Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream All-Over Miracle Oil

I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Arden and whilst I always have my eye on a lipstick or two, there is one range that I have, over the years grown fond of and that is the extensive Eight Hour Range.  I am the first to admit I never really liked the much coveted Eight Hour Cream, but it has grown on me.  Today however it is the turn of the Eight Hour All Over Miracle Oil.  

This oil is described as being 'All-Over Miracle Oil, a Luxurious, Head-To-Toe Moisturising and Conditioning Treatment' and if you read my blog regularly then you will know that I like products which are versatile and this is one of those. The multi-tasking formula can be used on the face, body and hair. Clinically proven to moisturise for between 8-12 hours, this has a sleek design with a frosted view and is delicately scented with a light, citrus floral fragrance accord that promotes a sense of well-being. It smells and feels almost spa-like.

Infused with Tsubaki oil which is an ultra-hydrating ingredient that delivers long-lasting moisture for radiant and healthy looking skin and it works alongside Avocado Oil, Grape seed Oil, Olive Oil and Sunflower Seed Oil to name just a few.  What I really like about the oil is that it is quite light and dry which means it sinks into the skin almost straight away. And you really don’t need a lot to feel moisturised. Plus as it’s so lightweight you can even use this underneath your moisturiser for extra nourishment.

I decided to test this on my face first. After washing my face, I popped a single pump of this into the palm of my hands and warmed it before pressing into the skin. It was incredibly easy to use and wasn't in the slightest bit greasy.  I always find that wearing chunky tights during the winter can often leave the skin on my leg dry, so I try as best as I can to use something really moisturising after showering on my skin.  So I then tried it on my elbows and shins where I had noticed some dryness and impressively there was quite a difference in how my skin felt a few days later. 

As for using the oil my hair, I do tend to get a bit of frizz so when I blow dry it, so whilst my hair was damp, I used two pumps of this on the midlengths to ends of my hair before blowdrying and have found that it does add a little shine without making my hair greasy and it does an alright job at eliminating frizz, but my preference for using it on my face and body and even use it for the occasional massage.

Priced at £29 this All-Over Miracle Oil is widely available both on the highstreet and online from sites such as Boots, Lookfantastic and John Lewis.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

Burt's Bees Flavour Crystals Lip Balm

I absolutely love Burt's Bees lip balms and have featured them on my blog many times, such as this post. Today I have three new balms from the Flavour Crystal Collection.

The Flavour Crystal Collection are described as being: 

Like biting into a perfectly ripe piece of fruit, picked at the precise moment of peak flavour, Burt’s Bees® new Flavour Crystals™ Lip Balm captures the experience of your favourite juicy summer treat in a pocket-size burst of flavour you can enjoy year-round.

These lip balms are packed with small crystals of dried, concentrated juice and they are available in three luscious varieties: Fresh Squeezed Orange, Ripe Raspberry, and Tropical Pineapple and they smell just absolutely insane exactly like their names suggest.

As with all Burt's Bees lip balms, they are packed full of amazing ingredients which include

their tried and trusted community sourced beeswax, nourishing Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil and Vitamin E and they contain no parabens, phthalates, petrolatum or SLS.  Each balm also has an added extra ingredient too, so within the Raspberry Balm there is antioxidant rich raspberry extract, in the Tropical Pineapple Balm is antioxidant rich pineapple extract and finally in the Sweet Orange Balm we have antioxidant rich sweet orange extract.

I love how nourishing these balms are and I love that they have a matte finish which makes them a perfect base for lipstick.  Priced at £4.99 in stores such as Boots.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

CND Vinylux Nail Polish

Without question, my favourite nail polish brand is CND and it has been for a good few years now.  Whenever I go and have my nails done, my brand of choice is always CND and it has got to the point now where my manicurist doesn't even ask which brand or shade - I am that predictable.

CND Vinylux is described as being the ultimate, long-wear lacquer and chip-resistant polish which stays as good as new for seven days. It has its own built-in base coat, so there is no need to apply one beforehand and it stars the brand’s innovative ‘Pro-light Technology’, which hardens through exposure to natural light – meaning your manicure becomes more durable with time. I was kindly sent two shades from the Nightspell collection and both are shades that I would wear all year round and a Weekly Top Coat too, which is amazing. I am not someone who is a huge fan of bright pastel shades, I am definitely a Berry nail kind of girl. 

Berry Boudoir is a beautiful rich berry metallic which needs just two coats to really shine. I like how the brush is not too long but it fans out to cover my entire nail really well. For me, using a nail polish needs to be straightforward and the wrong kind of brush can ruin it all.

Two coats of Boudoir Berry is just enough to ensure the colour coats the nail well and gives it a shine.  Once applied it dries in just a few minutes and I always wait a good 10-15 minutes before applying the weekly top coat.

The second shade is called Lilac Eclipse and it is best described as being creamy light berry shade. Again it features the same brush as Boudoir Berry, so the application is a breeze and texture wise, I did find this one to be just slightly thicker, but you do still need those two coats to ensure you have full nail coverage.

Again, once the polish has dried, I add the Weekly Top Coat and allow around ten minutes for drying time. It does actually dry much quicker than the time I allow, but I am a bit of a clutz when I polish my own nails and always manage to smudge at least one nail, so I am always cautious having gone to the effort of doing my own.

The Weekly Top Coat is described as being a quick-drying, this clear glossy top coat protects your Vinylux nail polish with mirror-like shine.

You only need to apply one, generous coat of Weekly Top Coat to protect your colour and create a high-shine finish.

As I have said, CND is my favourite nail polish. I use my hands a lot for work, I am always typing somewhere on something and can also be found sticking my hands into the photocopier to remove jammed paper, changing cartridges and even dealing with other bits of machinery which often ruin nail polish and manicures. With CND, what I have found is that it is more durable than most and it doesn't chip, even at my most clumsy. It is also easy to remove and doesn't require industrial strength nail polish remover to shift it, the Cutex one I use removes it all in one simple swipe of the nail.

You can find these three products and many more from the CND catalogue via Cult Beauty where prices start around £9.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

AromaWorks Serenity Body Oil

I openly admit that I am lazy when it comes to using body lotions, butter and oils, for me to use something I have to absolutely love it or it has to be so easy to use that I don't have to put a lot of effort in. In an ideal world, I would use a body lotion daily but in reality, it is twice a week at most. Then I was introduced to AromaWorks and it is one of the rare few products that I have used up and have enjoyed using. 

I had never come across AromaWorks until the Serenity Body Oil landed in my lap and I now feel I have missed out on what is an incredible brand. Built on a commitment to 100% pure essential oils and all natural ingredients all of the skincare and home fragrance products are free from synthetic chemicals, pesticides, are not tested on animals and are safe for the environment.

Serenity Body Oil in its beautiful luxe packaging and smooth glass bottle, through which you can see the bright yellow coloured oil is described as follows:

Serenity brings together the power of four essential oils working in unison to free your mind from the stresses of the day, before uplifting your spirits to provide a wonderfully balancing experience.

Aside from the yellowness of the oil, I love that this bottle has a pump so that you can spray it directly onto the skin, so there is no need to dig your fingers into a pot of body butter or squeeze anything onto your hands, one spray and you have enough oil for one leg and so on.  As the oil is expressed from the bottle, it is hard not to notice how incredible the scent is. Using a blend of Lemongrass, Neroli & Geranium alongside organic coconut oil and Evening Primrose Oil and there is a warm citrus, earthy and floral scent all rolled into one, the kind of scent you would associate with a Spa.  Uplifting, calming and just absolutely divine.

On the skin, this oil is neither greasy or tacky and it absorbs rather quickly into the skin leaving behind no trace it was ever there, other than the divine scent that accompanies it. I always find my skin to be smooth to the touch after using and as the oil seeks to nourish the skin and deliver intense hydration., I can say it definitely manages to achieve that.

Priced around £32 (here) it is well worthy of the investment and it lasts for a really long time because you only need such a small amount at any one time.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here