Review: Maybelline Baby Lips

Let's face it, just about every beauty blogger has heard of these little delights as they've been booming in the world of blogging. There's certainly no doubt about why Maybelline Baby Lips lip balms are getting people talking. They're super nourishing, perfectly pigmented and all have their individual benefits suited to different lip types and different demands. 

I first purchased the peachy toned lip balm 'Peach Kiss' because it suited my pigment demands perfectly. My favourite lip shades are nudes, peaches and light frosted corals. I wanted to try a lip product that promised to nourish and protect my lips alongside providing them with a pretty sheen and delicate splash of colour. I was impressed with how soft and silky it left my lips for a good few hours, even after eating and drinking. Feeling so impressed I decided to try some more, but unfortunately the only others my local Boots had to offer were 'Quenched', 'Peach Kiss' and 'Pink Punch'. I purchased the two others right away and adored 'Pink Punch' almost instantly. It's a vibrant pink which on red lips looks even brighter. It's much more of a balm than a lipstick as like the other nourishes and protects your lips and leaves them looking shiny and soft. 

The third, 'Quenched' will become my new night time and first thing in the morning lip balm to treat dry, sore lips and to do exactly what it says - quench. 

This one is colourless but smells delicious and has the same nourishing effect as the others!

I believe there are a couple more coloured balms in this range, along with a few with different nourishing effects (some are SPF, others are for specific lip issues). After enjoying these three I will definitely consider buying more! 

Nivea Love

I'm a big fan of premium skincare, and I think it's nice to have the odd Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser or Clinique Moisture Surge Moisturiser kicking around your bathroom cupboard, however when money is tight, sometimes it's best to hit the drugstore for skin care. 

I recently ran out of my Liz Earle hot-cloth cleanser, and only had one other in my bathroom cupboard. The only option I had was an old No7 hot cloth cleanser and matching toner which has been known to make me break out. So I rushed to Boots to see what they had in terms of skin care that wouldn't cost the earth and wouldn't irritate my sensitive skin. 

I was already using the Nivea Pure & Natural day cream and was loving it. It's so soft and silky but is also refreshing and a good wake-me-up for tired skin. I decided to go for a budget buy and picked up the Nivea Pure & Natural cleansing lotion and cleansing toner. It was 3 for 2 on all beauty products at that point so I chose the Nivea Daily Essentials double-effect eye-makeup remover as my third product. A few weeks later I ditched my No7 night cream for the Nivea Daily Essentials Regenerating Night Cream for a great cost and now use every product in between my premium skincare or whenever my skin feels a bit vulnerable. 

They all work brilliantly together and leave my skin feeling fresh, soft, clean and clear and not the least bit irritated. 

Nivea don't use any harsh chemicals which is great for my sensitive skin and their products are never strongly perfumed, meaning you won't be overwhelmed with scent for those with a sensitive nose.

If you're after a good facial freshen-up, are tired of your regular skincare products or your skin is feeling sensitive and vulnerable, give Nivea a try and I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

Sophie.

xoxoxo

August Favourites

I've been quite experimental with products this month and thought it'd be a good idea to share some of my favourites as a result of my excitement. I bought everything in this post over the course of a few months and based on how good I thought they were I decided to give a detailed description of each one for you. Enjoy!

Sanctuary Spa Creme Souffle body cream

Boots recently had a great deal on in which you spent £10 on any Sanctuary product and got this free 475ml body cream which obviously I couldn't say no to! I'd never tried Sanctuary products because of their hefty pricetags but have always heard great things about them. It's texture is exactly what it says on the pot - creamy but light just like a souffle. 

It smells fresh and clean and leaves skin feeling delightfully smooth and soft. 

Soap and Glory Heel Genius Foot cream

Working in a busy shop every day can be hell for my feet and I've recently been noticing how dry the skin on the bottom of my feet has become as a result. I picked this up in the hope it'd be good as I usually love Soap and Glory products and have heard good things about their body creams. It smells light and fresh and has a lovely smooth texture once rubbed in. After using it for just a week I noticed my feet were so much smoother and healthier and now I use it every night after a bath.

Loreal Studio Matt & Messy Salt Spray

Through the summer months I've visited the beach a few times and wanted to have my hair looking effortlessly wavy and beachy but having naturally straight hair I really struggled to get it to stay looking beachy. I picked this up because I noticed it said 'matt effect' on the bottle, which is something you don't normally see on a beach spray. I totally love it as it doesn't add shine to my already straight hair what-so-ever and makes it easier to create effortlessly wavy/beach hair with just a couple of sprays over curled hair. I recommend it to anyone with straight hair as a holy grail product.

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in 'Creme Cup'

I'm a big MAC addict, particularly to their lipsticks and I own quite a few, mostly all pink shades. I wanted a more nude pink for a subtle everyday look with the same moisturising creamy texture of a MAC lipstick so headed straight for the cremesheens. This is a perfect inbetween for a nude and a baby pink as its subtle, pretty, moisturising and lasts a long time. Definitely my new favourite, although I'm sure the next MAC I purchase will be a favourite too...

Estee Lauder Duo Eyeshadow Pallet in 'Raisins'

This will be no surprise to many of you as Estee Lauder 'Raisins' is a beauty bloggers favourite for sure! It's pricey but so worth it and lasts all day long. It's the only Estee Lauder product I own and is my holy grail for eyeshadows. The peachy nude is light and almost transparent and therefore great in the corner of the eye with any other colour for the crease. I wear a brown smokey eye almost every day and love to use this along with my Bobbi Brown makeup brushes. It's a lovely product and definitely worth the money. Just look at the beautiful packaging for a start!

Barry M Gelly Nail Polishes in Papaya and Lychee

I've never been the biggest Barry M fan and have never really used any of their nail polishes, but I recently purchased these because they were a lot like the shellac nail polishes used in salons but at a fraction of the cost! I picked these two up along with three others and chose these as my favourites. They're easy to apply, quick to dry and last a long time without chipping, as well as being pretty colours. The coral is great as a pretty summer colour and the nude is perfect for Autumn/Winter. 

Zara Perfume

I've always been a big fan of designer perfumes such as Miss Dior and Calvin Klein but short on money and perfume recently, I needed a pretty scent which wouldn't cost the earth. I was given a sample of Zara Woman '92, Champs Elysees Paris' and was pleasantly surprised at how lovely it was. I saved up a good £40 just in case the full-size bottle was expensive (being a Zara perfume, I thought I'd better be prepared), and headed to my closest store. This is when I discovered just how cheap their perfumes are. I bought the Zara Woman perfume in full size for £14.99 along with this one for £7.99. I still had enough money leftover to buy another but decided to save it instead. This one is my favourite. It has no name but a gorgeous musky scent with hints of vanilla. A perfect everyday perfume.

Yankee Candle in White Chocolate and Mint

I know this isn't a beauty product but I couldn't resist. I love a good candle and have the odd Yankee Candle that people have given me as presents in the past. They last long and smell incredible, with a wide range of smells to enjoy. I bought this one when Clinton Cards had an offer to buy one candle and get any one half price. Although it says thank you on the front (which I don't really understand), I chose this one because it was white chocolate and mint which intrigued me. It smells creamy and chocolatey with a fresh hint of mint to keep the room smelling pretty and fresh.

'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' by Stephen Chbosky

Again, not a beauty product but I thought I'd share this with you as I began reading this recently. I haven't finished it yet but think it's brilliant so far. It's an intriguing account from the perspective of a teenage boy about life in school and the journey through adolescence. I'm really enjoying it and am excited to read on!

So that's it for August, I'll get thinking about my September favourites soon and promise to do a post at the end of this month but for now, these products will remain a part of my everyday routine and hopefully still will as we go into autumn and winter. 

Hope you enjoyed my post and more to come soon!

Sophie.

xoxoxo