The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter | Review

Late last year I was toying with the idea of investing in the Elemis Pro-collagen cleansing balm, however the thought of spending €57 to find that I didn't like the end result and leaving me with a substantial hole in my pocket was off putting to say the least. 

Eager to try a cleansing balm I took to twitter and the recommendations flooded in. One in particular peaked my interest and it was from none other than The Body Shop. Affordable and from a brand I rate really highly. 

I picked it up shortly after and have been using it ever since. 

Basically it is a 'synthetic wax' balm designed to remove all traces of your makeup, everything - including waterproof mascara. It is semi-solid in the tin. You simply scoop out a teeny, tiny bit (a little goes a really long way), warm it in your hands, massage it into your face and watch your makeup melt away effortlessly without tugging at the skin.

It says you can apply it and just rinse it off. However due to the oily consistency I would recommend using a muslin cloth or like me, a cleanse off mitt to ensure no residue is left behind. Especially those of you with particularly oily skin, I think you're just asking for trouble and it may be advisable to use it as a pre-cleanse or to remove the heavy make up. 

I have dry skin primarily, my t-zone can get quite oily and I would go as far as saying it is acne prone. I did fear that using a cleansing balm would break my skin out more than normal but to my surprise and delight it hasn't, in fact I would go so far as to say it has had the opposite effect. I think my skin has improved since I started using it, down to the fact that it removes all remnants of my makeup. 

Camomile is known for its calming properties, and camomile tea is recommended for those who struggle to sleep. I think the same can be said about the scent of this cleanser. It is such a nice scent to prep your skin for bed; light, fresh and really relaxing. It is also quite soothing and great to use on sore/irritated skin. 

I have toyed again recently with trying a higher end balm but as the saying goes.. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! It is priced at €15, substantially cheaper than its higher end competitors. This cleansing butter has become a skincare staple for me, I have had it for the bones of 4 months and I'm not even half way through my tin (90mls). If that isn't value for money, I really don't know what is..

It is available from The Body Shop Nationwide or you can pick it up online here.

Have you tried any cleansing balms before? What do you think of them? 

Waxperts Wonder Pads | Review*

Ingrown hairs are the bane of women's lives everywhere. If you wax/shave there really is no escaping them. They're painful and just plain ugly to look at. 

For me personally, I get them just around my knees. Especially if I apply tan too soon after waxing/shaving my legs and I was an absolute "Divil" for attacking them with tweezers. This only results in them becoming more red and more irritated - not the look you want to achieve. TMI? Probably..

While ingrown hairs are inevitable, they can be treated and luckily for me, Waxperts came to my rescue and sent me some of their renowned Ingrown Hair Pads to try out. 

You simply rub the perforated side of the pad over the "affected" area before and after shaving or waxing and you'll seen an improvement almost immediately. These beauties aren't just for girls either, men need to know about these too!! They can be used anywhere and everywhere *wink*

They contain Salicylic Acid which acts as an exfoliator by causing skin cells to shed more regularly and unclog pores by tightening them. It us also a well known treatment for acne.

Rosemary, known for its anti-inflammatory properties accelerates the skins healing process while combating any itchiness. And finally Panthenol to moisturize the skin.

They aren't just to treat ingrown hairs either. You know those red bumps on your upper arms? Keratosis Pilaris? They get rid of those too! So you can confidently bare arms this Summer.

And as for spot treatment? I mentioned earlier that they contain Salicylic Acid which is well known as an acne treatment. Normally I opt to have my lip threaded however, I stupidly had my lip waxed instead a few weeks ago. A big no-no for me as I will undoubtedly end up with spots around my mouth. I was short on time and what can I say? I'm only human. Anyway, I rubbed a pad across my lip that night and when I woke up the redness had gone comepletely, my spots had significantly reduced and they weren't nearly as sore. Within two days, they were completely gone.

While they won't entice me to wax my lip in future, I know that they will pick up the pieces should I find myself in this situation again. I mentioned them in my Spring Beauty Must-Haves post and they are just that - MUST HAVES!

They take all of two seconds to use, they're affordable and most importantly they really do work! They definitely win 'Holy Grail' Status in my books and I won't be without them from now on.

They are priced at €9.99 and available here.

"My name is Rebecca and I love to shop.."

If 'Shoppers Anonymous' was a thing it'd be safe to say I'd have more than one person enrolling me. I don't know what it is about shopping but it gives me a sort of high.. A rush of excitement as I enter my pin (or click confirm if it's an online order). I know its bad, really bad! That is why as of today I am officially back on a spending ban.. No more shopping!!! 
I'm a "Beauty Blogger" primarily but I do have an unquenchable thirst for all things fashion related, if you follow my Facebook Page or my Instagram you'll already know this. Shoes being my biggest weakness. So, as of today I am officially back on a spending ban.. No more shopping!!! I can look but I cannot "purch".. 
To get me through the next few weeks I've compiled a list of my Pay-Day Lust haves to ogle at and if I'm good I may even have one or two or even all of these in my possession at the end of it.

1. I had to be almost dragged away from these pastel pink pointed toe courts in Zara today. I have fallen madly, passionately, hopelessy in love with them. I love that they have a chunky heel and the ankle strap makes them really comfy and easy to walk in. Paired with a tan, they are a Spring/Summer staple and they WILL be mine!! 

They are priced at €69.95 and available here.

2. Watches have become a bit of an obsession for me of late, they really do complete any outfit. The bigger the watch face the better in my opinion. I've been lusting after this Daniel Wellington one since Christmas. I love the distressed brown leather straps. 

It is priced at £159 and available here.

3. White skinny jeans, they are without a doubt a necessity in every girls wardrobe. I have a pair already but they gather at the knee and it makes me crazy. I love these ankle length ones from Diesel and the zip detailing just makes them. WANT!

They are priced at €168.55 and available here.

4. A kimono, I haven't found my perfect one as of yet but my hunt hasn't ended yet. They can be dressed up or down and they're the perfect alternative to a cardi for those warm summer nights. 

5. Satchels, they're so stylish and so practical.I have a few in my possession however they're all "high-street" purchases and now I want the real deal. This one from The Leather Satchel Co. is just screaming at me.

It is priced at €135 and available here.

6. To say I'm obsessed with my Mi Moneda is a slight understatement. It was an incredibly generous gift from my parents from my 21st birthday last September. They bought me the rose gold coin holder and chain. For Christmas last year I gifted myself a silver coin holder to add a second coin to my chain, of late I've been looking at getting a silver chain for my for the silver coin holder. I also need a few new coins as most of my were bought with the intention of wearing them in the rose gold one. Lilywho have so many, I want them all!! AND they offer FREE shipping to Ireland and the UK. I definitely see an order in the pipeline.

There are dozens more on this wanties list but I fear if I go on much more, I'll add another dent to my bank balance or end up in tears.. 

What is on your lust have list at the moment?

My Spring Beauty Must-haves:

Since it's officially Spring, I thought I'd share a few of my Spring Beauty Must haves with you all! Now is the perfect time to start prepping your skin for the warmer months. Lets face it, everything from our chins down have been hibernating since last October - its no surprise that we're in need of a little TLC!

If and when Ireland gets to see some sunshine, our skin needs to be prepared. Ingrown hairs are the bane of every woman's life, especially if you're looking to get your pins out. I cannot recommend investing in some waxperts ingrown hair pads enough. They gently and painlessly remove those nasty ingrown hairs and are also great for treating Keratosis Pilaris (those annoying red bumps on your upper arms) so you can confidently show a lil skin during the warmer months.

They are priced at €7.99 for 40 pads and are available here.

Once you have treated any ingrown hairs, you need to scrub away any dull, dead skin. I always advise doing a good full body scrub once a week. This will help prevent any recurrence of ingrown hairs and provides the perfect canvas if you're faking it this summer. I recommend using the Cocoa Brown 'Tough Stuff' Scrub. I have raved about it before so I won't bore you by gushing about it all over again. If you missed my review of it, you can have a read of it here.

It is priced at €7 and is available in all Penneys stores and if you're lucky you'll find it in your local chemist.

It is a well know fact at this stage that I'm a bit of a hand cream fanatic however it is not just my hands I moisturize fanatically. I used to suffer from Eczema as a child and as a result it has been ingrained in me from an early age to moisturize religiously. My go-to moisturiser is the Garnier Intensive 7-day daily body lotion with Shea Butter. It's cheap, widely available and most importantly - it works. I apply it daily, twice daily if i'm being very good, it soaks in quickly and leaves my skin feeling silky smooth.

It is priced at approximately €5 and is available in pharmacies and supermarkets everywhere.

Once you've scrubbed and polished its time to add a little faux glow. My fake tan of choice for Spring is Karora's Golden Girl gradual tan in light/medium. I get so many compliments while wearing this tan. It just adds a light, natural and healthy glow to the skin. I always apply this if I'm not feeling my best, life is always better with a tan. It smells so citrusy and fresh and I actually think I may have mastered gradual tan application with it - it NEVER streaks!!

It is priced at €17.99 and is available here.

I am one of those people who has a fragrance for every occasion. Day time, night time etc. etc. My Spring time fragrance favourite is Roger and Gallet's 'Rose Imaginaire'.  It is fruity, florally but with thanks to the woody undertones it's not a sickly sweet smell. To think this scent was created without the use of any actual roses is pretty incredible. I've been dying to drag it out again with months!!  

It's is priced at €39.95 for 100mls and available from all good pharmacies nationwide.

Finally.. Something we are all guilty of is not taking enough care of our feet during the colder months. We tend to hide them away and almost forget they exist at all. There is nothing uglier than unkempt feet especially if you're parading around in flip flops. If I could recommend anything it would be to take yourself to a salon and treat yourself to a well deserved pedicure. Let's face it, they'll do a better job than we will ourselves, It also makes the homework a lot easier! 

Invest in a cuticle oil, I use CND Solar Oil myself and it is the best thing since sliced bread as far as I'm concerned. It freshens up your you mani/pedi instantaneously and provides your nails with some much needed moisture and nutrition. (if your Nail Tech is worth her salt she'll stock it)

Pastels are everywhere this season, this includes fingers and toes! Finish up your beauty spring clean with 2 coats of your favourite pastel polish! Pantone is bang on trend at the moment..  Try 'Molly coddled' by BUTTER London 

Here a few sample ideas for you all :)

So there you have it, just a few of my Spring Beauty Must-haves! What are yours?