Mandara Spa Tropical Blooms Smoothing Shower Scrub & Softening Body Cream Review!

Hello everyone! I'm back to talk about a little duo I've used over the past month or so that I got last Christmas, that's right, it's nearly Christmas again and I'm just getting round to using these up.. You can tell that my family and friends basically threw a tonne of body products at me for gifts last year! (which I am very thankful for as I do enjoy a good body scrub/butter or too.) These two came in a little set that I got from my boyfriend's Mum last Christmas and since I've finally gotten round to using them, it's about time I give them a little review.

As I said before, these came in a little Christmas set which was from Sainsburys (I only know this as I actually walked past them last year just after Christmas with my boyfriend and was like WELL LOOK WHAT WE HAVE HERE!) and the reason why I'm reviewing these is because these body pampering sets are everywhere at Christmas and I know I always end up getting some for my friends, so I want to make sure if you are stuck for presents that you can good products for your friends and family!

The packaging is alright, it's just a standard plastic packaging however I do like the little pattern on the scrub and also the fact it's red.. Red is one of my favourite colours so yeah, I've just noticed that I am very easily pleased haha! I'm not sure how much this cost as the set did also come with a bath oil and a shower gel, but I don't think it was any more than £8 which is good for a Christmas present. I should say you get 50ml per product in this little set, which means you get about 4 uses out of the scrub and the body butter.

The scent of both these products is quite a fragrant flowery scent that isn't too strong or overpowering. This is due to the fact it has jasmine and ylang ylang in it - I know what you are thinking, what even is ylang ylang?! Well, apparently it's a tropical tree from the Philippines that has a very perfumed scent and is famous for it, which is probably why the scent is so flowery and perfumey! (Is perfumey even a thing? I'm making it a thing.)

If I'm going to be honest, for me this scrub was just fine. I prefer a much more thick scrub or a scrub that kinda has a gel-like consistency that lathers up to be like a soap. This scrub was just really thin and runny and was overall hard to apply as it kept slipping out my hands. When applied it didn't lather up or anything and was quite harsh, however it wasn't overly harsh though for my skin though. The one thing I did like about this was that the scent was strong, but not overly strong - as in I could smell it on my skin way after getting out the shower. Overall, it was nice and did leave my legs feeling soft afterwards but it wasn't as noticeable soft as the Soap & Glory The Scrub Of Your Life Scrub that I did a review on here. So yeah, it's nice, but you can get nicer!

This body cream was really nice. It sinks into the skin quite slowly but again, like the Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter, it's definitely a body cream you use at night, not in the morning as it takes too long for it to sink in and it'll end up in a sticky mess if you put your clothes on too fast! It leaves my legs feeling soft and hydrated for hours, even if I go to sleep, when I wake up my legs are still soft and moisturised and not uncomfortably tight or anything. Like I said with the scrub, the scent is strong and I can still smell it in the morning even if I've had a shower the night before.

Overall, the body cream is definitely a lot better than the scrub. I can't say anything about the other two products in the set as I can't use them due to my eczema but honestly, if it was me, I'd just get a Soap & Glory set - it's a little more money (between £10-£20 on average for a nice little set) and Soap & Glory are always a winner in my opinion, for yourself or someone else.

So that's about it for this post, I hope you enjoyed reading it! Have you tried anything from the Mandara Spa range?

Have a lovely day, and don't stop smiling. :)

Hannah, xx

Empties #2 - Soap & Glory, Head & Shoulders, Batiste, Impulse, Dove, Simple & Aveeno!

Hello everyone! It's that time again where I've used up a few products and now I'm gonna tell you if I liked them or not. You may think it's weird that even if I don't like something, I'll continue to use it until it's finished (unless it's horrific/does worse than good then I won't) but I just have this thing about not finishing things, it feels like a waste! I'm going to be crazy when I'm older basically, this is what I am saying. Anyway, onto the mini reviews of products that I've used up!

Haircare

Head & Shoulders Itchy Scalp Care Shampoo: Recently my scalp has just went a bit mental, my eczema unfortunately spread to my scalp which led to it being very flaky and itchy. We had this shampoo in the back of the cupboard as my Dad suffers from the same as me so I decided to give it a go and I really liked it. I used this in-between washes with my medicated shampoo from the doctors, so I would use one then the other and it really helped to take the itch away. It smells really nice and fresh and when I apply it it has a nice cooling sensation on my scalp which is really nice. It's helped (combined with the medicated shampoo) to take the itch and flakes away and overall I'd really recommend it. Would I repurchase? Yes.

Bastiste Original Dry Shampoo: I featured this in my last empties post so I won't go on about it - it's my favourite dry shampoo, it works brilliantly and soaks up all excess oils/grease in my hair for when it's second/third day hair (gross!), it has a pleasant smell and even though it's a white powder, it blends into my brunette hair perfectly with no white cast/sheen at all! Would I repurchase? Already have.

Bodycare

Aveeno Bath & Shower Oil: I get this prescribed to me from the doctors to help treat my eczema and I really like it. It's thick, soft and smooth in consistency and it has a really a nice oatmeally scent to it (it has oatmeal in it surprisingly enough) and in general is a really gentle bath and shower oil for sensitive skin. I use this just to wash my body and it soothes my skin and leaves it feeling, well, less irritable and itchy! I'd highly recommend this for people who suffer from eczema, it definitely helps calm down my eczema, although it's no miracle product - it won't get rid of it, it just helps calm it down, which is half the battle in my opinion.

Soap & Glory The Scrub Of Your Life Body Buffer: I've done a full review on this so I'm not going to go into too much detail - you can see that review here. Overall I would recommend this body buffer, it's really good at buffing and exfoliating your legs (that's what I used it for) and it actually lathers up into a foamy consistency as you buff it in which felt so nice and relaxing. It also made my legs feel so soft and smooth, it's unreal! Would I repurchase? Yes!

Dove Invisible Dry Deodorant (x2) - To be honest this is a kinda product that I don't particularly like or dislike, it's just kinda a necessity. Does it stop me from smelling like BO? Most of the time (when I'm at the gym or running madly for the bus, I'm obviously not going to be smelling great afterwards) but for every day life it's fine. It's good for people who have sensitive underarms like me also, as I can't use the sprays due to my eczema. However, it isn't an 'invisible dry' like it says it is and when you put on a top too fast after applying it, the white marks will be there and you will have to wipe them off. Overall, it's just alright. Would I repurchase? Yes, until I find a better one then no!

Impulse Body Spray in Be Surprised: Guys, I'm just going to be straight with you, I'm gutted I've run out of this. It was a lovely body spray and due to my sensitive skin, I just sprayed it on my clothes. It says it has violets and red fruits in it.. I can't smell the violets but it definitely is fresh and fruity which I love and it's one of my favourite body sprays I've tried to this day. Would I repurchase? YES.

Impulse Body Spray in London (City Collection): This one.. Not so much. I don't know, this one was quite thick and heavy with scents of wood and vanilla coming through, whereas Be Surprised was a nice light scent which I prefer a lot more. I've just googled it there and apparently it's been discontinued so.. Sorry, I don't think it's available anymore, or at least on major websites now. Apparently it was limited edition? I've been using this since I was 14, no joke! How weird.. Anyway, I did used to really like this when I was younger but for some reason this time, I just didn't like it as much as I thought I would. I still did like it, it's alright. I usually really love woody/vanilla scents but this time, I just thought it was alright. Oh well, it's not on sale so, RIP Impulse London!

Skincare

Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean Deep Purifying 3-in-1 Cleanser: I've also done a full review on this cleanser so I won't go on, if you want to see more about it you can click here! I really did like it, I love the sensation of washing off my cleanser, it just seems the most natural way to wash your face and ultimately cleanse it! It left my face feeling soft and moisturised and it has a nice subtle peachy scent to it, it's not too artificial which is a huge plus. It also does take your make-up off, you just need to cleanse and use a lot of pumps to get it all off, so if you have no patience and want a cleanser mainly to take make-up off.. It's maybe not for you. For just every-day/taking make-up off that might take a bit longer, this is for you! Would I repurchase? Yep!

Simple Light Hydrating Moisturiser: This is my everyday moisturiser that I've been using for years straight. It's great for my sensitive skin, it is a nice light consistency and has no scent to it. I only use a tiny bit and keeps my skin feeling hydrated all day - unless I'm having a bad skin day and it's feeling tight and dry, I'll use a lot and it makes my skin feel nice and hydrated again. Overnight it's really good as well, I again just use a little and I wake up with nice soft skin! Would I repurchase? Already have.

So that's about it for this post, I hope you enjoyed reading! What have you used up recently? Let me know!

Have a lovely day, and don't stop smiling. :)

Hannah, xx

Dirty Hair, Don't Care.

Hello everyone! Now, it can't just be me that goes days on end without washing their hair, right..? I go about two to three days between washing my hair, as I refuse to wash my hair every day. Why you wonder? Well, washing your hair every day just washes/strips the natural oils out of your hair, so your hair will get more greasy faster! It's a pretty weird scenario - the more you wash your hair, the worse it gets and the more greasy it gets! To be honest I can't actually wash my hair daily anyway due to my sensitive scalp, but even if I had a 'normal' scalp I still wouldn't wash my hair daily. If you do though and it's working fine for you, go for it, I just know many people who get greasy hair so quickly and who have no natural oil in their hair due to washing their hair daily, and I've also read many articles that say washing your hair daily isn't necessary and sometimes does more harm than good.

Anyway, the whole point of this post is to tell you what I sometimes do when I have super dirty hair (aka third day hair drowning in dry shampoo hair) and how I keep the grease away and also how I style it to minimise the look of dirty hair - I hope you enjoy reading! 

First off, dry shampoo is my baby when I have second or third day hair - it's my literal saviour. If you don't know what dry shampoo is, it's basically.. A dry version of shampoo, in very literal terms. It's usually a white powder that comes in a can and you shake the can up and spray it directly onto wherever you want to keep the grease away/wherever is greasy already. I usually spray mine in my roots and also just above the back of my neck underneath all my hair. Once you spray it on, you will look like you have grey hair - but don't panic! You can just rub/brush it in and voila, it is gone! The powder absorbs all the oils in your hair as you rub it in and you are left with hair that looks shiny and freshly washed, and ultimately, not greasy. I personally use the Batiste dry shampoo along with practically everyone else, it is the best in my opinion and it's super cheap - I'm pretty sure you can get it anywhere and everywhere too, which is always a plus.

Now, onto the hairstyle! I personally think this look would look great on everyone, it involves no heat and is super easy to do! It's basically all surrounding putting your hair in plaits. 

If you don't know how to do a plait, I'm going to try and explain it as best as I can.. So here goes nothing: take whatever bit of hair you want to put into a plait, whether it is all of your hair or just your fringe (like me in the pictures). With that bit of hair, divide it into 3 sections. Then, take the right section of your hair and take it over the middle section of hair so it's now in the middle (so now your original middle section is on the right) and then take the left section of hair and take that over into the middle, and then take the right section of hair and take it over into the middle and continue on until you get to the bottom of your hair, and secure it with a bobble! If you still don't get it, don't worry, YouTube taught me and I'll link you a video here!

Anyway, for me, the night before I put all my hair into one big plait down my back and slept with it in so when I woke up and took the plait out, I ended up with these nice thick curls! I then just took my 'fringe' (aka the bits of hair that kinda hang and shape my face) and plaited them both and secured them with a couple of curby grips in a X at the back of my head. For me, I feel this just gets the front bits of my hair out of my face as they are usually the bits that go greasy first, so with dry shampoo plus them being in a plait out my face, they are pretty much covered from going greasy!

So that's that - dirty hair, don't care. What do you do to keep the grease away, and what do you do to your hair when it's needing a wash? Let me know!

Have a lovely day, and don't stop smiling. :)

Hannah, xx

Living In Black & White - FOTD & OOTD #14 - 25/09/14

Hello everyone! Today I'm back with an OOTD that I have been wearing so much recently - monochrome! Yes, I know, I've been all about the monochrome these past few months but these leggings just make my life at the moment. Also, I apologise for the crappy quality of these photos - I took them in a mad rush before I ran out the door to go out for the day, so yeah, I hope they are okay for you all!

Outfit:

Top: H&M

Cardigan: H&M

Leggings: Topshop

I absolutely love this outfit - the black top with a mesh section from the bust up and a simple black cardigan go perfectly with these leggings, as they are subtle enough to make them stand out! The leggings are high waisted and feel like velvet and are just lovely. They are super comfortable and I really love that I can just fling on a white baggy t-shirt over them, not tucking them in or anything, and wear some boots or vans and I'm good to go! Any simplistic t-shirt/jumper would go with this, I'd stick to monochrome colours though, I feel wearing a red t-shirt for example with this would be a bit too much for me. Basically, they are so comfortable and stylish - what more do you want?

y so serious?

Make-up:

bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer

bareMinerals Original SPF15 Foundation in Fair

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden

Urban Decay Naked Palette in Sin and Buck

L'oreal Superliner Black Lacquer

Lancome Definicils Mascara

Mac Peach Blossom Lipstick

Yet again, rocking the winged eyeliner to match this monochrome outfit! The flicks were real, like they are massive - probably slightly too big for my liking but I couldn't be bothered fixing them so they had to do! I just kept the rest of my make-up pretty simple and minimal, I think it was one of those "fling make-up on your face" days.. We all have them! 

So, that's about it for this post, I hope you enjoyed reading! What clothing piece are you loving at the moment? I'd love to know!

Have a lovely day, and don't stop smiling. :)

Hannah, xx

A Day in Edinburgh - 12/09/14 - Snapshots Of My Life #2

Hello everyone! Today I'm back with another Snapshots Of My Life post, where I basically show you what I've been doing recently. Just over a month ago I went to Edinburgh with one of my friends to visit one of our other friends as she has just moved to Edinburgh for Uni and she was having a flat warming! During the day we all decided to have a wander around the city centre and I took some pictures on my iPhone, so I thought it'd be cool to show you as they came out pretty well!

After we got two trains and dropped off our stuff, we got the bus into the city centre and stumbled upon Princes Gardens (look below woo) which is just beautiful. Plus, it was a gorgeous day and there was not a cloud in the sky! Defo t-shirt weather, which in Scotland is like a tropical heat wave - every old man has their moobs out.

After walking through Princes Gardens we went to the Royal Mile (filled with tartan shops) and walked up to Edinburgh Castle, which was so expensive so we basically just went to the free bits and then left.. I'm a student okay!

This particular picture above reminds me so much of York, I love old buildings and cobbled streets. Fun fact.

Got ice-cream from that van. Vanilla. It was alright.

Just a heads up, I don't have a clue what that says..

That above is the Royal Mile, tartan shops galore.

No idea what this cathedral/church is called but it looked pretty and was vvv busy!

That church above, is the same church in the picture below! 

Can I just say this band were AMAZING. They did cool, unique twists to traditional Scottish songs and my friends and I were dancing along to it (Scottish country dancing of course!)

That building there is National Art Gallery of Scotland and we popped in for a little nosy, it was actually really interesting and quite hilarious.. My friend and I ended up in a presentation of some guy speaking about a vase and my friend said to me "Hannah, I have no idea what he is saying, what's he saying?" I was just like, "You do know he's speaking French, right?" *facepalm*

We then had dinner at an Italian, went back to my friends flat, got ready, about 30 people came round, played drinking games, listened to The Cha Cha Slide and The Macarena (both my choices) then went out to a club called Propaganda and stumbled on home at about 3am to have homemade chips and cheese. Brilliant.

This was taken at about 3am, the river did look super pretty with all the lights, however apparently my camera didn't want to focus.. Still looks kinda cool though!

And this is the same river in the morning, from the other side! It's so pretty.

The next morning we woke up, cleaned the flat and went for my first Nando's. I personally am not the biggest fan of chicken and they kinda screwed up my order so I was a bit meh, however I will at some point probably go back and try it again.

And then we all went home and lived happily ever after, the end. Just kidding! In all seriousness after this we said our goodbyes and got our 2 trains back home, to then go out again in 3 hours to a club in our home town for another friend's 21st. Exhausted wasn't even accurate, I just wanted to sleep for days after it all!

So I hope you enjoyed reading this post, I loved looking over the photos again and chuckling at the memories. I hope you guys enjoy these more personal posts as I really love writing them. What have you been up too recently?

Have a lovely day, and don't stop smiling. :)

Hannah, xx