Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector Review

Before I discovered the miracle or BB cream I was always looking for a way to make my skin flawless in a light natural looking way without the use of foundation. I don't mind wearing foundation on a night out but during the day even though I don't wear that much I still feel like I'm wearing a mask because of it's heavy consistency. I previously read about BB cream, all positive things so decided to give it a go. I'm so glad I decided to take the leap of faith and purchase this because it is a beauty sensation. (Retails at around £8) It's like a tinted moisturiser but better because it gives you the sheer coverage of foundation by instantly melting into your skin tone. Its light formula means you can get perfect looking skin as imperfections and blemishes are covered making your skin look luminous and picture perfect without the feeling of a heavy mask of makeup. Its really hydrating as it feels like its got some type of oil in it, in a good way meaning it does not dry the skin out unlike some creams. But in that case I would not recommend for those with an oily skin type as it could cause break out. It's perfect for my skin though as I have quite dry and sensitive skin so need something light and hydrating. It's quite dewy giving a nice natural looking healthy glow and it smells amazing very fruity. I love it because it just looks so natural you cant tell or feel it's even on. 

If you're someone who slowly wants to ween themselves off foundation but still have flawless looking skin I would definitely recommend this. The thing with foundation is once you apply it it looks good but then when you take it off it leaves the skin in a mess so of course you will want to cover up the damage foundation has caused with more foundation. It becomes a vicious cycle. Think of this as the nicorette of foundation. You're not stopping completely but you're using something less damaging to slowly ween yourself off so that if you get those days where you want to let your skin breathe and go makeup free you can. 

St. Tropez Tanning Regime

So I'm not exactly one of those girls that plasters myself in self tan and ends up looking like a walking advert for tango but during the Winter months I tend to feel slightly on the paler side just from hiding away behind a coat all the time. As I spent the entire 3 months of Summer covered in baby oil lying in the sun all day everyday I built up so many layers of tan that my skin as a result developed a permanent tan I guess, It just hasn't really gone back to being as white as it was before. I still have that nice Summer glow and tan lines believe it or not. Im not as bronze as I was in the Summer but I do get complimented on looking slightly sun kissed. Anyhow this is my tanning regime on how to achieve light subtle bronze tan skin not fake heavy orange gunk. All thanks to St. Tropez's 3 step tanning treatment and a tanning mit. 

 St. Tropez 3 step treatment includes a body polisher, a body moisturiser and a tinted self-tanning lotion. Purchased at TK Maxx for £15. A bargain in my eyes as it usually retails around £30. 

Velvo Tan Tanning mit purchased in Tesco for £4.99. They really make a world difference as your tan comes out streak free and hands come out stain free not to mention they are also reusable.  

 Step 1: You want to start off with a clean canvas so shave it all off and exfoliate. I personally prefer to use exfoliating gloves as I believe the skin feels a lot smoother then if I was to use just my hands. 

 Step 2: Moisturise. You want to make sure your skin isn't dry as nothing can be worse then self tan sticking to dry patches making your skin looking streaky. Along with the lotion I also use the Garnier ultimate beauty oil just to make sure there is extra moisture especially in those dry areas and so that it illuminates my tan. Lets not forget the feet now. You dont want a good looking tan with crusty feet will just defeat the purpose. Cant go wrong with Scholl. 

Step 3: Finally it's time to apply the tan. Using the tanning mit apply the self tan onto the back of the purple side and rub into body in circular motions. Start off with small amounts first because you can always build t up if you feel you need to. Even though St Tropez can be used for the face, for the face I chose to use a mosturiser specifically for the face which was the Dove Summer Glow. 

Step 4: Time to walk around naked for a good 1/2 hour whilst the moisturiser is absorbed into the skin. For best results it says apply right before bedtime as product may appear streaky why drying so showering in the morning the next day will reveal a beautiful natural Summer tan. To maintain tan apply 1-3 times weekly, moisturise daily and use St Tropez body polisher. 

Bath Time with Lush: 'Shoot for the Stars' Bath Bomb

Nothing I love more on a Saturday then picking up my Lush box and choosing which bath bomb to use. Today I went for Shoot for the Stars. An amazing honey scented bath bomb that explodes into a rainbow of colour but then turns the water into a gorgeous navy blue with iridescent glitter sparkles. Resembling a clear starlit night sky. Perfect escape.

 

 

                                                          

 

Top 10 Beauty and Fashion Wish List

My Shopaholic self has recently eyed up some beauty and fashion pieces I want I want I want. Forget that I neeeeeeeeeed in my life. 

 L'ancome La Maison Makeup Palette (I'll admit I'm interested because of the tres chic packaging as I am a sucker for packaging and the fact that the bronzer is shaped into an eiffel tower. C'est magnifique)

Marc Jacobs Lolita Eyeshadow Palette as recommended by Fleur de Force. I dont usually want palettes as I find they're a waste for if I'm wearing eye shadow I only ever wear shimmery golds and browns. This is why this palette is perfect. 

 Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet La Fascinate #38 Matte Lipstick. Cant go wrong with classic Chanel red. Such a gorgeous colour. This is the one they used in the campaign when they launched it. 

 MAC Girl About Town Lipstick. I used to love pink then I hated it for a while but I think my love for pink has been resurrected. Such a nice girly colour reminds me of a girls night out sipping on cosmos. So Sex and the City. 

 Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub (I heard this smells of Mojitos, my favourite cocktail) 

Macadamia Natural Oil Hair Mask. Such a cult product I need to try out 

Dior Midnight Poison. A forgotten scent I used up ages ago. I want it back 

Micheal Kors Rose Gold Stone Plated watch. They're so mainstream these days. I'm not one to give into mainstream but this is an exception soo beautiful I love anything rose gold. 

The Celine Leopard Print Tote as seen on the gorgeous Rosie Huntington Whitley. She could make a bing bag look fashionable. Im so obsessed with Leopard Print though this called to me. Celine bags have been growing in popularity. But no wonder this bag is such arm candy I want it! 

Not a beauty product but I am obsessed with peanut butter, my new addiction - Ben and Jerrys Peanut Butter Cup - Better then Sex! and omgg when I found out there was such a thing as peanut butter pop tarts I thought gimmie some of that!! Peanut Butter Kit Kats and Reeses Cups probably have got nothing on these. 

Diet Tips and Tricks for a healthy new you

So I've recently fallen into a disgusting habit of not getting enough sleep, falling behind on my exercise regime, booze and reaching for convenience food. This always tends to happen during the wet cold and dreary Winter months where I'm stuck in doors - Seasonal Affective Disorder as I become lazy, unmotivated and eat out of boredom. I don't really suffer from S.A.D I just say I do because I love Summer so much and in Summer I don't need motivation the Vitamin D I've soaked up from the sun just generally puts me in a good mood, makes me want to get up early because who wants to sleep in and miss out on tanning time. I also eat better without intending too, Summer is all about the salads, watermelon slices and ice tea. 

As spring is near which means no more having to wear Winter coats woo, I find there is nothing worse then walking around with unwanted Winter fat and having to hide it away behind a Winter coat even though that season has passed. So I might as well start getting fit now so I can enjoy it when it comes around rather then spending the first couple of weeks battling with the bulge.

Here are just some tips and tricks I use for when I eat great I feel great physically and mentally as looking good on the outside is all about feeling good on the inside.

Breakfast:

 I love starting my day off with Oat So Simple Apple and Blueberry. Some people think skipping breakfast will keep them skinny. When you skip a meal your body goes into starvation mode as it doesn't know when it will next get fed, this slows down the metabolism and stores everything you eat after straight into fat. Its important to eat a proper breakfast as your less tempted to snack during the day and in fact statistics show those that skip breakfast end up consuming more calories during the day  and are twice as likely to become overweight then those who eat a proper breakfast as hunger and cravings attack. Porridge oats not only are they delicious they are a good way to start your day because they release energy slowly keeping you full up until lunch time. 

 Along with porridge oats I will have a piece of fruit to start off my 5 a day. Pink Lady Apples are my favourite and a good way to boost your immune system. Its true when they say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. 

I will also drink a cup of herbal tea. Have recently been loving the new Lipton Blueberry Muffin tea. It smells absolutely amazing like I've just baked a fresh batch of blueberry muffins. If your someone who like strong tasting teas I wouldnt recommend as Its very light in taste which is perfect for me as I love light tasting teas hence why Im such a fan of green tea. But it wouldnt hurt to switch as its only 4 calories per bag. I used to love Whittard's instant teas such as Dream Time and Turkish apple, as delicious as they are its not something I can drink everyday because they contain a lot of sugar so not very good for the waistline and dont exactly contain the best ingredients. Herbal teas are pretty much all natural. 

How to trick your brain into eating less: 

Scientists on secret eaters conducted experiments and found that there were certain variables which made people eat more then they should because of how the brain was tricked. Here are just some things you could do to trick your brain into eating less: 

. Eat out of a small bowl/plate. The bigger the bowl/plate the more likely you are to increase your portion of food. 

. Make sure the plate is a different colour to your food. If the colour of the food blends into the colour of your plate you will end up piling on more food without realising as it wont stand out. 

. Drink out of a tall long glass rather then a short wide glass. A tall long glass will give you the illusion that there is more liquid in it rather then a short wide glass where you will end up pouring more liquid. 

. Don't go shopping on an empty tummy. Super markets purposely have fruit and veg on one end and bread and milk on the other end so that when your walking from one end to the other you're in perfect view of fatty food. Fatty food releases energy quickly which is why when hungry people tend to grab it for a quick fix. By going shopping hungry you end up making impulse buys of food you normally wouldn't get if you came on a full tummy. 

. Cravings only last 15-20 minutes so distract yourself by going for a walk. 

. If you do get a craving for chocolate rather then getting a fatty mars bar get something like a milky way or marshmallows as there isn't that much fat and calories in them. 

Other health tips include: 

. Go to sleep at a decent time. Between 10pm and Midnight. Your body repairs itself in it's sleep, this is the best time to get your beauty sleep. Having a decent sleep will make you feel more alert and motivated and you will eat less because you wont have missed breakfast by sleeping in. 

. Drink 3-4 cups of green tea a day. It suppresses your appetite, amazing for weight loss as it helps with fat burning and improves cognitive skills. It's also great for keeping you looking young as it it contains anti oxidants. 

. Drink 2 litres of water a day. It hydrates your body, amazing for weight loss because you're flushing out toxins and bad chemicals and great for your skin as it gives it a healthy glow. 

. Don't eat carbohydrates after 6pm 

. Don't eat food after 8pm 

. Avoid red meat 

. No fizzy drinks that includes the diet ones because the sodium in fizzy drinks blocks the fat from escaping from your body. 

. Avoid alcohol because the calorie content is like pure fat. People make the mistake of thinking its the sugar in alcohol that makes it so calorific. Alcohol is its own fat. The fat in alcohol is equivalent to a fatty lardy roast dinner. 

DIY Pink and White Polka Dot Nails using a Bobby Pin

Other then the obvious use of pinning back fly aways, who knew a bobby pin could be so useful. When it comes to nail art lets just say I fail epically in that department. All previous attempts of super cute and super chic manicures where just major flops. After watching an episode of super scrimpers which is something I've recently gotten into as my shopaholic self needs this in my life for Im doing a Becky Bloomwood and trying to change my ways, one of the money saving beauty tips was  a DIY Polka Dot manicure. She simply whipped out a bobby pin from her hair, spread it, dipped it in nail varnish and started dotting it on her nails. In just under 5 minutes she had the cutest looking manicure, which you would pay a lot for in a nail salon, free. I just don't have the patience for arty detail as I know usually how fiddly and how long nail art takes. This is why I loved how quick, easy and simple it all was. All thanks to a bobby pin. It looks really professional as well like time and effort has gone into it when really it was done in under 5 minutes. You can also use it for other looks such as leopard print nails, hearts etc. I will definitely be playing around with my nails from now on as Im suddenly feeling really arty. So my nail look of the month. Loves it! 

Nail Polishes: Barry M - Strawberry Ice Cream
                        L.A. Colors - Energy Source  

Nails of the Week - Smurfette Blue

I know the official name of this tag is NOTD (Nails of the day), I'm not sure about you but I'm not one to paint my nails everyday, fair enough if you do but I mean thats just nail suicide. Once a week is how I roll. Anyhow I was never a fan of blue just not really my colour choice for clothes, maybe because it was the colour of my school blazer and ive just associated it with that but something about the colour of blue nails it's just grown on me and I'm really loving the look. 

So you cant exactly tell in the picture because of the lighting but the shade I have on atm is Barry M - Blueberry Ice Cream thats the official name, I like to call it Smurfette Blue because thats exactly what it looks like on. Gotta love good old Barry M gorgeous shades, high OPI quality, amazing price only £2.99. Loves it