Review: LUSH Pheonix Rising Bath Bomb.

 I won't lie, when I was browsing the stacks of bath products in Lush the other day, this one caught my eye and I found myself popping it in to a little paper bag and carrying it over to the till solely because of it's beautiful purple and gold colouring. I am like a magpie when it comes to pretty colours, glitter and gold and was intrigued to see what this would do to my bath water.

Lush Pheonix Rising Bath Ballistic: LUSH £3.20

 The Pheonix Rising Bath Bomb is a deep purple solid block, sprinkled with golden powder and with a cinnamon stick set on top. Cinnamon is the featured product in this bath bomb, and although I am not the biggest fan of the strong scent of cinnamon, I actually really enjoyed the scent of this- the cinnamon is toned down by the scent of the shea and cocoa butter, making it less spicy.

 

 This bath bomb is quite large so I think it is possible to get two baths out of it if you break it in to pieces, however this would ruin the "surprise" inside. I threw mine in whole and it started whizzing around the bath intantly, taking a while to fully dissolve. It turned the water a fuschia pinky purple shade with a tiny bit of shimmer; I was expecting there to be a lot of shimmery, gold powder in the bath but it didn't really transfer. The core of Pheonix Rising is green, leaving a few green swirls in your bath towards the end, although mine broke up a little so I only got a splodge of green.

As with the majority of Lush bath products that I have tried, this bath bomb left the water feeling very soft and moisturising. One thing I noticed, however, is that this is a little more oily than other products. I noticed that as the bath bomb fizzed away, the colour and the bath water separated and needed a bit of swirling about. My skin also felt a little greasy when I got out of the bath, but this is my only niggle with this bath bomb (has anybody else noticed this?).
 
 
Cue pretty, swirly pictures of Pheonix Rising fizzing away.

Despite the bath bomb being quite greasy, I think Pheonix Rising is my favourite bath product that I have tried so far. It can be purchased from Lush for £3.20, which I think it worth it if you feel like treating yourself, plus as I mentioned earlier you could probably get two baths out of this.

Have you tried Pheonix Rising? What is your favourite Lush product?

Review: Montagne Jeunesse Clay Spa Masks

Montagne Jeunesse are always coming up with new ideas for their skin care, my favourite being their Travel Pamper Pack (review here)... This time they have moved on to Clay Spa masks, which I was very excited to have the opportunity to try out and review as I have never tried anything like this before.

Here is what Montagne Jeunesse says about their Clay Spa masks (taken from press release):

"Unlike any other masque, Clay Spas are created with world's first technology- specially sourced clays are cleverly infused into natural bamboo fabric, creating a completely new and never seen before type of face masque that makes cleansing better, quicker and easier than ever before".

To use the masks, you just tear open the sachet and there is a thin, paper-like mask inside which is covered in the clay spa treatment. I found it very fiddley to apply and it was hard to get it on my face properly as it was a little too big and kept bunching up on me, but I have read other people's reviews and they had no problem so it is probably just me being dopey haha! Here is a little run down of the two masks.

Dead Sea Mud Spa*

This mask is my favourite of the two. I am a big fan of skincare that has a herbal, spa-like fragance and this has just that and it feels very cool and refreshing to use. The mask contains dead sea minerals from seaweed and kelp which claims to thoroughly cleanse the skin and bring it back to life. After I washed the mask off, my skin did feel very clean and soft as it does after I use any Montagne Jeunesse product and my face looked a lot brighter.

Glacial Clay Spa*

I wasn't as big a fan of the scent of this mask; it reminded me a lot of the shower gels you get free in a hotel, and not a fancy hotel either. That said, you can definitely detect the smell of grape, which the mask contains. It also contains arctic cloudberry, anybody know what that is? These ingredients claim to maintain the skin's natural barrier. Again, this mask felt very cooling on the face, which I really like. After I rinsed it off, my skin felt cleaner than usual, however I think I noticed more of a different after using the Dead Sea Mud Spa mask.

Overall, these are quite refreshing to use and they make my skin feel lovely, but I think I prefer regular liquid masks as I found these fiddly to apply. The masks are super affordable as usual at just £1.49 each and you can purchase them from the Montagne Jeunesse website where postage costs just 0.75p! They will also be available at Boots stores from mid-August and ASDA from September. An extra bonus is that all Montagne Jeunesse products are suitable for vegetarians and focus on their natural ingredients, meaning that these products are great for anybody :)

Have you tried these masks? What do you think?

*DISCLAIMER: This is a PR sample. My opinions are still 100% honest as always.

Review: LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub

This probably isn't a very exciting review that I have for you today- You probably all have seen or tried this product before, but it has seriously been a holy grail product for me recently, so I thought I would do my own little write-up on it for those of you who may not have tried it.

 Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub.

The lip scrub comes in a little glass jar that holds 25 grams of product, which will last you a long time. As you can see, mine still has a lot left inside and I have had it since Christmas. There is only a handful of ingredients in the scrub, it is essentially just a pot of castor sugar with colouring and flavouring, which is the reason why a lot of people (including myself at first) would say that this is overpriced for what it is.

It is quite expensive for little jar of sugar, but now that I have it I would say that it is worth it; the pot is handy for carrying it around in your bag, it will last you ages, and it smells and tastes delish!

The smell and the taste of the product is exactly like bubblegum, very sickly sweet and hard to resist just eating! To use the scrub, you just take a little bit of product on a (clean) finger and rub it gently in to your lips to exfoliate off all the dead skin cells. You can then either lick off the product as it is completely edible, or use a tissue to wipe it off. It is quite abrasive and can leave your lips feeling sore if used too often, so I choose just to use it every morning and occasionally in the evening before I go to bed aswell.

I have been loving using this product lately. I don't know why, but my lips have been really chapped and dry recently, and this is great at keeping them in good condition, paired with my Carmex lip balm.

The Bubblegum Lip Scrub retails at £4.95, which yes, is dear for a small pot of sugar, but in my opinion completely worth it. As well as Bubblegum, it comes in two other flavours; chocolate (Sweet Lips) and mint chocolate (Mint Julips).

Have you tried this or any other lip scrubs?

Review: Montagne Jeunesse Travel Pamper Pack.

So with everybody preparing to jet off to some place sunny over the summer, Montagne Jeunesse have come up with a nifty little kit so that we can keep ourselves pampered whilst on holiday. The Montagne Jeunesse Travel Pack contains six little sachets of fruity-fragranced treatments for your hair, face, feet and body, that will help keep you refreshed and feeling great in the intense heat.

 Montagne Jeunesse Travel Pamper Pack*

Here is what you get in the pack:

2 x Juiced Orange Body Wash
1 x Crushed Apricot Kernal Skin Smoother
1 x Squeezed Lime Oil Intensive Spa Hair Masque
1 x Crushed Blueberries Foot Cooler
1 x Pulped Pomegranate Passion Peel Off Mask

The products come in a handy travel-sized cardboard booklet, from which you can tear out the sachet of whichever product you want to use. I really like this as it is a perfect size to throw in to your bag or suitcase, and they are all kept together.

I have been trying out the products in here for the past couple of weeks and I have written a mini review of each one for you:

Juiced Orange Body Wash

I am not normally a fan of artificial citrus fragrances but this really does have a true orange scent. It is very refreshing to use both in the morning or after a long day out and it left me feeling clean, with a mild orange fragrance lingering on my skin.

Crushed Apricot Kernal Skin Smoother

This was probably my favourite product in the pack. I love exfoliants that actually feel as though they are working, and the crushed apricot stones in this scrub are quite abrasive, although I don't think that they are too harsh. I find that with most scrubs, the exfoliating beads dissolve as use you rub them in, but these stay put so you can work them on to your skin for longer.

Squeezed Lime Oil Intensive Spa Hair Mask

This is the only product in the pack that didn't work very well for me. Like the body wash, it has a lovely, refreshing citrus fragrance, like lemons and grapefruit this time. My only issue was that there wasn't enough product in the sachet for my nearly waist-length hair, but I don't think that this is really too much of a fault, as these packets are travel sized and there would probably be enough product for people with short to mid-length hair.

Crushed Blueberries Foot Cooler

I used this product after two days of walking for miles in the hot weather that the UK has been seeing for the past week, and my feet certainly are thanking Montagne Jeunesse for it. The foot cooler comes out as a pale blue cream which smells of blueberries with a hint of mint, and feels so cool and soothing when massaged in to your feet. The cream turns to powder once it has settled on to your feet, and the cooling sensation stays around for a good 15-20 minutes.

Pulped Pomegranate Passion Peel Off Face Mask

I am not normally a big fan of peel off face masks as they are usually very sticky and messy to work with, and this one was no different. It did smell amazingly of red berries, however, and once it was dry it peeled off easily and left my face feeling clean and smooth.

Overall, I really like this pack and would definitely repurchase it if I go away somewhere for a week or two. This Beauty Travel Pamper Pack is super affordable at just £5.00 and is available from the Montagne Jeunesse website, where postage costs only 0.75p! An extra bonus is that all Montagne Jeunesse products are suitable for vegetarians and focus on their natural ingredients, meaning that these products are great for anybody :)

Are you going on holiday this summer?What is your favourite Montagne Jeunesse product?

*DISCLAIMER: This is a PR sample. My opinions are still 100% honest as always.

(Guest Post) Review: Montagne Jeunesse Shine Control Mask.

This is the last review in my series of Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range reviews. As it is the Shine Control mask and I do not have oily skin, I decided to pass the mask on to another blogger who would be more suited to it. Say hello to the lovely Nadia from Dressing Table Delights, who kindly offered to review this mask for me; make sure you check out her blog! :)

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range*

Firstly, here is what Montagne Jeunesse say about their new range:

Are you having a skin problem? Do you need help? Do you always ask yourself ‘which mask shall I use for my Oily/Dry/Spot Prone/Blackheads or T-Zone Skin? Fear not our NEW Skin Hero Range has landed and are raring & ready to fight for your right to clear, healthy skin the natural way; it’s your weekly essential for healthy, gorgeous, problem free skin.

These are the products in the range:

• De-clog Pores nose strips (Read review)*
• Break Out Mask (Read review)*
• Shine Control*
• Dry Skin Mask (Read review)*
• T-Zone Peel Off (Read review)*

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Shine Control Mask*

The 'Shine Off' masque, part of the Montagne Jeunesse new Skin Heroes range, claims to 'balance the skin' which is great for me as my t-zone area is extremely oily whereas the rest of my face is relatively normal - not too dry or oily. So I was interested to see if this would banish my excess oil and balanced the rest of my skin out to create an even base.

These new masks have two steps; the mask which is used first, and a moisturiser for afterwards. 

The mask: the consistency of this was great - not too thick or thin! It was so easy to apply a thin, even layer all over the face. The mask is a tan 'skin' colour and dries to a cream/white colour so you easily see when it is fully dried and the smell was weird - subltle hints of 'fruit' with a clay mask smell - not pleasant nor too bad. It says to it on for 15-20minutes which was exactly how long I left it on for and it was completely dry (I used less than half a packet which was plenty!). As it was drying it felt extremely tight, like i couldn't even move my mouth without it cracking tight, I personally don't mind that feeling but if you do then this probably isn't for you. Once dried it was fairly easily to remove with a cloth and warm water. My skin didn't feel tight or dry once removed, it felt more 'plump' and as it claims.. oil free! 

The moisturiser: I used less than half of this too as I found it to be extremely thick and moisturising. Despite it's thickness it was easy to rub in and absorbed really quickly leaving me with hydrated yet matte skin at the same time (why can't all moisturisers be like this?). Half the packet was more than enough to moisturise my whole face and neck without feeling greasy.

For the next few hours my face was pretty much oil free, but after about 3 hours the oil started seeping back - much better than if I didn't use it though! I think this mask would be great for a quick fix before an event or something where you really need to keep shine at bay! The moisturiser actually made a great base for makeup and my skin overall felt much smoother. Overall, this is really nice for some pre-party pampering and there's enough product for two - bargain!

The Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range is now available in ASDA stores, and they are a steal at just £1.49 per sachet. You can also purchase Montagne Jeunesse skin care products online at their website, postage only costs £0.50p, or is completely free if you spend just £7.50! And as a bonus, all of their products are suitable for vegetarians and they look to use natural ingredients to give your skin the TLC it needs!

Are you a fan of Montagne Jeunesse? What is your favourite product?
 -Nadia

*PR Sample.

Review: Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes T-Zone Peel Off Mask

I was feeling a bit run down the other day and felt the need for a little pampering time, so I decided to  try out the Montagne Jeunesse T-Zone Peel Off Mask* from their new Skin Heroes range.

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range*

Firstly, here is what Montagne Jeunesse say about their new range:

Are you having a skin problem? Do you need help? Do you always ask yourself ‘which mask shall I use for my Oily/Dry/Spot Prone/Blackheads or T-Zone Skin? Fear not our NEW Skin Hero Range has landed and are raring & ready to fight for your right to clear, healthy skin the natural way; it’s your weekly essential for healthy, gorgeous, problem free skin.

These are the products in the range:

• De-clog Pores nose strips (Read review)
• Break Out Mask (Read review)
• Shine Control
• Dry Skin Mask (Read review)
• T-Zone Peel Off

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes T-Zone Peel Off Mask*

This mask has two steps; the first is the mask, which you apply to a cleansed face and leave for 15-20 minutes whilst it dries before peeling off, and the second is a moisturising cream that you massage on to the face and leave on.

This product, like the Break Out Mask, contains Tea Tree and Canadian Willowherb to calm your skin whilst fighting any breakouts. It has the same lovely tea tree scent which I really love. It makes me feel as though I am actually at a spa.

The mask is a transparent, sticky green liquid. I found it a little tricky to spread evenly over my face as it was so thick and sticky. As with most Montagne Jeunesse masks, I think there is enough product in the sachet for two uses, however I used it all in one go as it was so messy I don't think I would have been able to save the rest of it. The directions say to leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes but this took around half an hour to dry for me, but that was probably because I used quite a thick layer.

The mask peeled off quite easily after the half hour wait, except for one area on my cheek which didn't dry thoroughly. Just a heads up to you girls, make sure you wait until the mask is completely dry before you remove it, as it is a pain to wash off otherwise, even with a cleanser. However, my skin was left feeling very clean and refreshed. The moisturiser has Tea Tree and Peppermint fragrance and feels very cool and calming on the skin. This is probably my second favourite product from the Skin Heroes range after the Break Out Mask, simply because I prefer the mud mask to the peel off mask.

The Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range is now available in ASDA stores, and they are a steal at just £1.49 per sachet. You can also purchase Montagne Jeunesse skin care products online at their website, postage only costs £0.50p, or is completely free if you spend just £7.50! And as a bonus, all of their products are suitable for vegetarians and they look to use natural ingredients to give your skin the TLC it needs!

Are you a fan of Montagne Jeunesse? What is your favourite product?

*DISCLAIMER: This product is a PR sample and was sent to me for free. All opinions are still 100% my own and honest.

Review: Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes De-Clog Pores Nose Strips

I love using nose pore strips every few weeks; there is something grossly satistfying about pulling the gunk out of those pores (please tell me you agree!). When I saw that Montagne Jeunesse were bringing out some nose strips in their new Skin Heroes range, I was very excited to try them out.

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range*

Firstly, here is what Montagne Jeunesse say about their new range:

Are you having a skin problem? Do you need help? Do you always ask yourself ‘which mask shall I use for my Oily/Dry/Spot Prone/Blackheads or T-Zone Skin? Fear not our NEW Skin Hero Range has landed and are raring & ready to fight for your right to clear, healthy skin the natural way; it’s your weekly essential for healthy, gorgeous, problem free skin.

These are the products in the range:

• De-clog Pores nose strips
• Break Out Mask
• Shine Control
• Dry Skin Mask
• T-Zone Peel Off

 Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes De-Clog Pores*

This sachet contains three nose strips, each individually wrapped in a little yellow packet. I think this is good as you are definitely getting good value for money.

This product contains Citrus to draw out impurities in your skin for less visible pores around your nose area. I'll be honest, to me these do not smell nice at all. I was expecting a nice, fruity orange fragrance; these smell like... I don't know, burnt oranges? Not too good when they have to sit on top of your nose for fifteen minutes, but I think how well the product works is more important.

You use these nose strips the way you would use any other nose strips; dampen your nose and the area around it with warm water, and then press the nose strip on- it should become tacky on contact with the water and stick to your skin. Then, you wait for fifteen minutes whilst the strip dries, and then gently peel it off.

I'll spare you all the gorey details, but these pore strips do the job! I don't think I left mine to dry for long enough, as it didn't pull and make my eyes water as much as pore strips usually do haha, but it still worked, and left my nose looking and feeling clean.

I will probably repurchase these after I use the other two up, they are a lot cheaper than other popular pore strips on the market (Biore, I'm looking at you), but do the job equally as well.

The Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range is now available in ASDA stores, and they are a steal at just £1.49 per sachet. You can also purchase Montagne Jeunesse skin care products online at their website, postage only costs £0.50p, or is completely free if you spend just £7.50! And as a bonus, all of their products are suitable for vegetarians and they look to use natural ingredients to give your skin the TLC it needs!

Are you a fan of Montagne Jeunesse? What is your favourite product?

*DISCLAIMER: This product is a PR sample and was sent to me for free. All opinions are still 100% my own and honest.

Review: Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Break-Out Mask

I have been a naughty little beauty blogger a couple of times this week, falling asleep without taking my make-up off properly. As a result, my skin has been punishing me for it, and I have had a few break-outs. However, this was the perfect time to try out the Montagne Jeunesse Break-Out Mask from their new Skin Heroes range.

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range*

Firstly, here is what Montagne Jeunesse say about their new range:

Are you having a skin problem? Do you need help? Do you always ask yourself ‘which mask shall I use for my Oily/Dry/Spot Prone/Blackheads or T-Zone Skin? Fear not our NEW Skin Hero Range has landed and are raring & ready to fight for your right to clear, healthy skin the natural way; it’s your weekly essential for healthy, gorgeous, problem free skin.

These are the products in the range:

• De-clog Pores nose strips
• Break Out Mask
• Shine Control
• Dry Skin Mask
• T-Zone Peel Off

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Break-Out Mask*

This mask has two steps; the first is the mask, which you apply to a cleansed face and leave for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off, and the second is a moisturising cream that you massage on to the face and leave on.

This product contains Tea Tree, Canadian Willowherb and Witch Hazel to calm your skin whilst fighting those pimples. It has the most amazing herbal fragrance which made me feel as though as I was at a spa whilst I was using it. If you are a fan of the smell of tea tree oil, this will definitely appeal to you.

The mask is pale green, and has a thick mud-like consistency and is nice and easy to spread on to your face with your fingers. I would say that there is enough product in each sachet to last for two uses, so after I applied it I taped up the packet to use another time. The directions say to leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes but I always use face masks whilst I am in the bath, so they are usually left on a little longer.

This face mask feels really cool and soothing on the skin upon application, but dries quite a bit on your face and tightens your skin, so it may not be ideal for those with very dry skin already. However, the moisturiser does seem to restore the moisture in your skin really well and has a lovely, calming peppermint smell. An hour or two after I used the mask, I inspected my skin and noticed that my breakouts had dried up and reduced and they weren't as red, so this face mask does exactly what it is set out to do. It is now one of my favourite Montagne Jeunesse masks and I will definitely be purchasing this in the future.

The Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range is now available in ASDA stores, and they are a steal at just £1.49 per sachet. You can also purchase Montagne Jeunesse skin care products online at their website, postage only costs £0.50p, or is completely free if you spend just £7.50! And as a bonus, all of their products are suitable for vegetarians and they look to use natural ingredients to give your skin the TLC it needs!

Are you a fan of Montagne Jeunesse? What is your favourite product?

*DISCLAIMER: This product is a PR sample and was sent to me for free. All opinions are still 100% my own and honest.

Review: Yves Rocher Riche Creme.

Yves Rocher is a brand that I have heard of before, but never tried, so when Elizabeth contacted me asking if I wanted to review some of their products I was happy to accept as I am always open to trying new skin care products.

Yves Rocher is a French based brand, which really interested me as France seems to be reknowned for their skin care products. They make both skin care products and make-up, and focus on natural and botanical beauty.

One of the products that I was sent to try out is the Riche Creme Intense Regenerating Care which contains a whopping 30 precious oils in its ingredients. Upon further research I learned that this is actually an anti-aging day and night cream. I can't say that I can see any extreme signs of aging in my 19 (nearly 20!)-year-old skin, but this doesn't stop me from trying out anti-aging products, I think they can be more effective if started a little earlier and are fine to use if  your skin can handle them. I get a few stress lines on my forehead, so I was interested in seeing if the wrinkle-filling properties that this creme claims to have would smooth them out.

 Yves Rocher Riche Creme*

The creme comes in a metallic gold jar which makes it look expensive and looks very nice sat on my dressing table. It may not be to everybody's taste that it is in a tub rather than a squeezy tube but I am the only person using this and I always make sure that I have clean hands before I touch the product so it doesn't bother me.

One thing that I do not like about the packaging is that there is no information about the product printed on it, not even on the outer cardboard box. If I want to look at the ingredients or read about what the product does, I have to refer to the website, which is a little bit of a pain.

Now on to the actual product. The Riche creme has a thick cream consistency, with quite a strong, floral scent, which I personally like, though it might not be for people who do not like fragranced products.

It feels a little greasy on the skin on application but this subsides quickly and leaves my skin feeling nourished and hydrated. As for my stress lines, they are still there but I do think they look much less prominent. I do really like this as a day and night moisturiser; even though I can't comment much on the anti-aging properties, it does feel luxurious on the skin and I do believe that it will smooth fine lines.

Yves Rocher Riche Creme retails at £36.00 for 75ml. This is a bit too expensive for me as a student and I probably wouldn't purchase this myself, but I know that this product will last me a long time, I have been using this twice daily for over two weeks and I have hardly made a dent. If you have a little bit more money to spend on skin care and you are looking for something highly moisturising or to smooth fine lines, you might want to give this a go. I also thought I would mention that this cream contains parabens, so if parabens concern you then this probably isn't for you.

Have you tried any Yves Rocher products?

*DISCLAIMER: This is a PR sample. This has not affected my review and all opinions are 100% honest.

Review: Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Dry Skin Mask

Last week I received an email from Montagne Jeunesse asking if I would like to review their new Skin Heroes range. I jumped at the chance as I am already a fan of Montagne Jeunesse products and I was actually looking for a new face mask anyway. I am going to post a little review of each one as I use them all up :)

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range*

Here is what Montagne Jeunesse say about their new range:

Are you having a skin problem? Do you need help? Do you always ask yourself ‘which mask shall I use for my Oily/Dry/Spot Prone/Blackheads or T-Zone Skin? Fear not our NEW Skin Hero Range has landed and are raring & ready to fight for your right to clear, healthy skin the natural way; it’s your weekly essential for healthy, gorgeous, problem free skin.

These are the products in the range:

• De-clog Pores nose strips
• Break Out Mask
• Shine Control
• Dry Skin Mask
• T-Zone Peel Off

The first product I decided to use is the Dry Skin Mask*. A couple of days ago I came out with a random cold, which left me with dry flaky skin around my nose area and I do tend to get a few dry spots on my forehead.

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Dry Skin Mask*

The mask has two steps; the first is the mask, which you apply to a cleansed face and leave for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off, and the second is a moisturising serum that you massage on to the face and leave on.

This product contains blueberries, raspberries and red grapes, which are high in anti-oxidants that protect and replenish the skin. This mask smells amazing, you can definitely smell the fruits in there. However, even though I liked the fragrance, I couldn't help but think that it was a little artificial and perfume-y which may be a turn-off for some.

The mask comes in a thick, very pale pink cream consistency and is nice and easy to smooth on to your face with your fingers. I would say that there is enough product in each sachet to last for two uses, so after I applied it I taped up the packet to use another time. The directions say to leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes but I left mine on a little longer whilst I was relaxing in the bath.

When I rinsed the mask off, my face felt so clean and smooth. I massaged on a little of the serum, which has a consistency a bit like a lotion. I was a little worried at first because it seemed to leave a greasy film over my face when I applied it, but this sunk in within a matter of minutes and I was left with moisturised skin that was velvety to the touch. The product really helped to soothe the dry skin around my nose and left it feeling so clean. A definite thumbs up.

The Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range is now available in ASDA stores, and they are a steal at just £1.49 per sachet. You can also purchase Montagne Jeunesse skin care products online at their website, postage only costs £0.50p, or is completely free if you spend just £7.50! And as a bonus, all of their products are suitable for vegetarians and they look to use natural ingredients to give your skin the TLC it needs!

Are you a fan of Montagne Jeunesse? What is your favourite product?

*DISCLAIMER: This product is a PR sample and was sent to me for free. This has not affected my review- all opinions are still 100% my own and honest.

Review: Boots Botanics Facial Loofahs.

I was in need of a new facial exfoliator a couple of weeks ago so I popped in to Boots to see if they had anything on offer. As I was walking up and down the aisles I spotted these Botanics Facial Loofahs. At £2.75 for five facial loofahs I thought I would give them a go to see if they are better value for money than a liquid exfoliator.

These facial loofahs come as thin pads (about the same size as a cotton wool pad) and are made from dried up plant fibers. To use them, you just run one under warm water and it will soften and expand slightly. I apply a cleanser to my face and then rub the loofah gently over my face to buff some of the cleanser off before rinsing my face properly. When they are not in use, the loofahs dry up and harden again until you next use them. I think it is great that you can use these over and over again and they rinse really well, but I think I will change mine every two weeks to keep it hygenic as I imagine these can become a breeding ground for bacteria.

Left: Not used | Right: After use

These do feel quite abrasive against the skin and my face definitely feels smoother after I use them, however I think they will be too harsh for more sensitive skin. My skin is fairly sensitive, and I find that the loofahs can irritate the more delicate areas of my face, such as the area around my nose, so I tend to just use my loofah on my cheeks and forehead. I also only use these in the evening when I am taking my make-up off as I think that they are too harsh to use every time I wash my face.

I will continue to use these until I run out of them but I don't think I would repurchase them as I prefer liquid exfoliators which aren't too harsh to use around my nose and mouth.

If you would like to try these, you can buy them from Boots for £2.75 for a pack of five.

Could anybody recommend me a good facial exfoliator? I have nearly run out of my beloved Dermalogica sample which is a little too pricey for me to repurchase :(

Review: EAU THERMALE Avene Skincare.

Last month, I won a giveaway that Serenity of Beauty held with EAU THERMALE Avene, and I was sent these three skincare products;

• Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser
• Gentle Toner
• Hydrance Optimale UV Light SPF 20 Hydrating Cream

I haven't seen very many reviews or mentions of Avene products around the blogging world so I thought I would try these products out and review them for anybody who may be looking to try a new skincare brand.

Here is a little bit about Avene:

EAU THERMALE Avène is a unique French dermo-cosmetic brand dedicated to each level of skin sensitivity; from sensitive, intolerant to allergic.  Each product contains the Avène Thermal Spring Water, a unique ingredient whose properties have been endorsed by dermatologists over the years.

I have been using these products in place of my usual Liz Earle skincare for just over a month now, and here is what I think.

Cleanance Soapless Cleanser (For oily, blemish- prone skin) 200ml £8.25

 After discovering my beloved Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, I was a bit sceptical about switching to this one, unsure whether a 'lather-and-rinse' cleanser could leave my skin feeling as clean as it feels when I use my muslin cloth to polish off the Liz Earle cleanser. However, I was quite impressed. This lathers up really nicely, and a little goes a long way, you can see in the photograph a month's usage, so I think this is going to last me a long while. It is also soapless, meaning that it won't dry your skin out. It does a great job of removing make-up and leaves my skin feeling very clean; I don't find any excess make-up on the cotton pad when I use toner afterwards. I have been suffering from a lot of blemishes on my skin recently, due to stress, and this has really helped clear them up. One thing I don't like about this cleanser, however, is the smell. It isn't necessarily a bad smell, it just has a very strong soapy scent, which is a bit strange considering it is soap free, I was expecting there to be very little fragrance. Apart from that, I give this product a thumbs up.

Gentle Toner (For dry and very dry sensitive skin) 200ml £11.50 

I really like this toner. It separates so you have to shake it before use and then use a cotton wool pad to apply the product to your face. It is really cool and refreshing on the skin, and it feels gentle, you can tell that there is no alcohol in it and it is very moisturising. This has the same soapy smell as the cleanser, but it is nowhere near as strong. As you can see in the photo, this product doesn't seem to last as long as the cleanser, which is a little bit annoying as it is a bit more expensive, but I think that is a fault when it comes to most toners, they are usually in squirty bottles like this one which makes it hard to control how much product you are using.

Hydrance Optimale UV Light SPF 20 Hydrating Cream (For normal to combination sensitive skin) 40ml £14.50

I find it difficult to review moisturisers as as long as they are light, they usually work okay for me (heavy ones some times break me out). I was glad to see that this one is a light moisturiser, and it has SPF 20 which is always a big plus. It has a nice, creamy consistency and sinks into the skin well when I rub it in. Likewise to the other products, it has that odd, soapy scent, but it isn't as strong as it is in the cleansing gel.

Overall, I do think that EAU THERMALE Avene is quite a good skin care brand. I like that they cater for all the different skin types, and also that all their products are paraben free. I don't think I like them better than my Liz Earle skin care products, but honestly, I think it may only be the smell that is putting me off, I do much prefer the herbal scent of the Liz Earle products. I am considering repurchasing the toner when I run out as I really do like it, and I am willing to pay the £11.50 price tag for it. I would recommend that you take a look at their range if you have sensitive skin and you can look past the soapy smell, as it looks as though they will have something to suit even the most sensitive skin. Avene products are available in Boots and range between £5 and £25.

Have you tried any Avene products?

November Favourites

Time for my first ever monthly favourites post :)

HD Brows Palette

This has been a favourite of mine since I received it in the September GlossyBox, and could stay a favourite for many months to come but since I haven't made a monthly favourites post before, I thought I would include it. This palette is all I need for my eyes on a typical day (except for mascara!). I got the palette in Bombshell, which wasn't ideal seeing as I am brunette with an olive skin tone. However, I find that a combination of the two bottom shades is ideal for filling in my eyebrows, and then I use the same two colours as eyeshadows and the black to line my eyes.

Dermalogica Age Smart Multivitamin Thermafoliant

This is another sample I received in a GlossyBox and I love it. Never has an exfoliant made my skin feel so soft and smooth after using it. I won't be happy when this runs out, I don't think I can afford to purchase the full size :(

Original Chapstick

So this isn't the most glamorous product in my November favourites haha. My mum picked it up for 20p when Asda were having a crazy sale on their makeup and skincare. I wasn't expecting too much of it to be honest, it was just a Chapstick, but this has actually saved my lips this month. My lips suffer the most in the cold weather and this has stopped them from being dry and flaky, even more so than my beloved pot of cherry Carmex.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

This is another product that could always be in my monthly favourites. This makes my skin feel so clean and has helped a lot to clear up my breakouts.

Lush Hottie Massage Bar

I have had this for a couple of months now but I have used it more religiously over the past month. I use this as a moisturiser on my legs and it makes them feel so hydrated. It can be a little bit greasy and sticky at first as it essentially a massage oil, but when that subsides, my legs are really silky. I also absolutely love the smell of this, it's vanilla-y and also a little bit spicy.

What have your November favourites been? If you have made a post similar to this, link me to it, I'd love to see :)

EDIT: How could I forget this?!

Collection 2000 Cream Puff Lip Cream (Angel Delight)

I bought this some time right at the end of October/ beginning of November and I am very nearly ready for a new one I think, I have worn it that much. Matte finish lip colours are my favourite kind, and I love this as it is also moisturising, and not drying like most matte lipsticks. I picked up Angel Delight, as I wanted a nude colour but I thought Powder Puff would be too pale for me. I love this colour though, and would like to try out the other three.