My Pamper Night Staples | Face

With my days currently consumed with work, I jump at the opportunity to take a little me time. I've always been the type of person who loves a quite evening with my feet up, trying out pampering products and just relaxing. It's so difficult in our busy lifestyles to just sit down and take an hour for ourselves, even I have started making excuses! So, whether you have a pamper night every week and want to add to your essentials or are now ready to put your feet up after a long day and want to know where to start, in this little series, I'll write all about my favourites and why I always reach for them on a relaxed, pamper evening. This first post is all about the face and skincare!

To kick off a pamper session, I always take off all my makeup so I feel fresh, cleansed and ready to pamper my skin! I find it such a refreshing feeling to remove my makeup after a long day, like I'm simply sweeping away all the stress and worry from the day with it, and it automatically puts me in a relaxed mood to start the evening. If I don't have a lot of time or naturally on an everyday basis, I reach for the No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes. These wipes are so hydrating and full of moisture to clear all the makeup I'm wearing and leave my skin soft. They aren't heavily scented or harsh on the skin so are perfect to quickly yet effectively wipe everything away - just the thing if you want more time to focus on another aspect of the pamper night. If I have a little more time, I'll opt for the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. This is a recent purchase of mine but I have really enjoyed the ease of use and quality! It works by splashing the cleansing water on a cotton wool pad and sweeping over the face to dissolve the makeup. Although it's a touch more time-consuming, I usually use about 2/3 cotton wool pads on a full face of makeup, it does leave your skin fully cleansed and soft. After using either of these to cleanse my skin, I wash my face over with a warm flannel, ready for the next stage! 

The best part about a pamper night is indulging in a treatment that you might not use everyday to help you feel refreshed and your skin feel amazing! My favourite thing to use on an evening to myself is a face mask. You can use face masks to achieve or combat all sorts of things! From hydrating to calming to deep cleansing and from strawberry to Dead Sea to chocolate scents, the best thing about face masks is trying all sorts of different ones to see how your skin benefits from each of their boasted qualities. Superdrug has an incredible range of affordable face masks which I always opt for during my pamper nights. I also purchased a couple of Montagne Jeunesse face masks before Christmas, known for their bright colours and beautiful scents, these are a real treat for the skin too! Relaxing for 15 minutes, your favourite slow and soothing songs filling the air, a creamy and cool face mask refreshing every pore is a simple yet wonderful experience that takes very little out of our busy lives but gives so much back! Even if you try just this quick 10-15 minute portion of the pamper night, it won't just be your skin thanking you for days after! If a face mask isn't for you, a cleansing facial wash can soothe your face just as easily and in much less time. My favourite to use on these days, when I find myself with less time to spare, is the Simple Moisturising Facial Wash, which foams on your skin as you massage it in, without the harsh and drying qualities of soap. The final product which I like to use every couple of months, or if I am having a particular problem with blackheads etc., are Superdrug's Tea Tree Deep Cleansing Nose Strips. As weird and daunting as these may sound, they are wonderful for a deep and effective cleanse of the area around the nose. If you find this area particularly oily or suffer with spots and blackheads like myself, you will definitely reap the benefits of these little strips. They draw out all the blockages that build up in your pores leaving the area truly refreshed and clean. This may not be something you've considered for a pamper night but it's such a satisfying feeling and I'm sure some of you will love beating those blackheads! After each of these pampering options, be sure your face is clean and free from any products before the next and final step before you can hop into bed! 

To conclude such a relaxed evening, there's nothing more important than locking in all the moisture and goodness your skin has received with a nourishing moisturiser. On an everyday basis, for both day and night wear, the Ponds Hydro Nourishing Cream is my holy grail of moisturisers. Its thick and creamy nature is perfect to hydrate my fairly dry and sensitive skin. I love the smell and adore the softness of my skin even when I wake up! It's the only staple of my skincare routine I can't see changing for a long time. If I am, however, in the mood for a slightly more intense moisturiser, I use the No7 Protect and Perfect Night Cream. I received this mini bottle in a set of other No7 products, all of which have really made my skin feel and look amazing! Some people swear by this to improve and perfect the look of your skin. I am quite lucky with my skin and wouldn't say I really needed a particular strong moisturiser to correct a certain aspect in particular such as acne, redness or fine lines, but if you do, this may be the one for you. Having said this, I do love the consistency which isn't as thick as the Ponds cream so absorbs into the skin much quicker - my skin almost felt hydrated immediately! I wouldn't say I find it better in a hydrating sense than the Ponds cream, but in terms of the general appearance of my skin, I love it for giving a little extra something that encourages me to reach for it on these nights where I want my skin to look and feel special!

After the perfect pamper evening, I get tucked up in bed with a book or drop my head to my pillow and fall asleep! We all deserve a little 'me-time' every once in a while and I hope reading this has encouraged you to pursue the pamper night you deserve. Looking after your skin not only makes you look great but feel great too! After all, that's the whole point of these evenings and if you feel de-stressed and better by the end, then you know you're doing something right! You deserve it!

What skincare essentials can't you live without? 

- Becca x 

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water - RRP £4.99 (For 400ml)

No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes - RRP £7.00 (For 30 Wipes)

Superdrug Face Masks - RRP 99p (For 15ml Packet) 

Montagne Jeunesse Face Masks - RRP £1.00 (For 20g Packet)

Simple Moisturising Facial Wash - RRP £3.49 (For 150ml)

Superdrug Tea Tree Deep Cleansing Nose Strips - RRP £3.99 (For 5 Strips)

Ponds Hydro Nourishing Cream - RRP £4.99 (For 50ml) 

No7 Protect and Perfect Night Cream - RRP £23.00 (For 50ml) 

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Fave Five: December 2014 & January 2015

Over December, I hadn't been buying a lot of new products to try because I didn't know what gifts I would get for Christmas! Also, I wanted to wait to see what bargains I could find in the New Year. I thought it would be silly to do a December Fave Five so waited until I'd fallen in love with some products over January as well to show you what had made the cut!

I Love... Strawberries and Cream Body Butter

The first of my favourites is one of my Christmas presents from my best friend Hannah. I'm a big fan of the I love... range, even buying some of their products myself to give to others last Christmas! This is the Strawberries and Cream Nourishing Body Butter, the perfect way to end a soothing bath or relaxing shower. Body butters can often be a bit of tricky thing to work with, their thick consistency meaning they take a while to fully absorb into your skin leaving you sat around feeling sticky! When I first applied this body butter after a bath, I was careful about applying too much, given that this may be the case. I was pleasantly surprised by how it absorbed into my skin and by the time I had finished from head to toe, it didn't feel sticky at all! Each time I have used it since, I am still so impressed with how easy and quick it applies and how wonderful my skin feels after. I haven't noticed extreme changes in the hydration of my skin but it definitely feels so much softer compared to when I don't use it and leaves my skin feeling velvety for days after too. Possibly the best thing about this body butter though is the incredible scent! It leaves my skin smelling sweet and delicious, the perfect accompaniment to make this a pampering staple for me from now on, without denting my bank account too!

Sleek MakeUp Face Contour Kit in Light

Next is a product I had been desperate to buy for months! The Sleek MakeUp Face Contour kit in Light had been on my need-to-buy list but I told myself I would wait until the No7 bronzer that I previously used had completely run out so I wouldn't waste anything. It was definitely worth the wait and has been particularly incredible in adding a little colour to my skin over the bleak winter months. In the kit you get both a matte bronzer for contouring and bronzing as well as a shimmery highlighter to balance out each other. On the left, the pressed powder bronzer is incredibly pigmented, it blends really well so the contour lines don't appear harsh. Thanks to it's matte finish, it looks natural and adds a subtle definition to your cheek bones, jawline or anywhere you choose to apply it. For those with pale complexions like me, you just need a little dusting of the bronzer to give you a natural effect, yet it's so easy to blend if you were to make a mistake, making it completely foolproof, perfect for those wanting to step into face contouring. I adore the highlighter, on the right, for the beautiful finish it adds to complete any makeup look I create. Before buying this product, I had been using a matte highlighter just under my brow. I was a little nervous to start using a shimmery finish, mainly due to the fact I always opt for shimmery eye shadows and didn't want to overkill the glitter! I couldn't have been more wrong and this highlighter has brightened and complimented my complexion perfectly! I now use this highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, anywhere to add a bit of a glimmer and a new definition, opposed to the contouring. I feel like my skin is glowing and I was scared for nothing! A lot people have raved about this Face Contour Kit and I can see why, from the amazing pigmentation to the beautiful defined finish, this is a makeup must-have! 

Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Gel

The Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Gel has been another favourite of mine over the past couple of months. I have horrible dark circles under my eyes which give me a constantly-tired appearance - not exactly the vibe I want to give off! My friend Katie suggested this, just to soothe and hydrate my eye area and hopefully combat the puffiness. I'd never really thought about my under-eye area being particularly 'puffy', so I never thought it was something I wanted to change. Since using this each night before moisturising, I have woken up and progressively seen the puffiness disappear. I'm not going to say it works miracles or is better than any other eye gel on the market but it has definitely made some sort of difference. My eyes seem brighter, more hydrated and although my dark circles are still there, I feel a lot more confident about their appearance since using this and will definitely keep it in my skincare routine for a long time. Even if you don't need this to combat dark circles or puffiness, this little bargain is a really refreshing and soothing treatment, cooling and hydrating the eye area and perfect for after a facial. 

No7 Natural Blush Tint Powder in Coral Flush

Next is the No7 Natural Blush Tint Powder in Coral Flush, a product I have used for a while but rediscovered in a new shade. I have always loved wearing blusher as I am naturally quite blushed and think it compliments my fair complexion well. This shade is a deep pink with subtle flecks of a silver shimmer through it. Although it looks like quite a bright and shocking colour, the formula means it is very light when applied and really easy to build to the strength of colour you want. It blends into the skin really well and what I love most is that it almost looks as though you aren't even wearing blusher. Some powders have a problem with sitting on the skin and can appear cakey. This blusher settles perfectly and blends to a matte finish that looks natural - people have asked me if I am in fact wearing blusher as it gives off such a natural effect. This deep colour could flush any skin tone to the perfect blush and, although it isn't as pigmented as others, this plays to it's advantage allowing for a build-able yet natural finish making it very easy to work with and lasts all day long!

Real Techniques Nic's Picks Makeup Brush Set

My final favourite favourite over December and January has already featured in a blog post of its own (Click here to read!) so I won't go into too much detail, but it definitely needed a mention. The Real Techniques Nic's Picks Makeup Brush Set is the perfect collection of brushes that cover every aspect of makeup from blusher to eye shadow to eye liner. This collection gives you 5 essential brushes in one simple purchase. They are all made and decorated beautifully, the bristles are amazingly soft and easy to work with, giving a soft and professional finish. This set also gives access to 3 exclusive brushes from no other collections! Real Techniques as a brand are very consistent with their quality and versatility of brushes. This little collection is worth every penny and the looks you can create with their help are endless! 

That's all from the last couple of months! What have you been loving recently?

- Becca x

I Love... Strawberries and Cream Body Butter - RRP £2.99 (for 200ml)

Sleek MakeUp Face Contour Kit in Light - RRP £6.49 

Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Gel - RRP £1.50 (for 15ml tube)

No7 Natural Blush Tint Powder in Coral Flush - RRP £8 

Real Techniques Nic's Picks Makeup Brush Set - RRP £29.99 

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