12 Days of Blogmas: Day 3 - Boots Haul

Hello, lovelies!

So, which clever-clogs decided the best day to go into town is 10 days before Christmas? OH! Me.

I thought waking up early this morning to head into town with my mum was a good idea because maybe we'd avoid the crowds, but alas, we did not. So, after all but fighting my way through the crowds in Primark, I finally got to Boots, and I finally got one (well, two technically) things from my winter skincare wishlist.

First things first, the beautiful skin cleansing brush from No7

Coming in at £24.95 this cleansing brush is at least £100 cheaper than it's competitor Clarisonic, and £50 cheaper than the Clinique version. The first thing I did when I got home was wash my face with this, and I can already tell I'm going to love it. My skin is smooth. It has two speed settings for if you want a slightly deeper clean, and the vibrating, spinning brush head pulls all the dirt out from in your pores. Of course it'll take more than one use to see the real benefits of using this, so I'll keep you all updated!

Next is something I briefly mentioned in my last post, the beautiful skin melting gel cleanser that goes with the brush!

Albeit a terrible photo, this stuff smells amazing. So clean and fresh smelling and not fruity or chemically like some cleansers. It's a clear gel that warms up when it's on your face so you can really feel it working straight away. Slather a generous layer on your face and then use the brush, and damn, the clean feeling is almost too much.

Spare brush heads, because I'm gonna need them. Pretty self-explanatory. £8 for a pack of two is a bargain though!

Now, I will admit I don't wash my makeup brushes nearly enough, so when the woman at the counter mentioned that this was on sale, I thought I'd give it a try. It's the No7 Makeup Brush Cleanser, and it's meant to help remove product build-up and strengthen your brush hairs. So, as someone who is quite harsh when putting on foundation, I'm hoping this will keep my foundation brush in shape until Christmas. (It's really on it's last legs.)

I didn't just buy No7 products, believe it or not! I also picked up the following makeup bits:

Rimmel's Fix & Perfect Primer! I have used this before and I loved it, but I switched it out with Benefit's The Porefessional. Now, as it's getting closer to Christmas and I don't have the money to splash out on that, I decided to go back to my tried, tested and true baby. It's got the exact same - if not better - quality as the Benefit one, so if you're looking to save some cash but still want quality, definitely check this one out.

Jamie Genevieve talked about this concealer in her latest video with Rimmel, and since I ran out of my favourite Collection 2000 one I thought I'd pick it up and try it out. I got it in the shade Ivory, and testing it on the back of my hand I've gathered a little bit goes a long way.  It's super creamy and light but gives an amazing coverage, and it doesn't break the bank. It's no Collection 2000, but it's a very close second so far.

Last but not least - Rimmel Scandal Eyes Micro-Liner. Running out of my Kat Von D tattoo liner was honestly probably the most heartbreaking thing I've had to deal with in a long time, and while I feel like I'm betraying it by buying something else, desperate times call for desperate measures. (And I can never skip out on a 3 for 2 deal.) It's got a super narrow tip which is perfect if you're like me and like your eyeliner to be SHARP, and it's staying power seems pretty good too, which, again if you're like me, is great if you're gonna be drunk crying your way through NYE.

Well, my lovelies, that's that!

I hope you enjoyed this post, and I'll see you all tomorrow for Blogmas Day 4!

Ree xo

12 Days of Blogmas: Day 2 - Winter Skincare Wishlist

Hello, lovelies!

I made a skincare post not long ago, and while I haven't tired of my trust No7 routine (there is actually an No7 product on this list!) I do like to mix things up now and again! Especially now it's winter and my skin needs that little bit of extra loving!

So, here we go, my winter skincare wishlist!

1. No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Brush

LINK

I've seen a few people raving about this brush, and while I would love a Clarisonic, I just can't justify the cost! This is an amazing alternative, and does just as good a job for literally a quarter of the cost! At £24.95 not only are you saving £100+, but you're getting a spa quality facial! You can use it with any cleanser, although No7 do offer a foaming one for £9.50 that I would love to get my hands on, so you don't need to worry about splashing the cash to get a cleanser!

2. GlamGlow ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment

LINK

If you spend a lot of time looking at the beauty scene online, you'll have definitely seen GlamGlow kicking around. They do amazing, amazing, masks and moisturisers that people like Jeffree Star, NikkieTutorials, Jamie Genevieve, and a whole bunch of other influential people and even celebrities have raved about! This particular mask was brought to my attention by Jamie, when she said she used it mostly when she was hungover, (girl, I feel you.) I have spent a ridiculous amount of time looking into this and the next product on this list, and while it is a little bit on the pricey end at £39, I do believe it will be worth it. Especially with New Years Eve and my 21st birthday coming up. I'm gonna need it. 

3. GlamGlow SuperMud Clearing Treatment

LINK

Another GlamGlow product, another feeling of need so deep in my stomach I could screech. This one is a mask, that uses "the most advanced clearing treatment" to pull all dirt and impurities out of your pores. I suffer pretty badly with large pores and blackheads around my nose and chin, so I feel like this would be extremely beneficial for me. It goes on as a thick, black mud and dries as an ashy grey, while remaining dark in all the places its working hardest, aka pores, blackheads, oily patches. Sounds gross, looks gross, is EXTREMELY addicting to look at. Again a bit pricey at £39, but worth it. 

4. Bodyshop's Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

LINK

A friend of mine actually recommended this to me on a post I made on Facebook. I was looking for recommendations for cleansers, and while I got a whole list full of ones I'd love to try, this one is definitely top of it. Working as a makeup remover and a cleanser, it's made from pure Camomile extract sourced right here in the UK, and is suitable for all skin types. I have super sensitive skin, but it's also pretty combination, getting dry on my cheeks and forehead and oily around my nose. Can you say nightmare? So, I would love to try this, and the size of the tub is unbelievable for only £10.

Well, my lovelies, that's it!

It feels so good to be blogging again, I've truly missed this.

See you all tomorrow for Blogmas Day 3! 

Ree xo

The 12 Days of Blogmas: Day 1 - An Introduction

Hello! Welcome to The 12 Days of Blogmas!

I know most people go the whole hog and do the full 25 days, but I thought I'd start simple and go for 12! I hope you don't mind!

I have seriously lacked in blog posts this year - I've done a total of three - so this gives me the perfect opportunity to get back into the swing of things! A new blog post will be coming at you lovelies every single day from today, Tuesday 13th December, until Sunday 25th December! Probably not at the same time every day because we all know how shocking I am with time-keeping. I'm not entirely sure what each of the 12 days is going to consist of yet, but that's the fun of it, right?

You can bet you're going to see some Lush posts, beauty posts, and probably a haul or two because who can resist Christmas deals?

I'm super excited to get into this! So let's go!

Merry 12 Days of Blogmas!

Ree xo

Dear 2016

Dear 2016,

You have been a year of learning. A year of laughter, adventures, leaps of faith, new friends, new opportunities, and new beginnings. You have also been a year of heart break, a year of tears and of staying in bed for days. A year of frustration.

Things happened this year that I never would've hoped for - I flipped my life upside down and suddenly I am content. I have made new friends, reconnected with old friends, visited places I'd never been before, laughed until I cried, and slept in Premier Inn beds more than my own. I want to say thank you, 2016, for being the year I realised that my life is worth a lot more than I originally thought. Thank you, 2016, for introducing me to people who will be my friends until we're old and wrinkled. Thank you, 2016, for never giving up on me.

But also, thank you, 2016, for showing me who doesn't deserve my time or energy. Who doesn't deserve to live rent-free in my head. Who does deserve my time and energy, and who does deserve a room in my head.

I don't have much else to say, really. Just this - I am so ready for 2017.

I'll see you next time, then.

Ree xo

Skin Care Routine

Hello, lovelies!

 I promised my skin care routine, and here we are! It's not going to be a long post as I probably don't take as good care of my skin as I should (oops) but nonetheless, I hope you enjoy!

First things first, washing my face.

 Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash - Neutrogena

 I've been using this face wash for God only knows how long, and I love it. It makes my face feel tingly in the best way, and always leaves me looking baby soft. I struggle with blackheads quite badly around my nose, but this sorts them out right away.

Next, I go in with my cleanser.

NO7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water for Normal/Oily Skin

I've seen my mum using No7 for as long as I can remember, and when I was 14 she bought me my first ever cleanser from them. It was one for younger skin and it was pink, and since then I was hooked. Now I'm 20 I'm using their Beautiful Skin range, and I noticed the benefits straight away. My skin around my nose and T-zone gets super oily sometimes, and since I've been using this I've hardly had to deal with that at all, which is a lifesaver, and a confidence booster, since I don't feel as bad about going out without my makeup on.

NO7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream for Normal/Oily Skin

Obviously depending on the time of day I alternate between my day cream and night cream (pictured bellow.) 

I've noticed with my day cream my makeup sits better, my face feels smoother, and altogether I feel much more hydrated. You only need the tiniest bit as well so it's well worth £20 a tub since it lasts a super long time. 

NO7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream for Normal/Oily Skin

I use the night cream right before I'm about to go to bed, and it soaks in whilst I'm sleeping. Then when I wake up my skin is feeling fresh and ready to start the day, as opposed to how it feels when I don't use it. (read: awful. groggy.)

Occasionally, like today, I do a face mask. Since it's Sunday and I got this one for free from Lush, I decided I'd add it in here.

Lush Cosmetics Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask

My first thought about this mask was that it smelled amazing. I am a sucker for anything lavender scented. This can also be used as a scrub when applying it to your skin, because of it's gritty texture.

I slapped it on and then sat and watched fifteen minutes of How I Met Your Mother, and once washed off I couldn't really see much difference. I like it, because it's made my skin soft, but it's nothing extra-ordinary. 

Well, my loves, that's that. I hope you enjoyed reading about what I smother my face in every day.

I'll see you next time, then.

Ree xo

Where Have I Been?

Hello, lovelies. Well -- if any of you lovelies are still here, that is.

I am immensely sorry for my nine month disappearing act. I promise I haven't had a child, okay? Although that does leave you all with the question "Well, where have you been?"

If I'm being entirely truthful - I have been right here. I have been sat in front of my computer, uninspired and uninterested in pretty much everything. I managed the occasional YouTube video, but apart from that my life has been a blur of things I'm still trying to comprehend.

I spent my New Years Eve in St. Ives with some of my best friends, drunk and laughing and dancing along the sea-front, but I ended up with a horrid cold for the first fourteen days of this year. I turned twenty on the twenty-seventh day of this year.  I lost count of the days on the thirtieth.

February was spectacularly uneventful, I wish I had more to update you all on, but so little happened that I don't even remember February passing by.

March was slightly better, I think. Again, not a lot happened. I got a new tattoo, the Disney castle on my thigh with Merida, Belle, Cinderella and Rapunzel, my mum's favourite, my favourite, my niece's favourite, and my best friend's favourite princesses. My doctors changed what medication I'm on and that has helped tremendously.

April was good - my favourite band toured and we finally started decorating the house that we've lived in for the last four years. It's starting to feel like a proper home now. The previous owners had wallpaper on the living room ceiling, which was strange, but oh well. It took us a week to take it all down.

And that brings me to May, which has mostly been doctors appointments. I'm getting sick of the sight of the reception, but thankfully my doctor is lovely and doesn't seem to mind my constant crying. Again, more medications. I'm amazed I don't rattle when I walk.

It is 11:03pm as I'm writing this, and I mentioned my skin care on twitter, and that lead to the suggestion of a skin care routine post, which led me to thinking I should probably explain to you all where I have been.

So, this is it. My first blog in nine months, I hope you can all forgive me.

Skin care routine coming shortly.

I'll see you next time, then.

Ree x

Cornwall: A Photo Diary

Hello, lovelies!

Wow, been a while, huh?

Just a quick little photo diary of my holiday in Cornwall this week. It was my first time there in almost 6 years, and I wish I could find words to say how much I had missed it. Fresh air, stars, sea-side, and amazing fudge, Cornwall really is one of the most beautiful places.

I was down visiting my best friend for her birthday, and even though a 10 hour train ride each way seems like some form of modern torture, it was the most relaxing week I've had in a long time.