mybeautywaxstash, Author at Mybeautywaxstash

Superdrug’s Vitamin E Sugar And Oil Body Scrub

Body scrubs. I love them! I don’t use them all the time but I really do love them. It’s one of those products I have to make time to slip into my routine, but when I do I am thankful for it. My skin is in a decent condition at the moment with no massive problems of dryness or dullness, but it definitely deserves a treat! So I’ve started to use Superdrug’s Vitamin E Sugar and Oil Body Scrub. £4.99 for 300ml, but I bought this when this was on special offer price wise a few months ago.

Why did I buy this?

The Vitamin E range at the time I ordered this was one I hadn’t tried before. There were a few items I wanted to see if they were any good, such as the eye cream, so decided to pop this in my virtual basket as well. The price was good, I needed another body scrub anyway, and as mentioned a new range I hadn’t tried before so curiosity got my credit card!

What is this supposed to do?

Exfoliate the skin thanks to it containing a mix of walnut shell, sugar and sea salt. While leaving the skin feeling soft and nourished thanks to the ingredients of Sweet Almond and Grapeseed oil. Designed for normal to dry skin.

Packaging.

Nothing fancy here but it doesn’t need to be. The scrub sits happily in a plastic, lidded tub. All very natural in colouring e.g beige and creams, with the tub itself clear so you can see what’s inside it. All relevant detail included on the label e.g ingredients, hot to use etc.

How it looks.

Removing the lid I thought a pot of instant porridge was looking at me! Creamy coloured with little brown speckles in it, and you can understand why I thought this could be breakfast! Appearance wise it’s not smooth but not lumpy either. Although it’s not solid, it does look really thick. I know this description doesn’t make it sound appealing, but this isn’t to eat remember.

Fragrance.

Love love love! Fresh, clean, just come out of the sea type of scent with a hint of sweetness to it. Beautifully scented, and will be liked by most people. Just the fragrance alone makes me want to use other body products in this range because it’s so nice, and definitely has a Summer vibe to it.

How to use.

Apply to wet skin using circular movements. Rinse and pat dry.

On the skin.

I ran a bath before using this scrub, and added nothing to it so it didn’t influence the use of this. This was applied onto my skin after I popped into the shower. I think my skin should have been more damp than wet, as I felt I used more of this than what I should have. But what I found despite this was the texture of this scrub is something I have never experienced before. It’s not quite oil based and not quite cream based, a bit like a hybrid. In my hands, it was a little gloppy if honest, but on the skin it rubbed over it easily.

I could feel the exfoliating grains in this which were the perfect size and shape e.g not sharp. As it rubbed into the skin it became more oil like but not greasy, quite light weight so I would even say closer to a dry oil in feel. Very easy and quick in application and I quite enjoyed the process.

Rather than wash this off I sank myself into the bath. The scrub on my skin turned the water into a milky cloudy colour, so I felt as if I was getting a bath soak as well as a scrub. Having the fragrance wafting around the bathroom really did give this stage an added relaxation element and finished off the process perfectly.

Skin afterwards.

Once out of the bath I lightly patted myself dry. My skin looked quite normal but not that typical dull, matt, just towel dried looked. It wasn’t shiny but it didn’t look or feel dry in anyway. Smooth, hydrated, softy fragranced with zero need for a body lotion.

Recommended?

Lets put it this way, it’s going on my repurchase list! massive thumbs up from me.You get a good amount of scrub for the price, which is affordable. A massive help is it’s regularly on some form of special offer as well. This is really important because once it’s finished you don’t have to worry about cost because its not expensive. The scrub itself is very unusual in texture, but very effective in it’s exfoliating action. Highly moisturising and a joy to soak in. Ideal if you want the moisturising benefits of an oil based scrub but don’t want something too oily in feel. So why would I NOT recommend this?

If you want to grab this scrub, it’s currently on a special offer at Superdrug. Buy one get one half price if you purchase anything from a Superdrug face and body range plus 10% off anything from the Vitamin E range (at time of writing this post). Happy shopping!

Aldi’s Lacura Original Hot Cloth Cleanser

What is the most important thing in a skincare routine? Treat fine lines and wrinkles? Fade dark circles? Blitz away spots? It probably depends on what your skin concerns are. BUT, I think most people will agree that the first step, and possibly the most important part in a skincare routine, is the cleansing stage. Why? Why do anything to dirty skin until it’s clean? How effective will various lotions and potions be on top of dirt and grime? It’s logic really. So a good cleanser for me is important. When a current cleanser is on it’s way out or the seasons change, I’m very open to trying out new ones. I’ve recently picked up Aldi’s Lacura Original Hot Cloth Cleanser. It’s £3.99 for 200ml.

Why did I buy this one?

I’ve ALWAYS wanted to try this product! I’m a massive fan of hot cloth cleansers, ever since using Liz Earle’s iconic and possibly ‘the original’ hot cloth cleanser many moons ago. But with my local Aldi store, the stock of this is hit, miss or maybe. I thought now would be the perfect time to grab one as my current cleanser was running low, and there seemed to be a good flow of stock of this product every time I’ve been instore recently.

What is a hot cloth cleanser?

A hot cloth cleanser is designed to be used with a muslin cloth, so providing not only the the initial cleansing stage but a light exfoliation too. Hot cloth cleansers tend to be rich in moisturising ingredients so not only are they meant to clean the skin, but also nourish the skin. Lacura’s Hot Cloth Cleanser contains Cocoa Butter, Rosemary, Chamomile, White Tea and Eucalyptus which are designed to hydrate, clean, smooth skin and make it feel refreshed.

Packging.

The product itself is housed in a plastic tube with a flip top lid on the bottom. Off white in colour, mint green with silver detailing. The design is simple, clean looking and does the job! The tube comes in a cardboard box mirroring the design and colouring of the tube. In the box comes a muslin cloth.

Look & Texture

White in colour, smooth but quite thick in texture. When I squeeze this out of the tube it holds its shape like a really thick body lotion.

Fragrance.

I quite like it. The fragrance isn’t strong but has a slightly antibacterial element to it because of the eucalyptus. It does have a softened herbal smell to it too. But the scent overall is pleasant, fresh and non offensive.

How to use.

Take a small amount and massage onto dry skin. Pop the muslin cloth in warm water and wipe cleanser off skin. Splash face with water. Allow cloth to dry naturally and wash regularly.

In use.

I used this pretty much as suggested and over a 10 day period (still using this now by the way). Sometimes morning and night, sometimes just night time. I took a decent amount of the cleanser and rubbed it into my face and neck for roughly two minutes. Easy to do and the fragrance was nice enough and not overpowering. What I did notice was this cleanser started to lose slip, and it felt as if it was sinking into my skin rather than sitting on the surface. Looking into the mirror, the once white residue on my face was disappearing and pretty much got drunk up! At this stage I wet my muslin cloth and wiped it off hoping it would still do the job of being a cleanser rather than a moisturiser.

What was left on my skin was removed quickly and easily. Skin felt ok after removal. It felt clean but a touch on the tight side, which I sometimes get when using a product for the first few times. This seemed less noticeable the more I used this.

My face after.

It looked ok. It didn’t look dirty, but it didn’t look or feel particularly fresh either. Normally when I use a cleanser, especially one with a texture to it, I enjoy the process. Not with this. It was just ok and I found it slightly underwhelming if I’m honest.

Did it clean my skin though?

Most definitely! I used a toner to swipe over my face to check and no dirt on my cotton pad, clean as a whistle!

Would I buy this again?

For myself? No. If I use a hot cloth cleanser I want to enjoy the few minutes I use it and I didn’t when using this. I also didn’t like the idea of this soaking into my skin so quickly, so felt as if I had to rush this stage. That wasn’t something I wanted to do because Summer is the time you are sweaty, have more product on your face like sun cream, so more time maybe is needed to cleanse the face and neck area. So overall not for me.

Recommended?

Although this wasn’t for me this does have some good points to it so definitely worth a go if you want this type of cleanser. The price. £3.99 for 200ml and a muslin cloth is good value. Decent hot cloth cleansers I’ve noticed are available from £3.99 up. So if you check around you can get something comparable in price or a little more dearer but still won’t break the bank. If you shop in Aldi anyway it’s an easy purchase to make while grabbing your milk and bread so convenient. Scent was fresh and texture was nice. Easy to use, cleaned well so did what it was designed to do. This is a decent hot cloth cleanser for many people, just not one that I felt was the best for me.

Not available online at the moment, but if you want to add this to your Summer skincare collection, visit your local store to purchase.

The Body Shop’s Berry Bath Blend

Warm weather does not put me off when it comes to my evening bathing ritual. Sunny, scorching, 100 degrees outside? I don’t care! No matter what, I will be sat in my bath tub like Ariel swimming under the sea! It’s a part of my daily routine and a way to relax, regardless of feeling as if I’m being poached alive. But with it being Summer, I thought I would drag out a bath product that in my opinion reflects the season because of its fragrance. The Body Shop’s Berry Bath Blend seemed a perfect choice. £8.00 for 250ml.

Why this one?

I’ve used the Banana Bath Blend and loved it. I’m a lover of fruity fragranced products anyway so why not? I have my typical bath and shower gels that I pick up from supermarkets, but then there are times I just want something a little more special, and this is that time and product!

What’s a bath blend?

The Body Shop’s Bath Blends are fairly new products. Released within the last year or two, they are designed of course to go into the bath. Be fragrant, provide foam and nourish the skin without stripping it. Part bath cream, part bath soak.

Packaging.

How this is presented reminds me of when my dad used to buy flavoured milk from the milk man! Although not in a glass bottle ( bath blend is in plastic), it has that old time milk bottle shape but with a screw top lid. Clear, so you can see the colour of the blend. The labeling matches the color of the blend itself. Very appealing and almost drinkable!

Fragrance.

Very berry! Strawberry to be more specific! But there’s a little sharpness to the sweetness of this. Also, some creaminess which makes it more balanced and rounder making it delicious in scent. I really want to drink this, as I did with the banana version, but better not!

Look & Consistency.

This is a lovely berry reddish pink colour. Totally opaque. The consistency is very unusual because it’s not a gel or a cream. Like it’s banana fragranced counterpart it reminds me of a milk based drink. Not a thick milkshake, but the more fluid ones.

In the bath.

Under warm running water, this bath blend turned the clear water into a beautiful pink coloured pool. And laying on the top of that produced a decent amount of soft, white, frothy bubbles making this bath very appealing. The fragrance was there and it smelt beautifully, but wished it was a little bit stronger because its so mouth watering and enjoyable to smell.

The bath itself was relaxing. The bubbles lasted a good amount of time and when they left, the bath water stayed pink but more cloudy. On the skin I had no issues, and it didn’t dry out my skin afterwards.

Recommended?

I like this bath blend. But between this and the banana version I’ve used before, the banana wins. Why? It’s more of an unusual fragrance compared to something berry based which is more common in bath products where scent is concerned. It’s a lovely product. Not something I would buy regularly due to price and size but a rare purchase. I would recommend this in a set form to get the best possible price, or if it’s on sale so discounted. But as a regular repeat purchase on it’s own probably not but depends on your budget. As a treat to yourself or for someone else? Absolutely!

If this fruity cocktail is making you thirsty to buy it, you can grab it in person at you local Body Shop store or online here and safe your legs the hassle of walking.

Superdrug’s Bloom Driftwood & Sea Salt Body Mist

Using some form of fragrance for me is like finishing off an outfit. Once it’s sprayed onto my clothes, it’s my sign that its time to go and to start my day. Are there particular fragrances or types I want to wear at certain times? No not really. Whatever I fancy at the moment is what I chose, which could be a completely different type of scent the following day. That’s why my collection is sizeable. Mostly, this consists of body/perfume mists with a few actual perfumes thrown in. One body mist I’ve recently been using is Superdrug’s Bloom Driftwood & Sea Salt Body Mist. Usual price is £2.99, I bought this when on offer for 99p!

Superdrug’s Bloom Driftwood & Sea Salt Body Mist

Why did I chose this one?

The scents I tend to go for are quite typical and predictable. Fruity, bakery based. Maybe floral and feminine, but mixed with something else to give it a feel of sophistication rather than making me smell like a granny. This I wanted it to be totally different. From the fragrance name alone, it conjured up something quite clean and fresh with a twist, which is exactly what I wanted, especially to wear during Summer.

Packaging.

Tall and thin plastic rectangular spray topped bottle. Totally clear, very basic in look. The thing that makes it stand out is the label. Designed very simply but mint green in colour providing it a much needed pop.

Scent Description from Superdrug’s Website.

Driftwood and Seasalt Body Mist : a contemporary classic fragrance, combining amber and fresh notes of bergamot, infused with base notes of sandalwood.

How does this smell to me?

A salty sea breeze mixed in with a hint off woodiness and spice. There’s a slight herbal edge in here with some subtle powdery notes and sweetness. It’s a great combination of elements in one fragrance. It gives a unique take on a clean smelling scent. I love how this screams Summer to me, but there isn’t a flower or tropical fruit scent to this in sight. Quite a unisex fragrance in my opinion and not targeting a particular age range. This would appeal to a large number of people regardless of age or sex.

Strength & Longevity.

Strength is medium. What I like about this body mist, is it could easily be an overwhelming fragrance but it isn’t. Too strong and this could kill the senses, but it’s strong enough to enjoy the aroma. Longevity for me could have been a little longer. I found myself having to top this up a few times during the day as the strength seemed to dive somewhat, and I really wanted the initial strength back. But in all honesty I think I would have reapplied regardless as I just love how it smells!

Recommended?

This scent is gorgeous! I absolutely love it! Every time I use this it literally makes me smile! I even spray my son with this when he needs freshening up. Despite the fact I would like this to retain it’s strength for longer, I still think this is a killer fragrance. It’s different, it’s in keeping with the Spring/Summer seasons, and I think it has mass appeal. Why oh why they don’t sell this in wax melt or reed diffuser form I do not know as it needs to exist!

Currently, at time of writing this, this fragrance and others in the range are on a 2 for £5.00 deal. So if you are thinking of keeping one for yourself, and gifting one to some lucky person, get your body mist groove on here.

Primark Mini Reed Diffusers

Primark is one of those places I tend to visit when I need to pick up affordable and basic items, such as leggings, kids t -shirts and underwear. In all honesty it’s not my go to place for the majority of my shopping needs, never has been. Well, until recently, when my daughter decided to develop an all consuming addiction to Harry Potter then multiple trips were needed (their HP range is impressive and cheap!). While stalking their home section for wizardry items, Primark’s home fragrance products caught my attention. Since I now enjoy reed diffusers, I thought I would give a couple a whirl. I opted for 2 scents Fresh Linen and Oriental Orchard. Both the 30ml size at a cost of 80p each!

Why did I buy these?

I thought I would go for these because the size and the price was a great way of trying them out to see what the quality was like. The scent selection was varied, with most being fragrances I like. If these minis performed well, I could easily buy the bigger versions as they were available too.

Packaging.

These are presented very well. Placed in long, thin cardboard boxes, each one has illustrations matching their scent on them e.g Oriental Orchid has images of flowers covering it. Both beautiful in look, both have a homely appeal to them and quite classic without being old fashioned.

The diffusers themselves, because of the size, are absolutely adorable! Made of glass and cylinder in shape, roughly 11cm in height and 3cm in depth. Both have the fragrance name on the bottles. Oriental Orchid is lettered in gold, which matches the gold coloured lid on the top of it. Fresh Linen is in silver with their lid a matching silver tone to. Simple but very sophisticated in appearance.

What do you get?

You get a bottle containing the fragranced oil, a pack of 5 reeds and an instruction leaflet.

Scent.

Fresh Linen. Think of a clean, crisp, laundry type scent. Slightly powdery in notes and a hidden floral in there and this is what you get! Not dissimilar to the type of scents you get in wax melt and candle forms in the laundry scent family of a similar name. Really lovely scent which most people will like.

Oriental Orchid. This one is a little more particular compared to Fresh Linen. This is obviously a floral. Floral, has a sweetness to it, but has an almost perfume style to how it smells. Doesn’t smell old fashioned. Very pretty and very pleasant in scent.

How to use.

On the bottle is a screw top lid you need to remove. Once it comes off their is a plastic stopper that you need to pull out which leaves the hole that you place the reeds in. Before you do that pop the top back on to finish and place the diffuser in your chosen place to enjoy the fragrance!

Strength & Longevity.

The only time I’ve noticed the scent of these is when I’ve placed them inside a cupboard (underneath the kitchen sink), and on a window sill in my children’s bedroom when the window was open. Other than that, scent strength wise has pretty much been non existent. In regards to longevity, you can’t have that if there is barely a scent at all! The packaging says these should last up to 4 weeks. By the end of a week most of the oil had evaporated, but got no scent as a benefit.

I’ve turned the reeds around to see if the scent would improve and for a split second it did in that moment when I was close by, but it wasn’t long lasting. The position of these have been moved and even the rooms they’ve been placed in changed. This hasn’t made a massive effect on the fragrance these give off. So overall disappointing.

Final thoughts?

I love the idea of these mini diffusers for so many reasons. They look cute, could make great little gifts or part of a bigger gift. But they still need to delivery fragrance, which I think means they have to be bigger. Or the oil stronger and possible tweaking of the reeds themselves e.g thickness, length etc.

Recommended?

No. For 80p a go it was worth a try but besides looking nice these were useless. Such a shame as the fragrances when you get a good whiff of them from the top of the bottle are really nice and appealing. But that’s it!I am curious though to try out the more standard in size versions, to see if size really does matter in the reed diffuser arena. As for these? I will give them a miss on my next Primark shopping trip.

Aldi’s Lacura Avocado Bright Eyes Mask

If you have read some of my previous skincare blog posts, you will know that my main facial concern is my eyes. My skin overall is in good condition, no major lines or wrinkles and the occasional spot or two I can cope with. But my eyes are the area I feel need the most love and attention. That’s why eye products are my credit card’s Kryptonite. I can’t help but coo over them and want to buy them all, hoping one will give me a well rested look. So I HAD to pick up Aldi’s Lacura Avocado Bright Eyes Overnight Retinol Sleeping Mask when it was released a few weeks ago. £4.99 for 15ml.

Aldi’s Lacura Avocado Bright Eyes Overnight Retinol Sleeping Mask

Why did I buy this?

It’s an eye product! Eye products for me are hit and miss. I don’t expect something to give me a massive change but some small improvement would be nice. The ingredients listed on the packaging made me think this could be a good product for me. Its price point seemed very fair and affordable, and it was a new product, so already got my attention!

What is this & what is it supposed to do?

This product is designed to be placed under the eyes at night time. It’s supposed to make dark circles and dullness under the eyes improve while you snooze. Brighter, firmer. The eyes should look more moisturised, thanks to ingredients such as avocado oil and shea butter. Oh, and if you are into following skincare brands, this product and others from this same subrange, is supposed to be ‘inspired’ by a well known company. Use Google, you will find it!

Packaging.

This product comes in a simple but cute glass (I think) jar. The jar itself seems tinted green, and matches the colour of the lid. The sides are curved which makes it look even more cuter and interesting on the eye (no pun intended!).

The jar comes in a box, which is striking because of the pattern all over it. Cartoon like halved avocados! The colouring of the box is mainly white, green with silver detailing. Fun, quirky, but I feel as if it’s targeting a younger audience because of how this product is presented.

Texture & Fragrance.

LOVE the texture of this! It might make some people nervous but it is very rich. You can tell its power packed with moisturising ingredients. It’s similar in texture to, I would say, a very rich face cream for dry skin and would even go as far to say it reminds me of a body butter! Not quite as thick and definitely not as greasy but does have a waxy feel to it. Although the pic below makes this look pale green in colour, it’s actually white. White, opaque and smooth.

I expected fragrance to be honest. I find a lot of products that try to catch your eye with packaging done in a funky way (not all the time but some!) can be heavily fragranced. This? Nothing! I was glad about this because as much as I don’t have a problem with fragrance, I don’t want my eye product reeking of it.

Application.

You need to apply this like any other eye product. Take a small amount and lightly dab underneath the area, not too close to the eye itself. AND on clean skin. Although this product says it’s an overnight mask, it does suggest direction wise you can use this during the day but follow up with sun care. But I never used this during the day, just at night time. Using a small amount, I found despite how thick this product was, it patted under the eye like a dream. Easy, no dragging or pressure needed and left no greasy, oily look to the area. Felt quite light but under my eyes immediately felt and looked moisturised and hydrated.

The day after the night before.

The first thing I noticed after one application was how under my eyes felt plump and hydrated. They felt just as protected as they did when I first put the product on.

Over 10 days…

Every morning my eyes have felt the same as mentioned above. But what I have noticed as time has gone on is my under eyes overall have improved. Not massively. I don’t look like I’ve had eye surgery or anything like that. But they look a bit more rested, they look more awake and they seem to recovery quicker than usual e.g from too little sleep, ugly crying etc. I wouldn’t say my under eyes are exceptionally dark normally, but they have looked a touch less dead like since using this.

Recommended?

There is one thing I hate about Aldi. They bring out limited edition skincare subranges and you wonder hmmm, should I buy 1 or 3? You buy 1 because you don’t want to be silly with money just in case it’s not for you. And by the time you use it, and give it at least a good week to see if there are any results, you love it and it’s not in store anymore! That sums it up perfectly!

This is an eye product I really like! The texture of it I adore, even for under the eyes as thick creams aren’t always good for such a delicate area. I love the almost everlasting moisturisation, and how it takes the edge off how life is making my eyes feel and look. I couldn’t ask for anything more really. Miracles is something I never expect with skincare products, but what little changes I’ve seen I’m happy with. For £4.99 it’s great value, you need the smallest amount, so if used once a day this should last me 2 to 3 months easily.

If you are lucky enough to still see this instore, I think it’s a good purchase to make. But bare in mind how your skin reacts to textures on this area and what your general under eye concerns are, as this may not be needed or useful for you. But for me? I wish I bought a few more of this overnight eye mask and I am exceptionally sad now!

Dirty Fresh Cosmetics One Mill Bath Rocks

Despite the warmer weather in the UK, who else is still enjoying their baths? I sure am. Hot, cold, snowing, sunny, I end my evening with a bath. So can you imagine how big my stash of bath bombs and similar types of products is? I’m going through my stash slowly but surely, and recently decided to grab Dirty Fresh Cosmetics One Mill Bath Rocks to use. I bought these when there was a sale on the website, but current and regular price is £4.20 for 130g.

Why did I chose this one?

I like the idea of bath rocks because you don’t have to use all of them, just some. Or, if you have two different fragranced ones you can mix and match. So the versatility in using them is there. The colour of these was so appealing, and I fancied something that was inspired by an actual fragrance, so I hoped for a great scented bath time experience.

Packaging.

These bath rocks came in a recyclable white tub with a clear plastic lid.

Appearance.

Irregular, chalky textured, rock like pieces. Various sizes and shapes. Colour wise, these are so striking! Streaks of orange, blue, purple, grey and yellow. An absolute feast for the eyes!

Scent.

Now, this is an interpretation of a well known men’s fragrance, which personally I haven’t smelt so can’t say how close it is to this scent. But what I can do is explain how THIS smells to me. This definitely is more masculine in style because it has the strength and musky element you would associate with a male inspired scent. Strong, woody, clean and a tiniest bit sweet.

In the bath.

I was aiming to use only half the tub of these bad boys, but tripped, nearly fell into the bath and the whole lot went in! By this point half of the bath was full with warm water, and as the rocks fell in, each one created their very own bath art by releasing various colours. First there was a sizzle, then came colour. Bursts of pink, green, blue, purple, absolutely glorious to look at! And along with the colour, the fragrance wafted beautifully around my bathroom. It was a strong in strength but not overwhelming, which I enjoyed. Back in the tub was a small amount of white, soft, airy bubbles sitting delicately over the patches of colour.

Once all the rocks had dissolved and the bright colours faded, they all combined to make a sea of deep, dark, purple verging on the black side shade. Bubbles didn’t last too long but were there for long enough.

Overall, what I got with these bath rocks was some quality time in the bath, giving me some much needed pampering and providing me with plenty of sensory treats

On the skin.

In and out of the bath my skin felt normal and looked after. No drying out, no irritation and totally relaxed physically and mentally.

Recommended?

Oh yesss! I adored using these, and glad I used the whole tub instead of half if I’m honest! These look so good, they created a beautifully, coloured bath and the fragrance was amazing! Add all these together, and the fact these bath rocks were gentle on my skin, make a must to purchase for any bath lover!

Want to feel like you are worth One Mill? Visit Dirty Fresh Cosmetics here to view and purchase. Enjoy!

Snap Wax Melts Party Time! Wax Snap Bar

Oh to breathe again! Such an essential everyday thing which I take for granted during the seasons of Autumn, Winter and part of Spring. It doesn’t seem that long ago when I wanted to sleep all the time (no change there!), headaches, constant sneezing and unable to breathe. Thank goodness, for now, hay fever has loosened it’s grip on me and now I can enjoy my love of wax melts properly. Since it pretty much is Summer, I thought I would melt Party Time! wax snap bar from Snap Wax Melt, who kindly gifted this to me earlier this year.

Why this one?

Although I can’t say I’m party ready, I was hoping for this scent to be uplifting and energising in someway. It may not be very sunny or even warm at the moment in the UK ( while writing this post), it doesn’t mean inside should feel and be so drab.

Packaging.

A simple clear plastic sleeve with the company logo on front and ingredients list on the back.

The look.

Snap Wax Melt’s wax all come in wax snap bars. Long, rectangular and segmented in a bar of 10 squares. This bar is a beautifully pink berry colour with a gorgeous addition of different sized glitter on the top of the bar. Some are circular, some hexagon, tiny, a little bigger. Purple coloured, turquoise, teal. All such an eye catching mix of sparkles making this wax snap bar a stunner!

Scent Description ( from Snap Wax Melt’s website).

Fill the room with fresh fluffy vanilla sponge, lashings of sweet pink icing and sprinkles of sugar.

How this smells to me.

The first thing I thought about when I smelt this was how much it reminded me of rhubarb and custard! Why? I got the creamy vanilla for sure. That was what I smelt underneath a sweet and fruity strawberry/rhubard-esq style element which was at the forefront. A beautiful, mouthwatering, Summery scent which makes me think of sipping cocktails on a sun drenched balcony while being child and work free.

In melt.

I’ve found snapping off three squares with all the wax bars from Snap Wax Melt is the perfect amount for my warmers. They melt beautifully and even, leaving a lovely deep pink,almost purple wax pool. The glitter gave it a subtle sparkle which made it super pretty!

Fragrance was released straight away. Warming, fruity, uplifting and very welcoming.

Strength & Longevity. Strength for this scent was a medium. Ideal for this type of fragrance, and great for this time of year too! Longevity was very good. At one point I had two warmers on in separate rooms with Party Time! in them for over 3 days. Both on for a good number of hours at a time.

Recommended?

Definitely! This scent is gorgeous! If you love your fruity fragrances, especially your fruit or rhubarb based ones, you will love this one. It’s not too strong, great quality of scent and as I’ve mentioned before an ideal one to melt during Summer!

Do you want to have your own Party Time! wax snap bar to add to your home fragrance collection? You can order from Snap Wax Melt’s website here. Each bar is £3.00 which will provide you with many hours of fragrance time. I defy you NOT to order more than one of these beauties, their scent selection is impressive!

Sanctuary Spa Salt Scrub

When it comes to looking after the skin on the body, there is nothing more satisfying than using a body scrub. The texture, fragrance, the feel of it on the skin is something I personally adore. The best bit for many though is the end result. How the skin feels, all soft and smooth should make anyone feel better about their body. So it will come as no surprise that I have a collection of body scrubs in my beauty stash, but I’ve decided to use Sanctuary Spa Salt Scrub for a late afternoon pampering session. This was part of a gift collection I received from a friend many moons ago.

Why this one?

I’ve had this hidden away too long! This little packet of goodness has been neglected just as much as my skin! I never miss my body moisturising stage as I do it twice a day, but scrubs I definitely could be more consistent with using e.g once or twice a week. I love using them but I forget why I do until I get back into using them again, if that makes sense? But this scrub I wanted to use because dare I say I have NEVER actually used anything from this brand before!

What is this supposed to do?

This body scrub is designed to polish and moisturise the body during and after use.

Packaging.

The salt scrub I received was travel sized and not in it’s standard packaging, so came in a handy sachet. In this sachet contained 60g of product. The range itself seems to focus on certain colours such as oranges, golds and white which is reflected on how this looks.

Fragrance.

Absolutely divine! I’ve never been to a spa but this is how I imagine one to smell like along with it’s products! This should be quite a heavy fragrance but it’s not. Why? Because it has some pretty punchy elements to it. Think of your incense type smells like patchouli and sandalwood, which this has in it. It’s full of body but doesn’t come across strong and masculine because it has an uplifting sweetness to it. There’s the tiniest bit of floral in there as well. Overall, a beautiful scent which is incredibly relaxing for me, and screams pamper time!

Texture.

White, small but not too small crystal looking salt pieces. Similar in size and as you can imagine a touch rough because of what they are. These are in an oil base but to look at them and to feel them that isn’t the first thing you think of. It doesn’t look or feel greasy or oily in the traditional sense. But does remind me of feeling damp sand, but of course more clumpy with the salts in it.

In the shower/bath.

I first had a shower. I’m lazy, and sometimes want to head into using something like this first, but I opted on a shower because I’m a good girl. This meant my skin was perfectly clean and still damp. I rubbed the salts all over myself, and I used just over two thirds of the sachet. Easy to use, I probably overdone it force wise as I was a little rough and heavy hande, but no damage caused. I could feel the exfoliating action, I could feel the salts on my skin. And they felt the right amount and size for the job at hand.

While I was using them, the thought popped into my head that these would be even better if they were more oil based. The scent was there and fabulous, my skin felt as if it was being exfoliated well, but not much oil? But what I did after using this made me go 360 because once finished I slipped into a nearly full bath. Oh my goodness! It may not have felt oily but by God when I got into that tub my skin felt AMAZING! In the water it felt so smooth, so soft, so moisturised. Definitely a body treatment rather than just a body product. And I lay in the bath basking in it’s glory for what felt like hours!

Out of the bath.

My skin didn’t look massively different except it looked hydrated. No dryness in look or feel, not shiny but looked healthy. And it FELT it too. Did I need to put on a body lotion? Nope! Touching my skin it was as if I already had put something on, something oil based as I could feel it. But I always follow with a body lotion so I didn’t need it but used it anyway. So smooth, supple, soft…oh and before I forget lightly fragranced!

Recommended?

Honestly, I didn’t think this scrub would be as good as it was. I thought it would be nice to use, but didn’t think it would be great to use and it was! Easy and enjoyable in application. But for me it transformed and the quality of it shone through, when I was in the bath. So massive thumbs up from me I love this! And great for those people who suffer from dry skin and need a moisturising scrub but not an oily one.

The brand itself is so easy to purchase as it’s available from so many places instore and online e.g Boots, Superdrug, Amazon and direct from Sanctuary Spa themselves ( just to name a few ). Prices start from £13.00 for the 650g full size of this Goddess like scrub. The sachet currently seems to be available in sets rather than singular, but worthwhile checking for availability on it’s own if you want to try it first before paying for the full size version.

Soap & Glory Under Eye Brightening Patches

We all have at least one thing about our face which we feel is our weakest area. For me it’s under my eyes. Staying up late at night as a child watching the series V and Prisoner Cell Block H ( do not ask! ) didn’t start my eyes off on the right path. Now, being a mum doesn’t help. Getting up at 4.30am Mon to Fri probably NOT the best way to look rested! So yes, my eyes are my weakest area. Always happy to try something that can improve their appearance, I decided to try Soap & Glory’s Puffy Eye Attack Under Eye Brightening Patches I purchased from Boots. Bought when it was on offer, usual price is £3.50.

Soap & Glory’s Puffy Eye Attack Under Eye Brightening Hydrogel Patches

Why did I go for this one?

Soap & Glory as a body care brand has a great reputation, so please explain to me why I’ve never used any of their body OR skincare products before? I really wanted to try something out and went for a product that I hoped would target an area that needed help. With it being on special offer, I thought it was super affordable and worth a gamble.

What is this designed to do?

It’s supposed to make the under eye area look better by reducing puffiness, and giving this area a more rested and brighter appearance.

My eyes.

Puffiness isn’t a massive concern for me, unless something has made me do some serious ugly crying or I’ve had zero sleep. Just remembered, as a hay fever sufferer itchy and rubbing of my eyes can cause it, so I’ve changed my mind! I do suffer from this occasionally! BUT my usual issue is they just look tired! You know when your neighbour or a customer at work says ‘Oh you look tired dear!’ is all the confirmation you need.

Packaging.

These patches come in a sachet. Photograph of eyes on the front, with the sachet almost the same shape, means you know what this product is for. Colouring in white, grey and pink pretty much matches the rest of the brand and it’s ranges. Instructions and ingredients on the back as standard.

When you take the patches out they come housed in plastic which you need to open. The patches have their own plastic covering on them ( think of the same thing that plasters have on them to make sure they don’t stick together ).

How to use.

Apply onto skin dry skin. Remove thin film. Place the patches under the eyes. Remove second film and pat the patches down. Leave for up to 30 minutes. Remove and massage in any residue of gel left on skin.

The eye patches.

These eye patches are typical in shape from others I’ve used. They’re designed to follow the shape of the under eye. Thicker in width right below the eye and then thin off as it gets closer to the outside of the eye. Think of a chicken nugget shape and that’s close enough! These are almost jelly like in texture but has a decent thickness to it which I liked. These are clear so no colour. Not too sure why but there seems to be some form of weaving pattern on these. And I also detected no fragrance.

Application.

I followed the instructions. Placing these under my eyes was very easy, and they stuck to this area very well. Perfect, as I had no intention of sitting anywhere like a statue I had things to do! And these weren’t restrictive at all!They felt ok. They didn’t feel too weird on the skin. But I did expect them to feel cooler for some reason. They didn’t have any real coldness to them and I wish I had put them in the fridge prior to use. I also expected lots more serum/product on these eye patches but there wasn’t.

After use. Did my eyes look any better?

Not that I noticed! My under eyes are my weak spot and I’m always tired. When I used these my eyes weren’t at their worst but if there was an improvement it was so subtle I couldn’t see it!. They felt barely moisturised which I would’ve preferred more of. So appearance and feel wise no change although was an ok experience.

Recommended?

Personally? These weren’t for me! If my under eyes at least felt more revived but didn’t look it, then that would be something but they didn’t. I didn’t see any noticeable change either so these didn’t impress me. What I did like about them though was there thickness and ease of use. What I didn’t like was lack of solution on the eye patches, no real cooling effect and my eyes didn’t look more rested, less puffy and more alive in anyway.

I feel their skincare range just by looking at it is geared towards a younger market. And although younger skin will have concerns because everyone’s skin is different, I’m not convinced it will be hard working enough for older skin and seems more geared towards being fun products.

The Soap & Glory range, including this product, can be found in Boots. If it’s a range that you like, curious about or feel it could be right for you, the good thing is there regular promotions making their products quite affordable.