Soap and Glory No Clogs Allowed

I picked up the Soap and Glory No Clogs Allowed a couple of weeks ago when I popped into Boots. View my haul here. It's a self heating mask that detoxes deep pores. The clever thing that this does is after you apply it to your face it instantly starts to get warm. You then wet your fingers and rub it in again and watch it start to turn blue!

It's actually very gentle on the skin; it feels like you're sitting in the car with the sun on your face.
There are a couple of downsides to this product; it's quite runny when you apply it. I thought it was because I hadn't shook the tube but it didn't make any difference and although the above picture shows the product turning blue on my hand, it didn't turn that colour on my face. The mask didn't dry either and I washed it off with warm water in the shower.
The end result left my face feeling very soft and I could notice the pores on my nose were clear. My skin felt tight and my colour looked, how can I put it...healthy.
This is specifically formulated for oily prone skin which suits me down to the ground. Priced at £11.50 but I had a voucher for £3 off. Boots stock the full range of Soap and Glory products with Harvey Nichols only having a few selected items.
I'll use this once a week as suggested and hope to reap the long term benefits. So far so good.

Any S&G products you've discovered that you've liked or been disappointed with?

Rachel xx

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

I recently fell back in love with the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer, after basically forgetting about it. How does this happen? Well, my make up bag is so full and unorganised that it simply fell to the bottom. I started to have good skin days and not needed it. Until now, where I've had a couple of break outs on my chin as I've been feeling unwell these last few days.
This has been compared to the Collection (formally Collection 2000) Lasting Perfection Concealer, and it's pretty much an exact match, but slightly more money.

As you can see, it blends extremely well. My skin tone is fair and I use the shade 15. It's available in 6 shades and costs around £5.99 for 6.8ml, and always avaible Boots and Superdrug where it's stocked.
All in all a good product that I would buy again and highly recommend.

Any cheap and cheerful concealers you love to use?

Rachel xx

Tanya Burr Nail Polish

Beauty bloggers or #bbloggers on social media, went crazy when they heard that beauty guru Tanya Burr was launching her on own range of lip glosses and nail polish. Launching exclusively on the Feel Unique website here there was literally a backlog of orders that left the female population crying before they got to the checkout. With new stock finally delivered, I got my hands on mine. I decided on two lip glosses (which I will blog about soon) and one nail polish. With no swatches for me to google before hand, I played it safe with Be bright, Be happy, Be you.
This formula is actually amazing. Not streaks, easy to apply and dries quite quickly. With a flat brush, my nail was done in two strokes. The above picture is two coats. I didn't notice chips until late in the second day with my usual No7 top coat.
With ten colours to choose from, I'm hoping she will add more colours as its popularity increases. Priced at £5.99 for 12ml which I think is a great price.
The full range is also available on the Superdrug website here but there is extra charge for delivery under £10.

Have you tried any other colours in the range? I'm keen to add some more to my collection.

Rachel xx

Essie Fiji Nail Polish

I posted the above picture of my nail colour on my Instagram yesterday and I got quite a few likes (thank you) so I thought I would do a little review and post. This colour is called Fiji and it is one of their best sellers. There were only two left on the stand in Boots the day I bought it. I call this a nude pink as it's very light and delicate. Essie is one of my favourite brands for nail polish. I love the formula and most of all the wide flat brush, as my nail is coated in two strokes. I have applied two applications on top of my base coat and then a top coat.
Essie bring out regular collections and never disappoint. I posted last year my two favourite Spring colours, which you can read here. Fiji is priced at £7.99 on the Boots website.

Any Essie colours you love?

Rachel xx

Urban Decay Naked Lipgloss

I recented featured a Valentine's Day Gift Ideas post here and one of the items I included was an Urban Decay Naked Lipgloss. 

I wanted to get my hands on one so bad that somehow one was in my online shopping basket before I knew it. How does that happen? 

I'm a big big fan of UD and have many of their products already including the new Naked 3 palette, which I will review and post as soon as there is decent weather for good lighting. Anyway, I had high hopes for this lipgloss and I'm happy to say that it doesn't disappoint. So what makes this so special?

UD state that:

'The Naked Lip Gloss is a luxe gloss and rich balm combo which nourishes and hydrates the lips whilst showing off a stunning shine and a subtle hue. Formulated with Hyaluronic Filling Spheres, Vitamin E, Avocado Oil and Shea Butter, this gloss conditions the lips to leave you with a silky soft pout'.

After wearing this for a day I can honestly say that they've got this spot on. When applied it feels as smooth as vaseline and the shine is amazing.

The lipgloss is available in 9 shades. I'm wearing Beso and it's described as a deep pink/mauve colour. The swatch on my hand is how the colour looks in real life, I couldn't quite catch it with the camera on my lips.
Even after the lipgloss wore off, my lips were really soft. There isn't a taste to it either which I quite like, as I'm not tempted to lick it off! The packaging is beautiful with its rose gold tint and the wand is soft which makes the lipgloss glide on easily.
You can buy the Naked Lipglosses here at Look Fantastic for £14.

Have you tried them yet?

Rachel xx

I Went Shopping - Boots Haul

I recently uploaded a picture to my Instagram @HeartOceanSecrets of my Boots shopping basket, and I had quite a few likes, so I thought I would do a little blogpost about the things I bought.

I seem to have a love/hate relationship with Philosophy. 1) The price, 2) the sickly smell. Some of the body washes are too over powering but having said that, they smell EXACTLY like what they're called. The gift set I picked up was half price at £11 and has vanilla cake mix 3 in 1, cranberry body lotion and candied pecan salt body scrub. I was able to smell the testers and thought they weren't too bad.

I've heard loads of good things about Soap & Glory, No Clogs Allowed so I decided to see for myself. It is a self heating mask, which I haven't tried for years and claims to detox pores. This was on offer for £7.67 instead of £11.50. Click here to read about it.
Bic Soleil Travel Shaving Gel is perfect for the shower as it fits nicely on the shelf. Cost £1.89.
Stila Baked Duo in Pink Glow is ideal for creating that sun kissed glow as a highlighter/soft blusher on the cheeks. Bit pricey at £15 but had to have it! I will do a more detailed review and swatch at some point.

Oral B 3D White in Brillance. Claims to reduce staining on the teeth in two weeks. £3.49. My teeth aren't bad but I'd like to give this a try.
Original Source Cranberry and Honey Daily Scrub is one I haven't tried before as I normally buy the Tea Tree and Mint. This was on offer for half price. £1.32.
Vital Baby Hand and Face Wipes are essential as a mother. My daughter is 3 and gets sticky hands, so these are always in my bag. Plus they're great to wipe off make up after loads of swatching! £1.99
I also bought an Essie Nail Polish in Fiji but I couldn't find it when I was taking picture. A beautiful nude pink and one of their best sellers. £7.99.

So that's what I bought. Boots is a deadly place. I go in for one item but always end up with a basket full. Anyone else the same?

Rachel xx

Osmo Day Two Styler Dry Shampoo - Yay or Nay?

I have been using the beloved  Batiste Dry Shampoo for many years, and when I was almost running out I decided to try out something new. After a bit of a search on beauty websites and magazines I decided to try Osmo Day Two Styler Dry Shampoo. After reading mixed reviews I thought I would try it.
I'm not going to beat about the bush - this product is absolute rubbish. Firstly, the SMELL. O my word, it's awful. I can honestly say that it resembles cat pee. I thought it was because I didn't shake it enough so I got my husband to give it a 'man' shake. Nope, the smell was still bad. The application was terrible as it felt like the spray went everywhere and when I managed to get it on to my roots it didn't absorb any next day hair
oil from washing it 24 hours before. For me this product was a complete waste of money. I haven't been disapointed by a product in a long time. The only thing I do like is the way it looks but other than that this product is not for me I'm affraid. I think I'll stick with what I know best. Batiste all the way!
I bought this from Amazon here for £4.49 if you're interested in reading the other reviews.

Any product you've tried and been disappointed with?

Rachel xx

L'Oreal Paris True Match Liquid Foundation

With 5 foundations already under their belt it was only a matter of time before L'Oreal Paris brought out another one to add to the extensive range. True Match Liquid Foundation is different due it being a foundation that claims to match your skin tone by colour and texture.
I have been using this constantly for a month to give it a far trail and honest review. The verdict...I LOVE it. It blends so good, it's unbelievable and yes it does blend with your natural skin tone. It has great coverage. The staying power is very good with the only shine breaking through on me is at the side of the nose, which is something I usually have a problem with even with a decent primer.

The foundation is quite runny and I find that I don't need an awful lot to cover my whole face. I apply it using my fingers (shock, horror) as using a foundation brush makes it streaky.

The shade I use is Rose Ivory. There are 20 shades in total, so really a shade for all skin tones. Probably in the summer months when I catch some sun I will probably need a warmer shade as this is one of the lightest.

One downside is the bottle. I've never been keen on glass foundation bottles as when it gets near the end you're not able to get at it with the pump dispenser. I rather prefer plastic slim packaging where you're able to cut it in half and really get your moneys worth!

This is me wearing the foundation last weekend. I was so happy with the way in which my skin looked, I decided to make it my blog profile picture. I have a new found confidence.
So, will I buy this again? Yes without a doubt. This replaces my Revlon Colorstay for daily wear.
I bought this from Superdrug for £7.99 due to a promotion they were having but normally retails at £9.99. I think this is good value as I count L'Oreal as a 'highend highstreet' brand. You can view the range here at the Superdrug website but is available in highstreet chemists/drug stores.

Have you tried this foundation? I would love to hear from you.

Rachel xx

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas ~ For Her

I have to admit that the gifts I have picked for this Valentine's Day Gift Ideas are secretly what I would love to receive on the day, but I doubt very much that would happen so I thought that I would share them you. I may even treat myself this year (again).
Even though Valentine's Day has become a money making scheme in some shops, it's still nice to show a little appreciation to your loved one with the simple things like flowers and a handwritten note or card with a poem or special message that you can keep forever, rather than a text message that gets deleted after a few days. Here are 7 gift ideas that you can casually show your other half (i.e leave your laptop/tablet/pc in their view so that they take the hint).

1) An obvious choice really; who doesn't love flowers? I know I do. Whenever I do a big supermarket food shop I usually treat myself to a bunch, so it would be nice to have some bought. Next online has a lovely selection here but if you're on a budget Lidl do some beautiful roses for just £2 in a variety of colours.

2) Paper Plane Make Up Bag (£15.50) -  I've had this make up bag on my wish list for quite some time and eventually I will buy it. It's from the brand Paper Plane and you can buy it here along with other lovely items in the range.

3) Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb (30ml rrp £50) - A fruity and floral fragrance with notes of tea, bergamot, samba jasmine, rose and orchid. This scent would suit both day and night. Other sizes available here.  

4) Urban Decay Naked Lip Glosses (£14) - The newest launch from the UD Naked range these are a luxe gloss that hydrates due to the rich balm combo, vitamin E and avocado oil. There are 7 shades available here.
5) Zara Home Humming Bird Duvet Cover (from £69.99) - Create a nice romantic atmosphere with new bedding...you know what I mean? ;) See the Zara Home range here.
6) Gift voucher from Boux Avenue - From delicate lingerie to nightwear, it's hard to choose so why not buy a gift voucher just incase your choice is different from what your partner would choose to wear. View the Boux Avenue site here.
7) Personalised silk and silver bangle by Hurley Burley (£34) - By far my favourite idea. I would choose to have my daughter's name engraved but you could have your partner's name or even a special date that has a personal meaning for you. Not On The Highstreet have a lovely selection here.

I wish all of you a Happy Valentine's Day and I hope you all have something nice whether it be from your partner or even a friend. For those of you that are single, treat yourself to something...at least you'll get something you like!

Rachel xx

Eyeko Lengthening Skinny Mascara

Eyeko London was established in 1999 and is popular with celebs such as Jennifer Lawrence and Gemma Arterton with their range of mascaras, eyeliners and brow gel and now model and TV presenter Alexa Chung has teamed up with the brand with tutorials on how to achieve that cat eye look she is most famous for.

So I decided to see what all the fuss was about and try out one of their mascaras. I opted for the Lengthening Skinny Brush Mascara as it claims to lengthen, extend and separate lashes like no other.

So, does it...?

Well, yes it does if I manage to not get too much mascara on the brush to avoid spider leg lashes once applied. 

The only downside to this mascara is the removal. My word it's a tough, stubborn bugger. A facial cleansing wipe won't do. I have to use my Garnier eye make up remover and really rub at my eye, and then the mascara kind of breaks away and leaves small clumps on the cotton pad. Eyeko claim that it's easy to remove, so I'm either doing something wrong or my eye make up remover isn't strong enough, but to be honest I can put up with this.

I do really like this mascara as it doesn't smudge or flake and the colour is a dark black which really makes the eyes stand out. It does what it claims to do by lengthening and separating. It costs £15 for 8ml from ASOS here with free delivery and returns.

Is Eyeko a brand that you've not heard of or are already familiar with the other products in the range?

Rachel xx

Next Clothing Haul ~ Winter Brights

I decided to brighten up my wardrobe after taking my unwanted clothes to the charity shop last week. Whilst walking past Next in town their window display of bright warming colours caught my eye and I popped in for a look.

I ended up buying two items; a coral scoop neck jumper with hearts with a bow tie at the back. It's quite see through so I will need to wear a cami underneath. It also comes in black and Ecru which is basically white and costs £30. Take a look at it here on the Next official website.

The second item was an over-sized red check shirt with roll up sleeves. I can either wear this closed or open with a vest top underneath when the better weather comes. The shirt is also available in blue check, blue stripe and white and costs £25 here.

With black skinny jeans and boots to complete the look and I'm all set. I have two black pairs of skinny jeans, but I reckon there's always room in my wardrobe for one more...?

Rachel xx