Lush Imperialis Facial Moisturiser

I love the Lush store. Last time I was in one was in Italy and I couldn't understand the labels haha. A trip to Dublin's Lush is on the cards. 

I bought their Imperialis online. It is a facial moisturiser made of cocoa butter, tiger lily and orange flower. It is very runny and light in consistency and absorbs really well into the skin. I love it and seem to be reaching for it all the time lately as it soaks in very well and I don't need to wait long before I apply my foundation. It has quite an old fashioned scent and reminds me of Ponds.  

The Irish Get Up and Go Diary

This was my favourite Christmas gift by far - a diary with a difference! It is so well put together with little proverbs and words of wisdom. It is just the dose of inspiration, motivation and optimism I find you need last thing at night and first thing in the morning. 

Each month begins with a page on which to write your goals. I love this part as it really focuses me on what I would like to achieve in the next few weeks. Each day includes a few uplifting words. I have never come across such a diary before and am so glad I have one - a great Irish creation!

A quick update!

Blog, how I've missed you! I would first like to thank you for reading my blog even though I have not posted in three weeks. I appreciate all the views and am pleasantly surprised when I see so many of you have visited even though I have disappeared for a short while. I love my little blog and  your views mean a lot to me :) 

I have many posts in store, from skincare to make-up, books to organisation, fitness to lifestyle.

Stay tuned!

Reawakening the body!

I have started the 28 day Beginner Squat Challenge that I came across on the myfitnesspal app. It consists of 4 different squats, one week spent on each type. I'm almost at the end of the first week which involves the counter balance box squat. I like the sound of short term challenges and this one has woken up a few of my muscles again. Maybe it's my imagination but I could swear I see a difference in my thigh/ bum area. If you want a very easy workout for your thighs and bum then I would recommend this one.

I have also started walking in the evenings again and availing of my gym membership! Swimming and yoga resume shortly so I'm looking forward to those after indulging slightly over the Christmas period.
Stay tuned for more health and fitness challenges :)

Happy New Year to all my readers!

Those rosy cheeks

As someone with a pale complexion, I quite like blush to add some life to the face. Over the past year or so I have collected blushes of varying shades and pigmentation. Depending on the time of year, my skintone and the colours I'm wearing I choose from: 

Clinique's Iced Lotus  &  Maybelline's 77 Rose are both cooler and I tend to use them more at Wintertime or when creating a fresh-faced look. 

Artdeco in 44  &  Catrice's Toffee Fairy are both warm and rustic and perfect for Autumn

Elf's Tickled Pink & Candid Coral are quite poorly pigmented so more ideal when creating a subtle, everyday look

Benefit's Sugarbomb & Mac's Springsheen are high quality products, both suitable for day and night. 

What blush do you use currently?

A touch of sparkle!

I thought I would share these few pieces that I love wearing lately. 

The two chains are from Willow - I love their selection of jewellery! The long turqoise piece goes with a multitude of green and blue tones of which there are many in my wardrobe. The white and yellow piece looks great against black, grey and green. 

 I cannot remember where I got these earrings but they look great especially at this time of year - they really brighten the face and make a huge difference. I love all these pieces at the moment but my favourite is this ring I got for my birthday in June from Bronzallure. I have always loved bronze and was delighted when I came across this collection. It is definitely worth a browse on their website. 

Lip it!!

The three lipsticks I am using these days are

benefit's Wing Woman, quite a bright peachy neutral. 

I mostly wear this at work / daytime

L'Oreal's Ginger Chocolate 274

a natural nude, very subtle

This is probably my favourite of all three! 

Revlon's Colour Burst Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie 50

for when I need a bright lip, a lovely pink

Personally I like to wear bright colours when I am wearing neutral coloured clothing and nude colours when I'm wearing brighter coloured clothes. Having a peach, pink and a more natural nude covers most bases, next stop the darker plums!!

Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator & Skin Repair Moisturiser

As the Liz Earle range is agreeing with my skin so well, I decided to expand my collection with their exfoliator. I also received their Skin Repair Moisturiser in one of their latest offers, and a very relaxing Eucalyptus & Rosemary Candle. 

The exfoliator includes eucalyptus, cocoa butter and jojoba beads. A little goes a long way - I work it into my skin in circular motions, concentrating on those parts that I want to invigorate and brighten. I use it about twice a week and find it great. 

I prefer the Skin Repair Moisturiser to the Superskin Moisturiser I already had. It has a slightly thicker, richer texture, I think. I chose the one for Dry/Sensitive Skin. It includes borage oil, echinacea, hops and avocado oil.

Perhaps it is due to the passage of time but it is certainly not due to my diet (which is another story or blog post!!) but my forehead which was quite bumpy is now smooth and blemish-free. In general my skin has never been so clear and healthy looking! :) 

That's Life - Fulfillment - Be Brave, Be Determined, Believe

I would like to post a little about fulfillment and how we all need a sense of this in our lives. At this time in my life I am feeling it more than ever. I think it is mainly down to pursuing my interests and passions and feeling I am moving forward and achieving something. I have a number of passions I work on and partake in on a weekly basis, all of which I enjoy and are unique to me. Becoming more skilled at something, without a doubt, increases one's self-esteem and confidence. It can take a while but once you find that thing you love doing, go for it. The likelihood of you giving up is slim if it is something you actually want to do and not something you are doing to impress others. We all have so much potential and have the ability to achieve far more  - all we need is courage, determination and self-belief. 

What would you really like to do? 

What would you really like to be good at? 

Why aren't you doing it already?

Happy Sunday! :) 

Winter Weathering (Prevention of)!

I thought I would post about keeping hydrated this winter, in every way 

- hair, lips, hands, body and face. 

 (I hope you like the picture. This was taken out my back on a lovely old style fence, unfortunately you can't see the fence as I thought the trees and sky looked lovely on this wintry afternoon. I had great fun taking this as the tube on the far right kept falling!)

Hair

About a week ago I bought two items from Kerastase - a shampoo and a mask. Their anti-dandruff moisturising shampoo is an exfoliant. I had never used an exfoliator on my hair before and was a little apprehensive but it was so good. Unusually I had quite a bad bout of dandruff  but it practically disappeared after the first use. If you have dandruff or dry scalp at the moment I highly recommend this. I was only on the search for a good anti-dandruff shampoo, however there was a discount on 2 or more items so of course I got sucked in and now I am the proud owner of their Nutritive Masquintense. I have yet to try this but if the scent is anything to go by then I think I'll like it. The Kerastase range is expensive but hopefully worth it.

If I'm in a hurry and don't have time to condition my hair I spray some of Herbal Essences Bee Strong  Leave-In Cream into the length of my hair. 

Hands

The two hand creams I am using these days are La Source Hand Therapy by Crabtree & Evelyn and Garnier's Intensive 7 Day. I love both of these as they are fast absorbing and don't leave a sticky feeling. I also have the La Source Exfoliator which is brilliant. I find when I don't keep my hands moisturised they look like they belong to an old lady!

Lips

Blistex Intensive Moisturiser is brilliant. Don't forget to exfoliate your lips with a toothbrush, making them all plump and soft.

Face & Eyes

Read earlier posts to find out about my skincare routine. In addition to my current routine I use Avene's Soothing Moisture Mask and The Body Shop's Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil. Once a week I apply the mask and I reapply to the areas where the mask has soaked into easily. I often get into bed with the mask on, trying to stay on my back. I wake in the morning hydrated and soft. Another great product for night-time is the Serum-in-Oil - very hydrating and softneing. Of course try to exfoliate your face at least twice a week to get rid of dead skin. The skin around the eyes dries out too so I am now lashing on eyecream whenever I remember. 

Body

My favourite body moisturiser at the moment is coconut oil. After a hot bath or shower, it soaks in very well. Again, try to exfoliate at least once a week to increase the effectiveness of your moisturiser. 

And of course hydrate your body from the inside with water and fruit :) 

Looking Younger

Since makeup can and often makes women (including me) look older than they are, here are a few ways (and products) to help you look the opposite - younger!

The youngest looking women I know don't wear any makeup at all. Try to use minimal coverage and expose as much of your natural skin tone and glow as possible. I have used L'Oreal's CC Cream in the past so I decided to try out their BB cream. Heavy foundation has an ageing effect so bear this in mind. 

Black eyeliner and mascara can look quite severe. Brown or grey can help create softer looks. It depends on the look you are trying to create, and the colour of your eyes. I have L'Oreal's Volume Million Lashes in brown. Softer colours around the eye will soften the whole area creating a younger look. 

I know it is Autumn/Winter but for a younger look, and lip, opt for the brighter tones instead of the darker. I got this 'Ginger Chocolate' which is a very flattering, Autumnal shade. 

I would love to hear your tips!

Italy: Cinque Terre Part 3

Hello again, I hope you enjoyed Cinque Terre Parts 1 and 2. Today I will tell you a little about the actual walk I did. 

There are a number of walks in the National Park, varying in intensity and length, including a coastal walk which is the one I did. As I mentioned a few days ago, two sections of the coastal walk are closed. At the time (July 2014) you could start the walk from Monterosso or Corniglia; I started in the latter as it's easier. 

Firstly I had to tackle the many, many steps that bring you up to the village of Corniglia. I had a little look around Corniglia, which is lovely. Outside the village you must show, or buy, a ticket at the checkpoint. The inland walks are free of charge but the coastal walk is not. 

The terrain varied greatly, at times smooth and easy and at other times, rocky and uneven. There were steep parts, upward and downward. On the upward steep parts, I had to stop and rest regularly as it definitely got my blood flowing!  My 2 litre bottle of water was not long gettting lighter.  The views were worth it though - looking back at the higgledypiggledy, colourful village behind and out over the Ligurian Sea. 

When I reached Vernazza I had a little break: a wander around and some food. Vernazza is so different from the other villages; each has their own charm and uniqueness. To me it seems the most spirited village as it had to overcome a horrific flood in 2011. I refilled my bottle at a fountain and set off for Monterosso. 

Monterosso is probably my least favourite of the five as it is so touristy and for me it lacks the character the other four have. As I descended the steep stony steps, people were coming against me with a tough, uphill challenge ahead of them. I was happy with the direction I'd opted for. 

Having arrived in the most northerly village of the Cinque Terre, I rested on the beach - the sound of the sea, the birds and Italian families. I had completed the long-awaited walk and it felt great. 

Italy: Cinque Terre Part 2

I hope you enjoyed reading Part 1 of my Cinque Terre post. 

So with Cinque Terre ticket in hand, I boarded the train in search of accommodation. I love to travel on a budget so I was in search of a hostel. I had not booked one as I like to wing it and so the search began. I had stayed in a lovely hostel in Manarola two years previously so I went straight there. When I say straight there I mean I got the train there and proceeded to walk the very steep hill to the place only to be told they were fully booked. At this stage I was hot, sweaty and turning a funny shade. 

I decided to connect to the free Wifi (thanks to the Cinque Terre ticket) at the bottom of the hill to retrieve other hostel options. Next stop, Corniglia. When alighting the train in Corniglia my memory started to jog, Corniglia was not easy to get to. About ten minutes of stair climbing separates you from the village. It is definitely challenging in the mid summer heat. So up I went, located the hostel at the top only to be told 'No room'. 

I considered paying for a more expensive room. I considered phoning in advance of travelling to possible hostels. But then I thought, I'm not in any hurry, I'll make use of my unlimited travel pass and board the train AGAIN, this time heading to Riomaggiore. A tunnel leads you to the village and up yet another hill. The hostel was nowhere to be seen. I decided to enquire only to be told I had passed it out, at the train station. So back down the hill, negotiated with an old lady (she did not speak English at all, I spoke very little Italian) and eventually flopped down on my bed for the night. 

The next day I set out on the coastal walk. Unfortunately two sections of the walk were closed due to landslides and unsafe paths. One can start the walk in Monterosso or Corniglia. I had heard it was harder to start in Monterosso as it was steeper and that there was more uphill walking. Fear of the unknown and lack of fitness made me start in Corniglia. I was so excited and had wanted to do this for a few years so off I set. 

To read the final part of my Cinque Terre experience stay tuned!

Italy: Cinque Terre Part 1

In July I went to Italy determined to walk the Cinque Terre Trail. In all honesty it's not that difficult but bearing in mind I'm not an experienced hiker it was a big deal for me. I was really looking forward to walking it as I love walking and I love Italy expecially the Cinque Terre, which is the name given to the five villages on the northwestern(ish) coast. The whole place is so picturesque and beautiful, I love it so much; this was my second time there.

Thanks to Ryanair I flew to Pisa from Dublin and walked (yes, walked) from the airport to the only hostel in Pisa which I highly recommend, in terms of price and cleanliness. No red eye flight this time, I arrived in the evening and had a lovely wander in the warm breeze.

The next morning I got the train up the coast to La Spezia which is where you can buy tickets for and find information about Cinque Terre National Park. The Information Office can be quite hectic but manageable. From there you can reach the five villages of the Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore, Manorola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. With the rail ticket you can travel up and down the line to your heart's content, hopping on and off, visiting and revisiting each Terre. 

If you would like to hear all about the trek and my stay in the Cinque Terre stay tuned! :)

A little bit lighter

I thought I would share a few tips on losing a few pounds. This is what has worked for me.

1. Get busy

I have found in the past when I wanted to lose weight it was on my mind a lot but I think the trick is to not let it take over. The times I have lost weight have been when weight loss was not on my mind as I was quite busy at the time. The weight just came off then as I was getting on with life and not obsessing over food or exercise.

2. Get logical

I can only speak for myself but in the past I have consumed far more than what my body actually needed. Yes, food is there to be enjoyed but it mainly is fuel for the body so that you have energy to get through the day. The body does not need as much as we think. So maybe think of food more as fuel for the body and less as a source of enjoyment. 

3. Get thirsty

Between meals is a good time to top up the body with water. I think of it as having a mini water meal. Drinking water has so many benefits. It is unlikely that you will drink too much water but it is very likely that you are dehydrated. I try my best to drink at least half a litre between meals; I also love to drink as much water as possible when I wake in the morning. I find it is a great way to start the day and relieve bloating.

Common Scents

Yves Saint Laurent's 'Opium' is more of an evening scent even though I love wearing it to work. I usually go for the darker packaging as I love the darker, stronger scents. I love this one. The sales assistant also treated me to an 'Opium' candle which is so hard to burn as I want it to last. 

'Cashmere' by Next is another lovely scent, more suited for daytime. As the name and packaging suggest, it is quite delicate. I almost feel like I should be wearing pastels with it. Another divine and very reasonable scent from Next! 

Tip: I was told during the week the best place to spray perfume is at the back of your knee - I've yet to try it!

What scents have you tried lately?

Liz Earle: Superskin Moisturiser & Instant Boost Skin Tonic

A few weeks ago I started using and posted about Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish. Today, following a complimentary facial, I added to the range with a moisturiser and a tonic. 

 

The Instant Boost Skin Tonic revitalises, soothes and tones. 

It contains:

- Aloe Vera to hydrate

- Calendula for its anti-inflammatory properties

- Cucumber to rejuvenate

- Rose-scented Geranium for anti-aging

The Superskin Moisturiser is for mature or very dry skin. It smoothes, plumps and replenishes. Unlike the cleanser & toner it is fragrance-free. It can be used both day and night.

It contains:

- Cranberry Seed Oil moisturises

- Borage Oil for its anti-inflammatory properties

- Rosehip Oil rejuvenates

- Pomegranate Fruit Extract hydrates

The naturally active ingredients contained in Liz Earle's Skincare range were specifically chosen to combat skin disorders such as eczema, acne and rosacea. It has been a while since I used the 3 steps: cleanse, tone and moisturise. I can't wait to start cleaning my face properly once again! 

PS - Happy Autumn! :)

Inglot Brush Cleanser

In the past I have cleaned my make up brushes with baby shampoo, virgin oil and the like but they never seemed to extract all the make up from my tools. I knew I needed the real thing and so the hunt began for a targeted make up brush cleaner. 

Inglot Brush Cleanser was recommended to me so I decided to give it a go. It was very reasonably priced, around Eu10 for 150ml and has a spray pump. 

It is so much easier to use and takes less time than the other methods I've tried. I spray a tissue (or face cloth), then gently rub the hairs of the brush into the cleanser. I find this cleanser cleans my brushes thoroughly in seconds!

How do you clean your brushes?

My first time cleansing and polishing with Liz Earle

I have been washing my face with coconut oil all summer. I recommend it and it works very well. However, as I mentioned in yesterday's post, I was looking for an exfoliator suitable for rosacea and was drawn to Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. 

So I used it last night and this morning. Since I was cleaning off my (minimal) makeup last night I used a full pump and a little extra. It is recommended you use it with dry hands on a dry face. This amount was enough for my face and neck. Using my finger tips I worked it all in. It is creamy and smells so good (eucalyptus mmm).

The only thing about this product is that I cannot use hot water (hot water and rosacea are not such good friends) so I use cold or tepid water. I rinsed and squeezed the muslin cloth (you get 2 cloths with the cleanser) and rubbed off all the cream gently. This gently exfoliates your skin. 

Unlike the coconut oil which I had been using, this cleanser has those added extras which will hopefully benefit me - rosemary, chamomile, cocoa butter and eucalyptus. 

This morning I used less than a full pump as I did not have any makeup to wash off. I wouldn't usually cleanse twice a day but I thought there was no harm in smelling that divine scent again :) I am booked in for a free Liz Earle facial in a few weeks time so I will keep you posted on my experience with Liz Earle products. 

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

I am so sorry for the long wait but I just had not bought anything very interesting until today! It has been reviewed at length already but I thought I'd review it too. 

For this post I thought I would show how the cleanser is packaged, rolled up in the muslin cloths inside a zipped bag. I thought I would have to pay more for the muslin cloths but they come free with the cleanser. 

I am curious to try this cleanser and cloth combination as I have heard quite a bit about it. I was actually looking for an exfoliator today but the lady guided me towards this product which both cleanses and gently exfoliates. 

It contains naturally active ingredients: Rosemary, Chamomile, Cocoa Butter and Eucalyptus Essential Oil. It is also alcohol-free so it's perfect for me and my roscaea :)

I will try it tonight and report back tomorrow.