Thursday, 21 May 2015

New Product Review: No7 Early Defence Eye Cream


For a while now, I have been contemplating adding an eye cream to my skincare routine. Your eye area is very delicate and I knew that the earlier I took care of it, especially considering I dab concealer over it every time I apply my makeup, the more I would thank myself later in life. As I browsed the shelves in all the high-street shops, I couldn't find an eye cream that covered all bases for my skin type and what I was hoping to conquer. Many boasted their 'anti-ageing' or 'hydrating and cooling' formulas that just weren't right for my 19-year-old, normal skin. My ideal eye cream was one to primarily brighten my dark circles, something I am quite self conscious about. With a limited few on the market, and even fewer in my price range, I thought I'd wait it out until either one I had seen came down in price or I found another alternative. 

The No7 Early Defence range was released shortly after my quest began and it seemed to fit exactly with what I wanted. This range was replacing the infamous 'Protect and Perfect' range from No7, which targeted anti-ageing rather than early protection against the ageing process, like this range. I have used the No7 Protect and Perfect Day and Night creams and although I did get on OK with both - the night cream more so than the day however - I still felt they weren't actually miraculously helping my skin, especially for the price tag. I was so pleased to see the targets of the Early Defence to be much more suited for my skin, age and daily life - it's concept focused of preventing and defending against the signs of ageing rather than slowing them down! I purchased the eye cream 4 weeks ago in April and have used it every day and night since.      

The consistency is much thinner than I would have imagined. I thought having 'special' ingredients to target the eye area would leave it a much heavier product but luckily it is very light, especially on such a delicate area, and absorbs quickly to save you waiting around before applying your next product. Another bonus is the product isn't perfumed and seems perfectly suited for not only sensitive skin by also younger skin prone to other skin problems like breakouts. Working just a small amount across the contours of your eye is not only quick and easy to squeeze into a busy schedule like mine but also gives an instant refreshing feeling to your eye area when applied. 

Not only have I loved the concept and the quality of this product, the results have been so impressive. Each morning, my dark circles are getting brighter and brighter and also a lot less puffy. My skin looks so much more hydrated and the eye area just seems more youthful and bright. I feel more confident about my dark circles now and have also noticed myself using less concealer than I have before. I am very glad I chose to start using this product and know it will hang around in my skincare routine for a long time! My only wish is for the tube of product to be a little bigger! Also, although this product is a bit pricey compared to other brands in Boots, No7 are always giving out '£5 off' vouchers to bring it down in price, or it might be a nice little product to splurge on! I must admit I was sceptical to pay out for this product at first. The idea to 'slow mo your skin', as the tag line suggests, seemed a bit far-fetched, but am glad I stuck by it. The results have made me feel more confident about my eyes and ready to dare to go bare and makeup-free as summer comes along! 

What eye cream has rescued your skin? 

- Becca x

No7 Early Defence Eye Cream - RRP £13.50 (for 15ml) 

Tuesday, 5 May 2015

My Pamper Night Staples | Bath & Shower


The next addition to my little Pamper Night Staples segment is sharing my favourite bath and shower products that leave you feeling relaxed and your skin feeling luscious! Of course a bath or shower could be had any day, but spicing your regular routine up with some special products or little extras to pamper yourself can turn a mundane activity into the perfect way to end a long and busy day.

For me, a bath is the perfect way to finish a busy day. I love just relaxing amongst the bubbles and really taking some time for myself to think and reflect on the day. Most of the days when I chose to have a mini pamper session, soaking in the bath allows for some quiet time, closing my eyes and enjoying the gorgeous scented bubbles that surround me. One of my favourite products to use after a long, stressful or busy day is the Radox Relax Bath Soak. This fills the tub with lots of light, fluffy bubbles and fills the room with the perfect lavender scent. I mentioned this products in a Fave Five a while back and I commented on how I find lavender quite a tricky scent to perfect. This bubble bath balances the strong scent with waterlily to make it sweet yet earthy and the perfect accompaniment to any pamper night. There are so many bubble baths on the market to choose from, even Radox have a vast range themselves, but sticking with natural scents, such as the lavender from the Radox Relax Bath Soak, I find to be the best way to complete a day where you've been stuck inside. I also adore everything Lush and find these the perfect little treats for a pamper night. Lush do such an amazing and vast range of bath bombs and bubbles bars to transform your bath into something colourful, scented or even glittery! My favorite for it's simple and sweet scent is the bubble bar 'Pop in the Bath' as I find it not too overwhelming or extravagant for a chilled out night in the tub. What's more, being a bubble bar, I can treat myself to several pampering baths, leaving my skin feeling incredible each time too.

If you don't have a bath in your home or are more of a 'shower person', there's nothing to say you can't bring this into your pamper night too! One of the best ways to turn a shower into something worth a space in your pamper evenings is to set aside a special, pampering body wash, different form the one you would use on an everyday or regular basis. This might be from your favourite luxury brand or filled with your favourite scent as a treat. I have used the Dove range of body washes before, including the Dove Deeply Nourishing Body Wash I have pictured above, and find they really treat my skin to a deep, nourishing clean, leaving it perfectly soft. This is the ideal type of product to feature in your pamper nights, a product with an affordable price yet reaches beyond others on the shelves to mix up an everyday activity such as showering and turn it into something special for your skin. Another option is to add a different product you wouldn't use normally in a rush in the shower, something to spend a little more time pampering yourself. For me, a body scrub is the perfect addition. I received the Strawberries and Cream Shower Smoothie from the I Love... range as a gift for Christmas and save it for my little pamper sessions. First off, the smell is so delicious and leaves my skin smelling fruity all day! Also, the little beads scrub my skin leaving it feeling fresh and soft after each use, the best thing to compliment the perfect pamper evening. This is only one of the little additions you can make to your shower routine to perfect your pamper session; you could always include shower oils and even in-shower moisturisers! It's all about bringing something new and special to your evening to set it apart and give yourself the treat you deserve, so why not try some different products?

If you are on a budget, there is the perfect compromise to complete your pamper nights in both the bath and the shower! Investing in products such as the I Love... Raspberry and Blackberry Bubble Bath and Shower Crème or the Zoella Beauty Soak Opera Bath Soak and Shower Cream mean you can have one pampering product, versatile to your preferred mood of a bath or shower. Building up a collection of pampering products, especially those more luxurious, can soon mount up price-wise. Having one pampering product can be the perfect solution to still treat yourself. Both these products have sweet and delicate scents and are gentle on the skin in both bath and shower use. I love the way they treat my skin and allow me to choose between a bath or shower and still reap the benefits of the product itself. And to be honest, I'd probably still buy them if they were separate products!

For me, a pampering bath or shower completes the perfect pamper evening, leaving me all warm and cosy ready to drift off to sleep. A shower or bath are so easy to fit into any schedule - we always need to wash! Adding that little extra something, be it a luscious body wash or gorgeous bath bomb, can transform that me-time from a 'must' to a 'love'! After the stress of the day, you deserve nothing more than to dream away the busy life you're living in the bubbles in your bath or scents of your shower gel, to leave you feeling special and your skin feeling just as wonderful! You deserve it!

What's your go-to bath/shower product?

- Becca x

Radox Relax Bath Soak - RRP £2.00 (for 500ml)
Lush Pop In The Bath Bubble Bar - RRP £2.95 (per bar)
Dove Deeply Nourishing Body Wash - RRP £3.99 (for 500ml)
I Love... Strawberries and Cream Shower Smoothie - RRP £2.99 (for 200ml)
I Love... Raspberry and Blackberry Bubble Bath and Shower Crème - RRP £2.99 (for 500ml)
Zoella Beauty Soak Opera Bath Soak and Shower Cream - RRP £5.00 (for 490ml)