Urban Jungle

I live in the city, and I whilst I do love it, my heart lies in the desert. This was my way of bringing a little bit of the desert to my city vanity.

Working in a lab, we had some plastic bottles that were surplus to requirements, so I instantly thought YES - tiny flower pots in the making! You can do this out of any old milk or juice bottle! All you'll need is the following:

1. Bottles/Cartons for cutting
2. A sharp Stanley knife
3. Some soil/compost
4. Plants of your choice
5. Tray to keep things tidy (if these will be inside)

Get creative! I'd love to see your photos of your urban jungle! Together we can create more inner city green space. Share this with your friends and family!

All My Love!

Less Is More

Having struggled with pretty awful breakouts on one side of my chin for about 6 monthly from September-February, I was almost ready to give up. Almost. I couldn't understand why the majority of my face was looking radiant, but my jawline and one half of my chin was constantly plastered in spots. I assumed it was something odd happening with one of my ovaries, so I saw a doctor, changed pills, changed my diet, and took up more exercise. The clear parts of my face only continued to get clearer and more radiant, but the breakouts in that pesky little spot just kept on coming. It affected my self-confidence and mood big time. And then it clicked.

I spent a few days at home, sick from work, wearing no make-up. I looked a bit tired, but at the end of those few days I realised that I hadn't had any new spots pop up. Overall that poor broken-out area was looking much clearer. It was at that point I decided to go back to basics. I got rid of the foundation and concealer and re-introduced two products that had fallen by the wayside since the summer.

The Mádara is for days I don't want an SPF. It is matte, golden and beautiful. The VitaZing is for days I want an SPF and something more moisturising - this one is a skincare product first and foremost. If I want concealing on a couple of blemishes, I'll use a concealer just in those areas.

The result is clear, happy skin. I'm just kicking myself that I didn't realise the trigger soon. Back to basics, Kat...back to basics... If you are having the same problem, I could recommend either of the above products. Or even if you decide to go with something else, it is more the advice to take a step back from what you are putting on your face. All the vegetables in the world can't make up for skin which is suffocating.

Supporting Local....Skincare!

We're told that one of the best things we can do for our bodies and our environment is to purchase our groceries local & seasonal. There's a lot of truth to this; buying local reduces the miles food has to travel in order to get to your shop shelf, thus reducing carbon emissions. It also means that you're getting the freshest possible produce. After all, if you live in London and just bought a mango...are you really sure how long it's been since that mango was plucked from the tree?

So on a similar wave length: why not shop your cosmetics locally too?

For English Roses, consider the following beautiful brands:

• Balance Me 'Balance Me uses innovative naturally active botanicals, hi-tech natural formulations and pure grade essential oils powerful botanicals to deliver a skincare range that offers the customer sophisticated textures and aromatherapy-inspired exquisite active aromas that can be used daily across all skin types.'
• Dr. Jackson's 'Dr Jackson’s is a niche cosmeceutical company created from 21 years of pharmacognosy research, utilising the best from nature.'
• Emma Hardie "I believe in treating the skin with the utmost respect. Just as we need to nurture the natural ground cover that protects the earth’s surface from erosion, so we need to nourish and nurture our protective cover, our skin. This way we can be assured of a life-long vibrant complexion that radiates the vitality of youth"
• Sarah Chapman 'Luxury with efficacy, softness meets strength, Skinesis is a solutions driven skincare range that combines high potency cosmeceutical ingredients with nurturing naturals and ultra luxurious packaging.'
• Aromatherapy Associates 'Aromatherapy Associates have been the leading experts within aromatherapy for over 30 years.'
• Ren 'Since its launch in 2000 REN has become a cult favourite amongst beauty editors and consumers and is now available in department stores, pharmacies and spas in over 50 countries around the world.'
• LUSH - I couldn't write this list without including this classic fun, natural, innovative brand. They stand for what they believe in, make bath time fun and sell some cracking skincare.

I hope you found this informative! Please share your favourite British brands below. There are so many more that I equally adore.

The Latest Product Reviews

These have been the latest things I've been trying, and overall it is a massive POSITIVE booty wiggle from me!

1. A'kin Orange Blossom & Chamomile Refreshing & Soothing Toner - I just wanted something to swipe over the skin after cleansing to refresh. This is a beauty. Great ingredients and lovely orange blossom scent; only downside is that I think this formulation better suits a pump-bottle packaging so that the product can be spritzed onto the face and patted in with the hands. This is designed to be used with a cotton pad, but I think product gets wasted this way. Ingredients: aqua (purified Australian water*) *BP 2007 standard glycerin (botanical source) sodium gluconate (from GMO free corn) panthenol (pro Vit B5) sorbitol (from GMO free maize) ethylhexylglycerin citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) flower water phenoxyethanol chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) extract mannitol (and) ammonium glycyrrhizate (and) caffeine (and) zinc gluconate (and) aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut) extract rosa centifolia flower extract

2. Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Overnight Detox Oil - I'm not such an avid believer in the 'detox' claims of this, just because I think that the whole 'detox' bandwagon we're all on at the moment is a load of bollocks. Don't put ten tonnes of sugar and caffeine and alcohol and nicotine into your body then expect a face oil to solve your problems, entiendas? However, this has some lovely ingredients in it, and I find leaves me with lovely, glowing skin in the morning, so I'm happy. Ingredients: CAPRYL IC/CAPRIC TRIGLY CERIDE, VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE) SEED OIL, PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS (SWEET ALMOND) OIL*, ROSA CANINA FRUIT OIL*, CITRUS AURANTIUM AMARA (BITTER ORANGE) LEAF/TWIG OIL*, DAUCUS CAROTA SATIVA (CARROT) SEED OIL, SANTALUM ALBUM (SANDALWOOD) OIL, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, CITRUS AURANTIUM AMARA (BITTER ORANGE) FLOWER OIL*, LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (LAVENDER) OIL*, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF EXTRACT, LINALOOL, GERANIOL, LIMONENE, FARNESOL. (07-49-5) * Origine biologique - Organic origin.

3. Green People Firming Eye Gel - I'm only 24 so I'm not in need of a miracle worker at the moment, but this gel is lovely and light with a water-base. I use it at night, though it would be perfect for the morning as well. It absorbs quickly, leaves no residue and wouldn't interfere with eye-makeup or concealer. The gel formula is great at relieving puffiness too. I can't speak on the anti-aging properties, but the ingredients are solid and it will definitely help you along the way at de-puffing (chicory root, algae and tara extracts), soothing (aloe), hydrating (marshmallow) and gently exfoliating (salicylic acid) the eye area, all of which make the skin appear aged. Ingredients: AQUA, GLYCERIN (VEGETABLE DERIVED), CICHORIUM INTYBUS (CHICORY) ROOT OLIGOSACCHARIDES, CAESALPINIA SPINOSA (TARA BUSH) GUM, ENTEROMORPHA COMPRESSA (SEAWEED) EXTRACT, ALOE BARBADENSIS (ALOE VERA) LEAF JUICE POWDER*, OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) FRUIT OIL*, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL*, PERILLA FRUTESCENS (PERILLA) SEED OIL*, ALTHAEA OFFICINALIS (MARSHMALLOW) ROOT EXTRACT*, AROMA [ANTHEMIS NOBILIS (CHAMOMILE) FLOWER OIL*^, SANTALUM AUSTROCALEDONICUM (SANDALWOOD) WOOD OIL*], XANTHAN GUM (CORN STARCH GUM), CHONDRUS CRISPUS (IRISH MOSS) POWDER, BENZYL ALCOHOL, SALICYLIC ACID, SORBIC ACID, LIMONENE*. *86.7% ORGANIC, ^FAIRLY TRADED

4. Aveda Pure Abundance Volumizing Hair Spray - I'm a bit fan of pump hair sprays as opposed to the traditional kind in a can. I'm not a fan of adding CFC's to the atmosphere and generally don't like inhaling all that product! My old favourite hairspray was the TIGI Love, Peace & The Planet Cherry Almond Hair Spray, but sadly that's been discontinued and I had to go on the search for another. There are definitely cheaper ones than this, but I've never given anything from Aveda a go and thought I'd throw my dollars to the wind and take a chance. This product features acacia extract to add mega volume to hair as well as strong hold. I'm a big fan! The big test for me is how well a spray holds my faux-hawk for 12 hours of partying and this surpassed all my expectations! The smell isn't the greatest, but then again I don't think anything will compare to the sweet scent of cherry marzipan from TIGI in the past *sheds tear*. If you want to spend the money, it's a great product. 

5. Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm - Ohhh sweet Moses. I'd heard every beauty blogger and their dog talk about this but I was very hesitant to part with £30+ for it. I think it retails for about £36, but Feel Unique have currently got it in their sale for 15% off here and I took the plunge. It is incredible; it really does deserve all the praise it has received. I take my makeup off with a cleansing oil, pat dry, then massage a bit of this into dry skin before removing with a flannel/muslin cloth. It is perfect for facial massage, cleansing and softening the skin, but equally removes make-up if you are happy to use it for that. I honestly don't think I can ever be without this from hence forth. Favourite. Cleanser. Ever. Ingredients: Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Beeswax, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Sorbitan Stearate, Palmitic/Stearic Triglycerides, Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Silica, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Aqua (Water), Lecithin, Linalool, Butylene Glycol, Octyldodecyl PCA, Menthyl PCA, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Disodium Phosphate, Citronellol, Citric Acid, Geraniol, Citral.

The Best in Beauty Deals

If you're anything like me, you'll hate the mad mobs, claustrophobic crowds and hectic hysteria that is most shops this time of year. If you get in now, you can do the ordering online. Bye bye madness, long queues and aggravated shop assistants, hello warm feet, warm beverage and time with your loved ones on your days off!

Below are my top beauty discount websites and the great deals they've got going on:

FEEL UNIQUE - a classic. Feel Unique currently have a £10 discount when you spend £50 or more on Fragrance with code SCENT50. Plus, Christmas delivery guaranteed for the UK if ordered by the 18th of December.

SALON SKINCARE SALE - If you're lucky you'll find some of your favourites in the sale going on over at Salon Skincare!

LOOK FANTASTIC - You can currently save 15% if you buy 2 products over at Look Fantastic. Use code TWINKLE15. They also have 25% off 'must have' gift sets for Christmas.

HQ HAIR - Currently have 10% off on selected items with code PARTY10, as well as 20% off Kerastase, 50% off selected electricals and 25% off on electricals

BURT'S BEES - for the natural beauty babe, Burt's Bees currently have some amazing 'grab bag' deals that I personally would LOVE for Christmas!

L'OCCITANE - with limited free shipping and discounts on some incredible gift sets, this site is not to be missed!

Please share any other great deals you've found! I hope this spares some of you the aggravation of fighting an old lady over the last gift set in store!

Madara Deco Face Sun Flower Tinting Fluid

This stuff is really lovely. I have normal/dehydrated skin and tend to gravitate towards very glowy products for my base, but this velvet/matte base feels very light on the skin, doesn't settle into fine lines and has a shimmer to it that does make the skin appear to glow. It offers no more than 10% coverage, so you will have to use a concealer on any blemishes/dark circles/redness, but it does offer an 'I've just come back from a refreshing holiday in the Mediterranean' type of golden glow.

Madara offers natural beauty products for the health-conscious. This is the first I've tried from them and so far, so good. The pros are that the ingredients are great and the product smells exactly like celery (if that floats your boat!). The packaging is very chic for such an 'eco' brand and the pump dispenser is very handy and hygienic. The cons are that the container is opaque so you have no way of knowing when you're running low and also it doesn't look particularly recyclable at first glance. Lots of plastic. Also, at £23, it certainly isn't the cheapest option out there.

On good skin days, this is perfect, but if you do need more coverage, I would say perhaps give this a miss. For me, it's the perfect thing to slap on for the weekend. I know I'm getting good ingredients onto my skin, whilst still offering a teeny bit of som'n som'n. You can find this over at Feel Unique if you're curious.

Let me know if you'd recommend anything else from the brand. OR any similar products?

A Fairytale Escape

This week I had the absolute pleasure of staying at the exquisite Jack Sparrow House in St. Keverne, Cornwall for a couple days. It was a getaway I had been looking forward to for a while, mostly because the reason behind the trip was to celebrate the boyfriend's birthday, but it really exceeded any expectations I had by a million times over. Located on the Northeastern part of the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall, this little house is a beautiful creation by the very talented Jonathan Melville-Smith of Outlandish Holidays.

With camping a regular venture and a hotel room not really the kind of place I was after for this adventure, I began looking into unique places to stay in. Jonathan's website came up on Google and I am so, so glad I had a quick peruse. I saw a few shots of the Jack Sparrow House and fell in love.

If you're after a quiet, cosy and romantic spot where you've got cooking and bathroom facilities, beautiful coastal views and an array of stunning beaches nearby - this is the place for you. It's a small cottage with a downstairs kitchenette and seating area, toilet and a ladder up to a cosy double bed. The best bot was the amazing shower in a converted horse box!

Exceptional love and care has been given to every detail in this home and you can feel the presence of so many happy people who have stayed there before you. A nice touch is the little 'memories' book on the table when you walk in. I really enjoyed reading about everyone's experiences there over the years. i left one of my own.

See my pictures below and I'm sure you'll understand what I mean. If you're looking to surprise a special someone or get away for a couple days of much needed R&R, I cannot recommend this place enough!

 

 
 
 

Origins GinZing

Ohhhhh it's a good range; in fact one of my favourites from Origins. I've used the GinZing Eye Cream for years, as well as the mascara since it was released 2 years ago. I had just run out of my day cream and so I felt the time had come to try the moisturiser. What really shoved me into a concrete decision was a great little Extra-Zing EnergiZing Kit that I spotted while perusing the website. For the price of the moisturiser alone (£23), you get to also try a 5ml pot of the GinZing Eye cream and a 'Try Me' sized version of the mascara. BARG!

If you've not tried the mascara, you can check out my review here. The eye cream is fantastic; it has a real luminosity to it which does a fantastic job at diffusing the light under the eyes. It doesn't cover dark circles per se, but it does make them appear less dark. It's a definite must for me! It has caffeine included, as well as Panax Ginseng to help reduce puffiness and brighten up that delicate area. The full-size version of this is a 15ml pot, but I personally find 5ml lasts me over 6 months... in fact probably closer to a year! You only need a little, after all.

Now onto the latest bad boy - the GinZing Energy-boosting moisturizer. This is a glorious 50ml pot of citrusy wonder! It's a very light gel-cream texture, similar to the Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Bright Skin Illuminating Moisturizer or the Make a Difference Plus Rejuvenating Treatment, if you've tried either of those. I wouldn't say it was rich enough for dry skin, or even normal skin that suffers from quite a bit of dehydration in the winter months, but for oily-normal skin (in the summer/warmer climates), this is perfect! It packs quite a punch for being so light-weight, yet absorbs quickly, brightens the skin, smells lovely and light and offers a great base under make-up. Again, Ginseng and coffee beans do their magic and brighten up a dull complexion.

At the starting price of the Origins Moisturiser range, this is aimed at the younger market. If you don't need anything radical, but a bit of luminosity and want to look after your skin, you can't go wrong with this kit. Also available from Boots. It would make a great gift too!

Looking for a good eye SPF?

I've got you covered! I was thinking pretty recently about the importance of protecting the eye area when you're whipping out your daily sunscreen and it occurred to me that aside from my sunglasses, I didn't have anything to really do the job! I don't particularly want to put my face SPF's around my eye in case of stinging/greasiness/puffiness, but I want SOMETHING to protect me if I don't want my sunglasses on. In walks an absolute babe of a solution:

At about £2.50 from Boots (and currently on offer for 2 for £4) you cannot turn away from this beaut. If you don't have any particular issues with your eye area and just want daily protection, this is a must. It isn't particularly hydrating and I can't see it doing a whole lot if you're looking for visible changes or miracles, but it will protect you from UV rays...and to me that's the best thing you could do to for any aging qualms! Perfect for young skin, easy on the wallet and easily accessible. This is one of my best finds for a long time.

Anyone got any other eye creams with an SPF that they adore? I'd love to know!

Carnica Bees Honey & Beeswax Lip balm

Carnica Bees is a gorgeous little British cosmetic company specialising in natural products based on the glorious substances that bees produce - beeswax and honey!

If there's one thing I've learned in my cosmetic quest over the years, it is that it is always better to keep things simple. The product in question today is exactly that and I'm wonderfully pleased with this little gem - now an staple resident in my handbag.

Ingredients: Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Beeswax, Honey.

Can you get anymore natural?

It is lovely and hydrating without being glossy, fragrance free and a great base under makeup too. Can't get enough! And at £3.25 it is a total bargain. Go go go!

The Best Base.

Now, the title to this post makes some serious claims, but I'd hold true to that! The combo in question is the L'oreal Lumi Magique Highlighting Base Primer and the True Match Foundation.

Sweet Moses! How have I only just discovered these?! I think there's a common misconception that high street/drugstore foundations just never compare to higher end, but when a brand like L'Oreal is centre stage, you can't help ponder that if these products are made in the same place as Giorgio Armani, Lancome, YSL... there's GOT to be formulation cross-over!

This Lumi Magique base is stunning! And it has replaced MAC's Strobe Cream that I was using before. I dot onto the high points of my face before applying foundation and the after effect is a beautiful, ethereal glow. You only get about 20ml and it retails for about £9.99, but the quality is so fantastic that I think it well worth it!

Onto the real star: L'Oreal True Match Foundation. My, oh my. This is just a dream to work with! I mix N4 Beige and W3 Golden Beige to achieve my perfect match, and that's my only fault with the colour range - though large none of the individual colours match me . It is a very liquid-y formula, and glides over the skin beautifully. I have quite dry skin and although this isn't the usual super-dewy type of formula I normally go for, I am really enjoying the finished effect. The product doesn't cling to any dry patches, doesn't oxidise on me and wears better as the day goes on and some of my natural oils are released onto the skin.

I have heard this compared to the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation and whilst I don't own that one, I must say that Amelia makes a pretty good arguement for it!

Boots have buy one get one half price at the moment on L'Oreal, so I'd recommend picking up this little duo!

Chic Cream Cheeks

What a gorgeous Sunday morning here in Bristol! It is absolutely freezing, but the sun is shining and there's a nice hustle and bustle in the city.

On days like today, I automatically reach for cream blushes. They just add a delectable dewiness to the skin that powder almost certainly can't achieve. My top three of the moment are right beauties, if I do say so myself and I thought I'd share them with you today...

 (Left to right in above, and bottom to top in below: Maxfactor Soft Pink, Illamasqua Rude and Illamasqua Dixie)

I think out of the three, the Maxfactor little pot has the best texture. It is butter-soft without being at all tacky and the colour suits every skin tone. As the name suggests, it is a neutral soft pink that does a fantastic job at imitating a natural flush. At £6.99, you can't really go wrong either!

The Illamasqua shades are brighter and bolder, but can be worn very sheer if desired. Rude I would describe as a 1950's apricot/coral, which I envision would look STUNNING on a fair blonde and Dixie is similar, but with a red tone to it that I think would look stunning on most people.

What are your favourite cream blushes of the moment?

Lip Combo of the Mo.

This has been my go to if I want to turn the pout up a notch from my usual lip balm offering. And boy, is it a good'un!

Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Torment and Korres Lip Butter in Quince. 100% Stamp of approval! I don't think this pencil is available anymore, but you MUST try the Illamasqua lip pencils for their amazing quality. Head over to the site - they've got a wicked sale on!

The Beauty Sample: Friend, not foe.

As a gal who's worked on a counter and thus amongst the beauty department, I can safely say that the majority of counter staff I know detest walk-up customers who outright request a sample. They assume these customers have no interest in buying the product, otherwise would be handing over the cash instead and they feel this deep, troubling need to cling onto their little pots and tubes as if the Apocalypse may come at any given moment and God forbid they'll be left without their tiny tubs of lotions and potions (that they, themselves, don't even use anyway!). It's a funny thing is the beauty department...

ANYWAY, moving on, I'm here to say that if you're curious about a particular high-end product and want to try before you buy, never feel bad about asking for a sample. To the lady or gentleman on a counter, you are basically a sum of money towards a sales target (of course, many of the ladies and gents I've worked with are lovely and really enjoy spending time with clients and helping them with their cosmetic concerns!) My point is, the counter person would always, of course, prefer that you spent the money then and there. However, if you are genuinely interested in the product, willing to listen to some advice on whether that is actually the best type/version for you, then go give it a try before you buy without feeling any shame or guilt! After all, who wants to shell out £30 on a foundation for it only to end up being crap. Not me.

 

The above is a sample of Clinique Redness Solutions Makeup SPF15 in shade 04 Neutral. I don't even suffer from redness, but this stuff is BEAUTIFUL and I bought it immediately. It is the perfect neutral tone that doesn't pull at all yellow or pink - heavenly. Moral of the story here? Don't be shy, try before you buy!

The Five Product Face

Like most people, I go through phases with my make-up. What can I say? I'm only human. It can be a full blown cat eye and red lip one day to a simple five minute 'slaplication' before I dash out the door the next. That's what this post is dedicated to today, my five minute, five product face.

 

First up, it's my trusty Origins Vitazing SPF 15. I've honestly lost count of how many of these babies I've squeezed my way through over the past 5 years or so. It is incredible stuff. Not a foundation, but totally evens out any redness whilst also making you look like you've just come back from a spa retreat somewhere fabulous in the middle of the Indian Ocean. A true Godsend. To conceal any blemishes or slap on top of my dark circles, I always turn to my Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer. Generally I use a seperate concealer for my undereyes/blemishes, but we're talking bare essentials here, so I've widdled it down to this great all-rounder. With a whopping 10ml in the tube, it'd be a great thing to take when travelling to mix with moisturiser for a base too! Hey, what's better than a foundation and concealer in the same tube?! 

Following the, sun-kissed theme, I am addicted to Daniel Sandler's Watercolour Creme Bronzer in Fiji to crank up the colour and faux-glow. I blend this with my finger onto cheek bones, bridge of my nose and lightly on my brow bone. The red-bronze colour immitates a natural tan and if I could use one word to describe the way it makes you look, it'd be healthy. I swipe a nice dollop of Miss Sporty Just Clear Mascara through my brows to make sure they behave themselves and finish off with the No7 Extreme Length Extend Mascara. No faffing, no brushes, no worries.

 

Rewind & Refresh

Over the past year or so, I've been suffering more breakouts than usual, and my skin has lost a bit of its glow. I've got the right products to reduce said breakouts and reignite said glow down to a tee, but that's not the point. Prevention is key, right? I don't want to keep having to combat issues, but rather do things to keep my skin clear and healthy before having to bring out the big guns.

I've been having a good think about it and what could be causing it. Of course stress plays a part, but everyone has periods of stress throughout their lives and I recognize those occasional pesky spots around my chin as being a result of that. Then there are hormones which again cause breakouts around the mouth, chin and jawline and really are a result of stress again. So that's fine - those I can link cause with effect. However, it's not those breakouts that I'm getting... I'm getting big, cystic ones on my cheeks. Big ones that hurt and linger and scar. I've never had those kind of spots before in my life!

So instead of whining about it, I'm on a mission over the next couple months to pinpoint the cause and eradicate the trigger. I'm going straight to diet of course. I've only recently been drinking dairy on the regular and so I'm inclined to think that could be the cause. But there's also sugar. Whether it's in the plethora of cocktails I've been sipping on nights out (and subsequent lack of sleep) or the growing number of crappy chocolate bars and sweets that I've been consuming over recent months.

I think I'm in need of a lifestyle overhaul and I'm really quite excited about it! One thing at a time of course, so for January it is a month without alcohol. Let's see what happens.

Let's Talk OCCO

OCCO is a brand that only recently crossed my path, but boy am I glad it sauntered in as it did. I think that around Christmas time, luxury Bath & Body products are always on the agenda for the ladies (and gents!) and it's a nice time to perhaps try things that you hadn't previously...

Cue OCCO. This is a luxury spa brand from the Dalmatian Coast & Adriatic Sea; a Croatian brand that needs more love from us over here in the UK! The products are packed with gorgeous ingredients, the packaging is exquisite and they even have a spa to boot (which I am dying to go to. DYING.).

They have seven different ranges all inspired by the natural beauty of Croatia and a really well-thought-out collection of products to suit all lifestyles. The price point is comparable with, say, Origins and I would rate the quality on a par.

The two gems that I've been trying are the Dalmacija No1 Gentle Soft Wax Cleanser and the Motovun No3 Wood Pulp, Cypress and Pine Body Scrub.

1. Dalmacija No1 Gentle Soft Wax Cleanser - This retails for £28, making it slightly cheaper than the ever-worshipped Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm. I've not tried the EH, though I'm sure I'll get round to it eventually... Anyway, it's gorgeous! It has a light, citrusy, non-invasive scent and is enriched with grapeseed, olive oil and beeswax in a wax-based formula for gentle cleansing. I use this as the second stage in my double-cleanse to clean my skin after make-up is removed, though this does a great job at breaking down make-up too. Gorgeous, 50ml, glass jar.

2. Motovun No3 Wood Pulp, Cypress & Pine Body Scrub - This retails for £25, so similar to say the Caudalie body scrubs. You get 175ml and it's a thick texture which means it doesn't all gloop down the drain instantly (major pet peeve!). It smells like a medley of a rhassoul mud and a wooded forest, but it's not in anyway overpowering. It's truly earthy and relaxing and I really love this as a gorgeous, unwinding treatment in the evenings.

Get on the OCCO bandwagon. You won't be disappointed! Oh, and someone please go to Dubrovnik Sun Gardens and tell me all about it if I don't get there first!

Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir

Ahhh yes, the infamous fragrance. Purchased and adored by many, this heady scent comes in the form of a Cologne, Hand & Body Wash and Lotion, Bath Oil, Candle and more. Jo Malone doesn't do this for just any fragrance now, but one worshipped around the world as much as this simply deserves all the bells and whistles...

To me, Pomegranate Noir is a sexy woman in a red dress, with hair pinned to the side in the 1930's. She's in her prime, fresh off the stage and heading into her dressing room to powder her face and freshen up before meeting her lover in a quiet cocktail bar down the road which plays jazz into the early hours.

Of course the heady scent would evoke different images to different people, but it is my go to scent for this time of year and nights out on the town. Go take your senses to another world by having a whiff of this at a counter near you.

Where am I?

I'm over on wordpress: www.kennedycaptures.wordpress.com

If you're keen. It's more of a lifestyle blog. Of course there will be beauty posts thrown in, but this was a project to myself on my last birthday to take a picture and post something every day.

Six Empties...

There's something so satisfying about using up a product. I think part of my chimes that I've now got space on my shelf, both revealing things I'd forgotten about and leaving room for something new to slot in. The other part of me is pleased knowing that I must have really liked said product as I used up every last drop/glob/spritz of it!

1. La Roche Posay Serozinc - The raved about anti-bacterial, calming mist to fend of irritated skin and break outs. I've written a post on this before here so wont go on. In summary - before it I was dealing with a rather bad series of breakouts; now, I have clear skin. IT IS EXCELLENT!

2. Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet - This was a sample that came with a purchase of the Caudalie SOS serum (which I wholly adore). I've used this before and it's fantastic. I would recommend to sensitive, dehydrated combination skin types due to it's light, whipped texture and soothing properties. My only issue is that it isn't rich enough for me this time of year, however in the summer it is brilliant!

3. Burt's Bees Almond & Milk Hand Cream - Gorgeous, thick, greasy and smells amazing. I work in a lab and my hands are in terrible condition from the repetitive cleansing, however this is divine at night time and really puts the moisture back in. Plus, if you like almond scents then this will be right up your street! I equally adore the banana hand cream in a pot, which I repurchased when this one died on me.

4. Garnier Hand Repair Intensive Restoring Hand Cream - This is my absolute favourite drugstore/high street hand cream. It is not greasy at all, but deeply moisturises the skin and contains no mineral oil. It has fantastic ingredients all-round, so for £4.50ish it's a total barg. I will repurchase again and again!!

5. Naked Coco de mer Body Wash - I have lost count of how many of these I have gone through. I always have the body wash and body butter in my stash and never get sick of the scent. Naked is a fantastic natural brand that you can buy in Boots for a reasonable price. Their collection is small but well-thought-out and  this is honestly one of my favourite scents in the world - very heady and sensual. No animal testing, no crap ingredients - wonderful ethos.

6. Baylis & Harding Sweet Mandaring & Grapefruit Indulgent Moisturising Hand & Body Lotion - (longest name ever?!) This was given to my by a a friend and it was handy to keep in my bag and use throughout the day on my poor, crusty mitts. I would simply describe it as average. It smells ok, moisturises adequately and has nice enough packaging. But that's about it really...I wouldn't purchase because it doesn't do enough for my needs, but for the average pair of hands then I'm sure this would be fine.

PHEW! You know, I'm really realising just how much hand creams are taking over my life. I hope this has been helpful. If you know of any amazing hand creams that you think I should try, please let me know!