23.1.13

Beauty Essentials

Hi everyone,

Blogging is going to be a bit difficult for the next couple of weeks, I moved house over the weekend (in the snow!) and won't have broadband until 6th February. Nightmare. When I have the opportunity to I'll blog from work but otherwise I might become one of those people who treks to Starbucks and drinks coffee whilst using their wi-fi to blog. Which doesn't sound so bad. So bear with me.

I'm planning to give my blog an overhaul soon as well, a fresh new look for a new year. And because I now have a Mac at home I should be able to learn how to do a great make over on my blog! Here's hoping.

But for now I'm going to talk about makeovers of a different kind. The weekend before last I went shopping with my good friend Clare, I snaffled a few bits and bobs in the sales but will post about those another day!

One of our stops was M&S and en route to the undies section I was distracted by their brand spanking new beauty department. They now stock lots of interesting brands I'd never seen before. One of which is Apivita.


Here's a little bit about the brand: APIVITA has been creating natural effective and holistic products since 1979 to promote health and beauty.


- All products have a natural ingredients content ranging between 80% - 100%
- All new product developed are free of commonly used synthetic ingredients, a fact that minimizes side effects
- All products consist of environmentally friendly ingredients
- Ingredients are mainly sourced from the 5,500 herbs available in the Greek nature, combined with pure bee products and organic essential oils


Their packaging is just lovely and I was intrigued so I bought a couple of their Express Face Masks with pomegranate extract for £3.00.


That evening I was staying at my parent's house and whenever I stay there I love to have a bath in their huge cast iron tub!!


So I thought this would be the ideal opportunity to road-test the new face mask!


It's very light and almost gel-like when you put it on, and feels cool and calming.


Afterwards my skin felt soft, replenished and definitely had more of a glow to it than normal. Which I guess means the mask does exactly what it says as it is for replenished, radiant skin.

I also really liked the fact that my skin didn't feel tight or dry afterwards which I generally experience with other face masks.

I was impressed!!

I really like their range of lip balms too...


Particularly the blackcurrant one. It smells lovely and leaves a sheer, purple-red stain on your lips.


But at £5 a pop I've put it on my birthday list as personally I think that's a bit much to spend on a lip balm.

You can buy Apivita products from M&S online here should you want to try any of their products for yourselves.

I have recently been raving about another skincare brand, Skin Wisdom from.... Tesco! The supermarket chain partnered with skincare guru Bharti Vyas to create a range of products and the result is brilliant. Reasonably priced skincare that has had an amazing effect on my problematic skin. I use their cleansing, toning and moisturising products and my skin is soft, radiant, spot and wrinkle free! Even the scarring that I had from some of my worst spots has diminished quite significantly.

Being someone who doesn't like to wear a lot of make up I recently purchased their 'Instant Benefits' Tinted Moisturiser for £4.00 and have been really pleased with it. Even smooth coverage, it blends really easily and brightens up my face without looking like I've been piling the slap on!


Skin Wisdom products available here.

When I go out of an evening though I do like to feel a little more 'made up' but still natural so when I was in House of Fraser the other week I went to the Chanel counter and asked to try their Vitalumiere Aqua foundation as I'd heard so many other people raving about it.

I wasn't disappointed at all!! Retailing at approximately £32.00 it's another one for my birthday list but as I'd need to use it so sparingly I think it'll last me for months so would be a good investment!

What beauty products do you love/swear by?

Lx



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33 comments:

  1. Hi there Lisa! I'm also just about to move house! Hope your move in the snow went well!

    Seems like we are going through similar stuff - like your blog. Will follow you :)

    Hope you have a great week ahead!

    Jade

    http://bohemianmuses.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-new-home.html

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    1. Hi Jade, thanks for following me. Just checked out your blog and I like it so I'll definitely follow you back.

      Best of luck in your move, I'll make sure to read all your updates!

      Lx

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  2. Ooh you have got me wanting to try all of those haha. I am a Max Factor girl through and through (for makeup anyway) and I use Garnier ultra lift day and night cream for my skincare. I am naughty and use face wipes instead of cleansing and toning. But I do use Witch foaming face wash too which removes any oil or makeup residue. I really need to start looking after my skin more.

    I love that bath, my Mum has got one too :) makes our bath look pitiful lol.

    Well done on the move, can't wait to see some photos :)


    Janine xx
    BakeGlueandTrend

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    1. I'm naughty and use face wipes to take my make up off too - I'm too lazy to cleanse tone and moisturise properly! But I follow the face wipe with Skin Wisdom anti-ageing night serum and night cream. Then in the morning I use an exfoliating face wipe and then apply Skin Wisdom day cream. So I guess I kind of have a routine!

      Lxx

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  3. Nice post! I swear by facial exfoliants and love St Ives at the moment

    http://forcailini.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks! I'm now following your blog, I like St Ives too although don't use it very often as sometimes it can be a tad hard on my skin!

      Lx

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  4. Hope the move went well! And that bath is sooo lovely. I've never heard of this brand before but it sounds lovely xxx

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    1. Thanks!! It did and I'm having fun getting settled in now. If you're ever in M&S you should check them out, all their products are made with natural ingredients and are designed with holistic therapy in mind so if you like that sort of thing you might like them!

      Lx

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  5. this brand looks lovely I'll deffo have to give it a try! hope you're move went well, especially in this bad weather! xx

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    1. Thank you! It all went okay, I don't want to move again for a long time now though!!

      Lx

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  6. Ooo great review, I love the packaging! Happy new house, home the move went well! xx

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    1. Thanks! The packaging is really lovely isn't it?

      Lx

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  7. Replies
    1. It's without doubt the second best part of visiting my parents', the first part being that I get to see them obviously!! :)

      Lx

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  8. Have a wonderful time sorting your new house out Lisa :)

    I would definitely try one of those face masks, they look lovely.

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    1. Thanks so much. If you ever see those face masks being sold you should try one, they're lovely!

      Lx

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  9. I loved that honey mask, I'll definitely get more. That lipbalm is £3 new on ebay though, "buy it now" too. Hope the house is coming on well! and you're not scoffing too much from the bakery! I got such a nice roll from them the other week! xxxx

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    1. Hehe, I'm trying to avoid the bakery, the Italian and the chippy - difficult when lovely smells are always wafting up to my balcony!!

      xxx

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  10. YES for the mac. I got a mac a couple months before Christmas and it is my fav thing in the whole world. I LOVE IT.

    I really love that bathtub, I need one like that in my house when I buy one!

    Corinne x
    www.skinnedcartree.com

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    1. I've never tried MAC but I hear great things, maybe I'll try them next :)

      Lx

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  11. Love the Vitalumiere Aqua myself, the coverage is beautiful!

    Going to be a little nerdy and ask how you got into marketing? Really want to pursue it as a career and it would be nice to pick up information!

    You've found a new subber in me!
    http://blondilocksrocks.blogspot.ie/

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    1. Hello there, thanks for following me. I'll check out your blog and follow you back.

      Sorry for my delayed reply to you, as mentioned in this post I don't have internet at home at the moment!

      I got into marketing by working in various related fields - I started off working in publishing in an ad sales role, then managed to get a job at a full service marketing agency as a Junior Account Exec. After a couple of years there I left and worked in Membership Marketing before moving into Media Planning and Buying. I now work for a Design, Branding and Strategy Consultancy.

      My advice would be to do a degree in a related subject like marketing, business studies or PR. Or to do the CIM qualification. Both of these aren't essential (I myself don't have a degree in anything and just worked my butt off for the last 11 years!) but it certainly helps in today's competitive job market when it comes to getting your foot on the ladder.

      I would also say intern intern intern wherever possible. A lot of companies won't pay you for interning but will give you money towards travel and food expenses, however the experience you'll gain from these positions is invaluable. It helps to be ultra enthusiastic, flexible and co-operative, you'll be bored to death to start with and probably asked to do incredibly mundane tasks, but if you approach them with a smile and the aim to do everything to the highest standard you can, it is appreciated and you'll hopefully then be asked to help with more interesting projects and also be given glowing references! I hope this helps you a bit.

      Good luck!!

      Lx

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    2. Thank you for taking the time to help me! I'll get to work finding internships, pronto.
      x

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    3. You're very welcome. Let me know how you get on :)

      Lx

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  12. Great reviews, thank you so much! :)

    partyatgatsbys.me

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  13. Thanks for visiting my blog - you mentioned you were following me, but I wasn't sure where. You can connect with me on facebook.com/forcailini and I can follow you on GFC?

    http://forcailini.blogspot.com

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    1. Hi Colleen, I've favourited your blog on my web browser but connecting with you on Facebook sounds like a better option. If you'd like to follow me on GFC that'd be lovely!! :)

      Lx

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  14. Those products look lovely, the packaging is so pretty and the price is ace. How you manage to look so gorgeous with a face mask on is beyond me!
    During my 30s I used to suffer badly with my skin and must have tried all sorts of hideously expensive stuff over the years. You know what? During a economy to afford a holiday I ditched the high end stuff and used Superdrug or Boots' own brand unperfumed ranges & my skin's never been better.
    I never wear foundation and I absolutely swear by Superdrug's Vitamin E Instant Radiance balm - just like the fancy Clarins stuff but a fraction of the price and bunny friendly, too! x

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    1. Haha! I must have had exceptionally good lighting in my parent's bathroom.

      I really think sometimes that own brand, basic, unfragranced products are the way to go. And bunny friendly is a must!

      Lxx

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  15. wow that bath sure is impressive! i'm so excited now to have a little browse of their new beauty items, the face masks look lovely. i'm quite addicted to the range superdrug have, especially the chocolate orange one, mmm good enough to eat. those lip balms sound really nice too! xx

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    1. Superdrug chocolate orange face mask?! That sounds good!!

      Lx

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Comments always read, responded to and very much appreciated. xx