Look Fantastic Beauty Box April 2016 #LFBlooms

This months LookFantastic Beauty box is beautifully bright and bold and is titled the #LFBLOOMS box. Put together to celebrate Earth Month, the April #LFBeautyBox is all about beauty with a difference. Filled with a selection of products which celebrate all things natural, organic and eco-friendly. Again, each box comes with the latest edition of Elle Magazine, which I am enjoying reading.

So, inside this months box there are 7 items to get acquainted with and there are some amazing brands featured. The first being Rituals Miracle Hand Scrub (£11.50). I adore Rituals as a brand and Jasmine Dream is one of my favourite candles. A Hand scrub is a product I am always in need of, so seeing this in the box was amazing. Infused with nourishing oils which deeply condition and nourish your skin, the delicate scent of Ginseng and Gingko Biloba are just divine and the little exfoliating particles work extremely well to remove dead and dry skin to leave behind hydrated and moisturised hands.

The second product is Balance Me Super Toning Body Polish (£6) uses anti-oxidant rich Juniper, Geranium, Lavender and Bergamot Essential Oils which help stimulate circulation to reduce toxins responsible for cellulite. Anti-oxidant rich Blackberry Leaf Extract which helps to boost skin's collagen production for firmer skin and finally ground Walnut Spheres gently exfoliate away dead skin cells for smoother, softer limbs. I have used this body polish before and was really impressed with it, it smells incredible and works really well to remove dead and dry skin.

Myvitamins effervescent vitamin and mineral tablets in Lemon flavour. There was a similar version of these in the January box and they are dissolvable in water and are said to make a great tasting drink. Effervescent tablets are ideal for anyone looking to increase their intake of vitamins for a healthier lifestyle. Again, I never ever take vitamins, so these have been put into the medicine cabinet for the time being.

Bloom and Blossom Bath and Shower Gel (£4). A foaming Bath and Shower Gel from Bloom and Blossom, a brand created by two Sister-in-laws with a passion for developing a natural skincare range for new and expecting mums. Enriched with vitamin E and organic cucumber extracts, the luxurious body wash is delicate to skin. The fragrance-free gel gently cleanses and hydrates skin to leave your whole body feeling silky smooth.

Tanworx by Monu Tan Maintainer (£7.50) - Hopefully we will see some Sunshine in Blightly over the summer so I can give this a try! Working to maintain your tan for longer the Tanworx tan maintainer is formulated with carrot oil, coconut oil and sunflower oil to moisturise the skin, plus Hyaluronic Acid and Seaweed. Perfect for avoiding steaks, the formula will help you to maintain your golden glow.

Briogeo Don't Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Hair Mask. I've never heard of this brand before but if you are suffering from dry, damaged, breaking or lifeless hair, often caused by chemical or color treatments, heat tools then this is for you. It is fortified with ultra-hydrating avocado, sweet almond & argan oils, strengthening keratin protein, power-conditioning rosehip oil, soothing aloe, and super hair-essential vitamins B5, D, A, E and biotin. This unique complex of targeted ingredients helps increase hair elasticity and moisture to prevent breakage, promotes healthy shine and luster, and replenishes strength.

The final item in the box is from Elemis and it is the British Botanical hand and nail butter. In my opinion you can never have too many tubes of hand cream, so I am pleased to see this in my box. Elemis have collaborated with artist Amanda Ross, known for her exquisitely detailed botanical prints, to create the British Botanical Hand and Nail Butter. Harnessing the powerful ingredients grown in the countryside, the formula is infused with a blend of lavender, geranium, chamomile and palmarosa to calm and soothe over-worked hands. A dose of burdock extract is combined with moabi butter and UK organic oat to replenish moisture and rejuvenate hands, whilst strengthening brittle nails and conditioning cuticles. Skin will be left smooth, comfortable and velvety soft with a delicate fragrance. Fast-absorbing and non-greasy it leaves your hands feeling soft, smooth and really well moisturised.

I think this is a really good box, there are some brands I am a huge fan of and some I have never used before to work my way through and each one is a decent enough size so that you can decide whether or not it is for you. The beauty box costs as little as £11.25 per month here and each month you are given the chance to win an extra prize worth over £100.

Vetiver Insolent By Miller Harris

Perfume is something I am obsessed with and wear it every day without fail, even if I am having a duvet day. Some people don't bother wearing it and others choose it for special occasions. I have perfumes that are special to me and I have some that I wear for different reasons or occasions and sometimes I am trialing perfumes to write about or to decide whether or not I like them. I do change my perfumes around depending on my mood and the time of year, in winter for example I like a much stronger and more vibrant scent to the Summer, where I will opt for something more fresh and light.

I was recently invited, as part of the ThirtyPlus Group to the Mayfair Store of Miller Harris for an evening of fragrance discovery and to hear about the launch of their new perfume, Vetiver Insolent.  Created by Lyn Harris, an elite perfumer whose training comes from one of Paris's most prestigious schools of perfume, she has over twenty years of experience working withing the perfumery industy and therefore knows a little mre than I do about fragrances. Situated in Mayfair, you get exactly what you expect to find at the Miller Harris store or I should say Boutique.  As soon as you walk in, the scents are enough to make you want to pick up every bottle which is expertly displayed and smell it.  I managed to hold fire (slightly taken off guard by some Sushi which tasted even better than it looked) drink some Prosecco and get myself involved in some wrist smelling and conversations with John, who took those of us present, on a scented journey.which was truly fascinated.  Starting with how the fragrance pyramid works and why certain ingredients are used to make the perfume 'notes'.  Most of us are aware that a perfume has top, middle and base notes to make up its fragrance with the top notes being the first scent we smell and the base note being the one which gives it the scent that settled on your skin.

With any Miller Harris scent you will not find fragrances which are 'On Trend' or for 'This Season' and nor will you find a his and her option, what you get is a scent that evolves and becomes itself from the person wearing it and how the fragrance interacts with their skin. Did you know that any given scent might not necessarily smell the same on any two people owing to that scent reacting with your body chemistry? Well I confess that I did know and it does explain why I like some fragrances on my skin and some I do not.

Having fallen in love with two different scents whilst working my way along the shelves, you can find them here on my Instagram, but the reason I was at the event was to be introduced to Vetiver Insolent. Its description

For those in whom the spirits live loudly, for those with mischief and courage. This audacious scent brings energy, action. It's the moment a face ensnares you, when a smile brings you under its spell, and you throw caution to the wind. At once rebellious and sensual, Vetiver Insolent has a natural aura, a charismatic allure. Its base is vetiver, a deep rooted grass from Haiti, full of sweet, fresh carthiness and an enemy of melancholia. Brazen notes of bergamot and cardamom engender curiosity, giving way to energising black pepper, elemi and a whisper of lavender.

It is a beautiful scent, unisex in every way and I am sure both the mister and I will be fighting over it at some stage, but be warned it has my name engraved on it, so it is therefore mine. As a scent it is one I shouldn't like because it is spicy and I prefer the florals, but it has captured me. From the first spritz it is outwardly masculine with its woody and earthy tones, but as it settles, the scent becomes much more crisp and sweet but not at all sickly and it lasts forever on the skin and for me that is always impressive. Vetiver Insolent is definitely going to be a scent you either love or hate, I expected to not like it, but I love it and I expect it to be a scent I wear all year round rather than per season.

Vetiver Insolent launched on the 9th of April 2016 (50ml, £65).

Lush Ultraviolet Bubble Bar

Every now and again there is a Lush product that I absolutely must have, Ultraviolet is it.  I stumbled across it when purchasing some Dream Cream for my sister and the scent just grabbed me.  Anyone who loves the smell of Swizzels Parma Violets will love this and I as immediately dragged back to the days when I would sit and just eat packets of them.

Ultraviolet (rrp £4.25) was part of the Mothers Day collection here in the UK and it is an item you need to grab quick before it disappears.  A brightly coloured rainbow, this bubble bar features purple lilac, blue and green shades which really stand out and it is absolutely huge too, definitely a product which can be split multiple times for more enjoyment in the bath. Like most bubble bars, you simply crumble this one under running water to create that wet sand like feel and in doing so, the bath water turns to a murky purple colour hidden among the bubbles.

The description "Journey to the end of the rainbow with Ultraviolet. Beyond its shades of purple and violet, this giant bubble bar has a gorgeous violet, ylang ylang and jasmine scent that's intoxicating yet delicate. Crumble a piece under running water and submerge yourself underneath silky, purple-y waters and take a moment to stop and smell the seductive florals of Ultraviolet for a chilled out bathtime" pretty much sums up this bubble bar. Once in the water it creates copious amounts of bubbles, so if like me, you like a lot of bubbles, consider that box well and truly ticked.

The main ingredient is Violet Leaf Absolute which gives it that Parma Violet scent and is said to act as both an antibacterial and antiseptic which is great for your skin. Rosewood Oil will help to lift your spirits and have a balancing effect on the mind and body. It is used with good results in reducing headaches, colds, coughs, fever and infections and is a boost for the immune system. Ylang Ylang Oil, one of my favourites, has a soothing effect and its balancing action sorts out over-dry as well as overly-oily skin by balancing the secretion of sebum, and has a stimulating effect on the scalp which promotes more luxurious hair growth. It also lifts the spirits and has uplifting properties. Finally we have Jasmine Absolute which is great at helping to relieve stress and pre-menstrual tensions. It is said to relax mind and body. On the skin, Jasmine oil tones dry, greasy, irritated and sensitive skin, increases elasticity and is often used to assist with stretch marks and to reduce scarring.

This Bubble Bar is absolutely wonderful, if you hadn't guessed and it is one I have really enjoyed using.  Once in the bath, the oils mix with the steam to send the Parma Violet scent throughout the house where it remains for hours. After bathing, my skin is not only soft, smooth and incredibly moisturised, it smells incredible.  A huge thumbs up to Lush for this bubble bar!

How the Dermaroller Treats Skin Problems

Skin problems come in many forms.  The most common seem to be wrinkles, stretch marks, and acne scarring.  If any of these is an issue for you, then you might have already looked into laser treatments, chemical peels, or other skin care procedures to help you.  Each is well known and comes with high risks and side effects.  Have you heard of microneedling or how it can help your skin issues?

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How Does Microneedling Work?

Microneedling, also called Collagen Induction Therapy, is a procedure in which clusters of micro sized sterile needles are pressed into the skin to penetrate down into the dermal layer of skin.  The skin cells react by generating new collagen to fill out and stimulate healing.

There are two main types of microneedling - stamping and rollers.  Stamping is done with a cluster of needles that are pressed against the skin in small areas that require more precision.  A Dermaroller uses a barrel-like head with the needles attached and is rolled across the area to be treated.  Both are the same treatment, just different delivery.

How the Dermaroller Improves Your Skin

While the Dermaroller stimulates healing in the skin, it is not all it can do.  The needles create micro-channels in the skin down to the dermal layer.  Immediately after using the Dermaroller, serums containing essential nutrients for your skin are applied and will be entirely absorbed into the dermal layer.  This increases the rejuvenating and healing results in this treatment.   What type of serum is used depends on which issue you are being treated for such as wrinkles, stretchmarks, or scars.

Low Risks and Minimal Side Effects

Using a Dermaroller does not damage the outermost layer of skin (epidermis).  It penetrates through the surface to remodel the cells in the next layer.  Because it leaves the surface intact, you don't need to worry about infections like you would with abrasive skin resurfacing techniques.

Where other treatments may leave you hiding from society for a bit until your skin stops looking like a sunburn, at most your skin might be a bit red or swollen for a day or two.

Microneedling Discomfort

The most frequent question asked before any treatment is always how much pain is involved.  The answer would depend on a couple factors.  If using the Dermaroller with the shortest needles, it will only give an odd sensation as the needles brush across the surface of your skin.  A deeper treatment requires longer needles and deeper penetration, which can cause mild pain for some patients, especially those with a low tolerance for pain.  Your technician can easily apply a numbing agent to the skin in advance of the procedure to make it less uncomfortable.

The Dermaroller Results

Chemical peels and other abrasive treatments do provide effective results once they heal.  Those of you who have used aesthetic equipment before know that the major drawbacks to those kinds of procedures are the expense, the recovery time, the pain, and the high risks and side effects. Using the Dermaroller provides wonderful results without all of the problems and you can repeat the procedure until you reach the results you are looking for.  It's worth the results.

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