Lets Talk E45

As you probably all know by now, my skin is almost as dry and sensitive as it can get. As long as I can remember I've been having oil and Dettol (my Dad's obsession, best not to ask) baths and layering on the cream. To be honest, for us sensitive skin sufferers, there's not much out there to help!

Back in the day, when my parents would buy anything to try and sort out my skin, I tried E45 body lotion. To be honest I didn't really give it a long enough time to test, and quickly passed over it. For years I used purely Eumovate all over, a prescribed, steroid cream for my eczema, because it was literally the only thing that worked. Not the best idea.

In 2013 BzzAgent sent me some samples of the new range of E45 cream to try out, and I wrote a blog post all about it, which you can find here. I used it all, and enjoyed it, but it didn't leave a lasting impression. More recently, I discovered that the Garnier Ambre Solaire Aftersun Skin Soother Hydrating Milk is brilliant for hydrating my skin, after piling it on twice a day throughout a whole Summer! My favourite moisturiser though has got to be the Body Shop's Body Butters (my favourites are coconut, hemp, Satsuma and honeymania) which are some of the few scented lotions I can use. This habit can be quite expensive though, so I try to purchase these only when they're on offer!

However, for Christmas last year I got a tub of E45 in my stocking (again, don't ask) and decided to give it another go. While it isn't quite as fast working as my prescribed cream, or exciting as the body butters, it does just work. I've been using the cream all over, but mostly my hands which are really suffering since I got a new job. I feel like the cream works so much better if I use it often to maintain hydration rather than just to try and fix a problem.

So now I've invested in a bottle of the stuff and the other day, the Intense Recovery Hand Cream (all currently 3 for 2 in Boots if you get a move on!). I can already see a difference from using the hand cream nightly, and think it's actually enough to not need to use throughout the day. I don't think I'll ever be one of those people who re-applies every hour.

Give it a go if you haven't already! It may surprise you!


A

xx

Review: Batiste Dry Shampoo (Floral)

For me, Batiste is the original dry shampoo (whether it technically is I'm not certain) and definitely the best. It was the first one I tried, admittedly there seemed to be a hype and I jumped on that bandwagon. At the moment I'm using the Batiste Dry Shampoo Floral Essences version, and I think it's my favourite yet. The scent is light and not overpowering, while still working wonders on my hair. Although this is part of the revitalising range, I do find that it adds a touch of volume as well.

 

 

In the past year or so I've dabbled with other branded dry shampoos on the market including;

• Herbal Essences Dry Shampoo Uplifting Volume - I hated this from first use, it made my hair feel sticky and it looked even worse than it had before!
• Herbal Essences Clearly Naked (0%) Dry Shampoo - this is okay and I'm still using up the tin but I wouldn't repurchase it while I can buy the Batiste at the same price. Also, my first tin came with a dodgy nozzle, but it could have just been a fluke.
• Batiste XXL - same brand I know, but didn't think the XXL version was much different to their simple dry shampoos.

 

So, maybe I've not dabbled too much, but why try to find an alternative to a product I like, trust and can afford (though I do wait until I see it on offer)? From now on, I'm sticking the Batiste original formula and may just switch up the scents instead!

 

 

A

 

xx

Review: L'Oreal Paris Skin Perfection Micellar Water

I've been using this stuff pretty much since the day it came out in the shops, and honestly think it's brilliant. Now I've never tried Bioderma (it seems such a hassle to get hold of, and expensive for posh water) but I have tested out the B. Pure Micellar Water from Superdrug. In comparison, the L'Oreal one just seems to do a lot more, for a cheaper price! Vogue and Woman and Home named it in their top 10 Micellar Waters and yes it does work on most mascaras too!

I tend to use a face wash/wipe to remove the bulk of my makeup, then use a cotton pad to swipe the L'Oreal Micellar Water over my face to make sure it's thoroughly cleansed. I don't always feel the need to use a toner after using this product but always use a moisturiser.

This article is a good one if you want to find out a bit more information about Micellar Waters in general.

Price:
Usually £4.99 but there's always offers on it and I've never paid full price!

How long does a bottle last?
I use mine twice a day every day, and would say the 200ml bottle lasts me around a month.

Skin Type:
I'm no expert but I'd say most skin types should be okay using this. The bottle states that the water is suitable for sensitive skin and hypoallergenic. Mine is dry and sensitive, with a few oily patches and this doesn't irritate my skin at all. Overuse can be drying but if you use a good moisturiser, it will counteract the dryness. My eyes don't sting if I use this on them either, but I can't guarantee it won't on everybody.

I'd recommend this product if you're looking into trying out a micellar water, it's cheap enough that if you don't like it then you've not wasted your money. Be prepared to love it though!!


A

xx

Review: Aldi Twinkle Tealights

Walking around my local Aldi the other day, I came across these gorgeous tealights!

 

 

They are an absolute bargain for just £1.99. There's 12 in the pack and they smell absolutely amazing! Cinnamon isn't a scent I would usually go for but I'd say the smell is just an overall Christmassy one, definitely not overpowering. The 4 hour burn time is pretty accurate, though I do wish they would burn all the way down. All of the left over glitter is slightly frustrating, but for the price I can't really complain.



 

 

My mum loved them so much, she sent me back to get 8 more packs so she can use them all the time. I think they're perfect for when all your friends and family are visiting over the upcoming holidays, and even unlit they still look beautiful and decorative.

 

 

If you're near to an Aldi store, I would definitely recommend you try these and stock up while you can!

 

 

 

A

 

xx

Essie After School Boy Blazer

Yes, I crumbled and gave in to the new 'it product of Autumn. After School Boy Blazer from Essie's new collection is the most coveted colour right now and I can definitely see why. The colour is a very dark navy with a slight hint of glisten. In some lights it can look black, but in others the perfect deep navy. It's absolutely stunning and definitely one to look it if you don't want to go with full on black nails. It's also a really lovely colour to wear if you don't want to be completely traditional with your Autumn nails this season. Everybody does the reds, burgundies and grey/nudes at this time of year, so it's nice to have such a fitting but different colour.

If you want to get this, beautybay.com actually have it on sale right now here. Even more reason to pick it up!

A

xx