sold in a 50ml tube and has an RRP £35 and you can see it right HERE

Have you tried either of these masks?

Beach Essentials Giveaway!

Are you going on holiday or going away for a few days and still need some essential items? Well I have a giveaway in which one lucky person can win the follow items:

• £10 to spend at Amazon online for books, ebooks, or essentials like suncream and bikinis
• A Twister Picnic Blanket with keyring (which you can use as the Twister board)
• Bar Bingo – bingo cards for you and your friends to play at the cocktail bar

All you have to do is complete the entry form below for your chance to win.  The giveaway is open for 2 weeks and it is UK only. There are some mandatory options, so please ensure they are completed or your entry will be null and void.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Prizes have been provided for this giveaway

Macadamia Professional Weightless Moisture Trio Set

My hair can be my biggest nightmare. It is like my skin, combination. I have greasy roots which often leads to a dry scalp and dry ends and I am always keen to try new products in the hope I can ensure my hair is kept in good condition. One product my hair does seem to love is Macadamia Oil, so when I was kindly sent a set to try, I couldn't wait to how my hair would react.

The Macadamia Professional Weightless Moisture trio includes a Shampoo, Conditioner, Weightless Mist and a Healing Oil Infused Comb. Now Macadamia Natural Oil combines two beneficial oils - macadamia and argan and when they are combined they work to provide hair rejuvenation.

The Macadamia Professional Weightless Moisture Shampoo is said to be designed for fine hair textures and it features Macadamia’s exclusive Pro Oil Complex which gives lightweight moisture while strengthening and repairing damaged hair. It is also infused with Avocado and Walnut oils which delicately nourish the hair and scalp. 

The Weightless Moisture Conditioner is again specifically designed for the treatment of fine hair textures and like the shampoo, it features Macadamia’s exclusive Pro Oil Complex and is not only infused with Avocado and Walnut oils which delicately nourish the hair and scalp but also with with Collagen and Vitamins to strengthen your hair strands and prevent breakage. Both the shampoo and conditioner are sulphate and paraben free and are suitable for colour treated hair.

When it comes to using both products, both are really lightweight textures and you only need a small amount so these 300ml bottles are going to last for a long time. The conditioner is designed to be left on your hair and scalp for up to 30 seconds before rinsing and as you do rinse the conditioner out, my hair feels so silky soft an smooth and it feels incredible.

The Professional Weightless Moisture Conditioning Mist is a product that you use as an alternative to a conditioner. I don't use a conditioner every time I wash my hair, so to have a mist like this as an alternative is quite novel and really handy, especially if I am in a hurry. The mist is good for all fine textured hair types and as the formula is so light, again as with the shampoo and conditioner it uses the Pro Oil Complex which helps to detangle hair, prevents breakage and gives a silky smooth, lightweight texture and it is also sulphate and paraben free and is suitable for colour treated hair. To use the Mist, all you need to do is spritz it throughout your towel-dried hair and comb through before styling as usual. As you would expect it smells absolutely amazing and it does leave my hair detangled, easy to brush and easy to style. I also noticed that when using the mist, my hair has less frizz than usual and when using my GHDs.

When it comes to the Macadamia Healing Oil Infused Comb, the special resin is infused throughout with Macadamia Natural Oil’s Healing Oil, allowing hair to be treated every time you comb. When the comb is run through your hair it does so with so much ease, if you have hair which is in need to some detangling after washing, then this might be for you.  As the comb is infused with Macadamia Oil, everytime you use it, the oil is distributed evenly to nourish, moisturise and add shine.

My hair absolutely loves this trio, my particular favourite is the the Moisture Conditioning Mist, I love how easy it is to use, it causes no build up and it smells wonderful.  

If you are looking for some new hair care, then this trio is definitely one to look at, especially for special occasions or for giving your hair that little extra TLC. The set costs £45 which is really good value for money because separately the products would cost more than £55.

Have you tried any products from this Macadamia Professional Range?