Tuesday 18 August 2015

Collective Haul

white strappy sandles, two pairs of sunglasses, mint strappy top, camel mini skirt, nail polish remover, vitamin E cuticle cream and floral statement necklace
First off- apologies for the shoddy picture quality. This is what happens when you haven't blogged properly in months and good habits are forgotten (don't even get me started on the amount of new products I've forgotten to take pictures of before I've used them)!

I came across this picture on my phone and thought I'd give a little run down of what I bought on a recent (ish) shopping trip. The top, skirt and necklace were what I wore on my birthday night out and I absolutely love them. A-line skirts are an absolute favourite right now. I think they're a really good shape on me; so much so that I've since bought this  same skirt in khaki. It was actually my mum who pointed out this necklace in Primark after me going on about how much I needed statement necklaces (after watching so much Gossip Girl). Compared to the ones I had been looking at in H&M which were all well over £10, this was a bargain and its really pretty. I always fear that Primark jewellery will break within one wear but this necklace has held up well as I've now worn it a few times. 

I also picked up some holiday bits. You can't go wrong with the sunglasses in Primark for £1 or £2: I buy a few pairs each year; they're cute and it doesn't matter if they break. These sandals were only around £4 and I wore them every single night on holiday- well worth it. As for beauty things from Superdrug I bought nail polish remover as a means of preventing myself biting polish off, Vitamin E Superbalm for cuticles and lips and Eyelure 101's- my favourite going out lashes. 

Tuesday 4 August 2015

Superdrug Skincare Picks

When I first started blogging, I used to be amazed when I read other people writing 'I liked the look of this so I thought I'd buy it and give it a try'. I was a lot younger then and with my pocket money I could only buy the odd hyped product now and again after much careful consideration. Its been almost 2 years since I started my part time job and it means that every now and again I can treat myself to the bits and bobs in Superdrug that I just like the look of. 

I was always a Boots loyal when it came to feeding my beauty product addiction but over the past year I feel like Superdrug has really upped its game. There always seems to be promotions on and however sad it may sound, I think its so fun to go in and fill my basket. 

Today I'd like to mention a few skincare gems I've been using from Superdrug, all really reasonably priced and they all land top marks in my book.
Garnier micellar water large and small bottles, two facemask bottles, bio oil, vitamin e eyecream and simple moisturiser all on floral background
Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
You can find my full review here in which I absolutely raved about this product and said that I actually preferred it to the original micellar water Bioderma. The only issues I raised were its impracticability for travelling and that you couldn't remove the cap. Well, they've only went and fixed exactly those problems! The new 400ml design has a easily removable cap and the mini size is the cutest thing I ever did see. I always buy a few of the big bottles at once when they're 1/3 off in Superdrug as its the only makeup remover I use.

Bio-Oil
I thought I'd throw this in as I was recommended it and decided to pick it up in the hope it'd improve the appearance of my scars. I have noticed a slight improvement to scars on my leg with sporadic use but I think for it to really work you need to use it consistently and for a good few months. Have any of you tried it and has it worked well for you?

Vitamin E Eye Cream
I think Superdrug's Vitamin E brand is underrated. They have lots of different skincare items in their range (wipes, masks, body oil) and since its 'own brand' is is very reasonably priced. The skin around my eyes became really dry during winter and I needed a simple eye cream that would moisturise the skin without irritating my sensitive eyes. This worked wonders. It feels light, refreshing and absorbs really quickly. I also have the SuperBalm from the Vitamin E range and I've really been enjoying that too.

Simple Kind to Skin Light Moisturiser
This is a classic that I've been using for years. I go between this and the Rich Moisturiser, sometimes mixing the two at once. This is excellent for sensitive skin and absorbs really quickly. I really like the fresh smell of Simple products (I also use their cleanser and toner). I buy this when its on 3 for 2 and always forget that I have like 6 bottles in my cupboard!

Superdrug's Own Brand 'Destressing' and 'Refreshing' Face Masks
I vaguely remember reading a review of one of these ages ago and when I saw that they were 2 for £3.50 I thought I'd pick them up for pamper nights. I've never used a peel-off mask before and its been quite an usual experience. The first time when I was taking it off I felt like a creature out of Doctor Who taking off my flesh (although I didn't really of course) and the next time I didn't put enough on so it came off in tiny bits. The mud mask is more of what I'm used to- put the mask on, leave it for 10 minutes and then wash off to a refreshed complexion. I think for the amount of product you get these are really good value and are all I'm really looking for from a face mask. Word to the wise though- be sure to stick to the directed time- I left one of these on for more than half an hour and came downstairs to horrified looks from my family: 'wtf happened to your face?!' 'why's it so red and blotchy?' thankfully it went back to normal quickly. 


The best thing about all these products is that they are all very affordable, keep problem skin at bay and don't irritate it (with the exception of the face mask faux pas which was entirely my own fault). 

What are your top Superdrug skincare picks?