Superfacialist by Una Brennan Face Scrub

Hey there, remember me? I used to actually blog here from time to time. But then I didn't for some odd reason. When uni started I got so overwhelmed with it, couldn't find a decent spot to take pictures in in my small dorm room... And the list of excuses goes on and on. BUT. Since it has literally been ages since my last post I've decided to actually get back into blogging for a change. So, here's a tiny little comeback post from me to you.

And it is about the Superfacialist by Una Brennan Purify and Refresh Face Scrub. So let's get started.

For reference, my skin is combination - oily in the T-zone, with dry patches around the cheeks. Blackheads are a pain in the butt for me - I have them on my nose and chin. Otherwise, I get the odd blemish here and there, but that's become a rare occurance these days. My hopes for this scrub were to sort of reduce the blackheads and balance the oiliness around the T-zone. Which it actually does. But don't get your hopes up - it's not one of these Ï saw great results from the first try"products - you have to stick with this one. Now for the scrub itself:

Ingredients: The Una Brennan Purify and Refresh Face Scrub is a salicylic acid scrub. As we all know salicylic acid works great for blemish-prone skin, targeting black and white heads and improving the skin's condition overall. It's also known for having anti-irritating and soothing properties - so great if you have any redness. At first I thought this would be super stripping, being an anti-blemish acid-based scrub but it is enriched with Grapeseed Oil, Shea butter and Raspberry seed oil (yey me for reading the ingredients first), so it actually isn't stripping at all.

How I use it: That's not to say however that this is suitable for daily use. I only use it onece or twice a week depending on the condition of my skin. It's not stripping, although it might be a bit too much for those with dry skin, although I did read a few reviews saying it's ok. Anyway, what I do is cleanse my face as I would normally do and apply a small amount on my skin, targeting the problematic areas (and avoiding the dry patches if needed). The texture is rather gritty because it does have microbeads in, but it's not too harsh on my skin. Afterwards I just rinse off with warm water.
Results: At first I didn't see much of a change to my skin, except that it was left feeling baby soft and squaky clean. However, with continued use I definitely began to notice that my blackheads had significantly reduced, especially around my nose where they were the worst. So, I would say stick with this for a bit and you will see an improvement in your skin. At least that's the case for me.

Overall I'm happy with the Una Brennan Purify and Refresh Face Scrub and hint hint - it's on offer right now for £5.99 (when it was Was £8.99 before) so get your hands on it, it's a bargain. Have you tried other products from the Una Brennan range? What would you recommend?

Soap and Glory Super Tonic Fragrance Review

You know what one of the best things about moving to England is? Yep, it's the overwhelming amount of beauty brands you can choose from. I've been reading blog posts on Soap and Glory products for ages, and of course I've been drooling over them for the last two years. And now that I finally got my hands on some Soap and Glory stuff, I can tell you for sure the rumors are true. They are just as good as everyone says. The first two things I got were the the Super Tonic Fragrance, and the Sugarcrush body scrub, and I'll go into more detail about the scrub later this month. Now, about the Super Tonic fragrance..

Packaging and price: The standard, quirky S&G packaging and a cheeky product name. What's not to like? The packaging matches the orange theme of the product (duuuh) which is super cute. You get 100ml in an easy to carry around bottle and considering S&G products are almost always on offer, £12.00 is a pretty reasonable price.

Scent and lasting power: The fragrance itself is as you might expect really citrusy, zesty and fresh. Except for the obvious orange notes, there are notes of cool mint and Sicilian lemon. I didn't expect the scent to have very much depth to it, but it actually does and you can smell the different notes as it wears throughout the day. The only thing that bothers me, though, is that it doesn't last that well and I have to carry it around in my bag to freshen it up. Which means it won't last very long, unfortunately and I've already used up quite a lot considering I've been using it for just a week. Other than that however, it's one of my favourite fruity scents as it's not so overpoweringly fruity, and it works for both summer and winter.

Overall verdict: Yes, I would repurchase, and yes, I probably will (as I'll run out of it in a few months at the rate I'm going..). It's a great, light, awakening everyday scent, it's not overly pricy and it's cutesy and quirky, just like every other Soap & Glory product. I'll say it again - what's not to like?! If you're searching for a nice fruity fragrance to remind you of summer, I would definitely suggest getting this. Do it. 

Have you tried the Orangeasm range? What's your favourite product from it?

Guest post: Autumn picks

As the last few days have been hectic with all the packing, flying and moving to the UK (and by the way I'm officially a Leeds University Student, yey me!), blogging was just the last thing I could think about, so I the lovely Arianne (do check her blog here) agreed to do a little guest post for me on her autumn picks!

Hi everyone! My name is Ayre, and today, I’ve put together an outfit that I thought would be nice for the autumn season. I’m in no way a fashionista, but I tried to give it my best shot. I’m inspired by the fashion from Gossip Girl.

The main piece of this outfit is the Burberry Prorsum Cotton-Twill Trench Coat in white. I’ve always wanted one, and if I do get one, I’d love it in this color. Of course I’d love to own them in multiple colors as well ;)

I really loved the style of the Ohne Titel Abstract Print Skater Dress. It is quite conservative, but it hugs all the right curves. I love the colors the most. Since the autumn season is a little bit colder, I would wear the dress with black leggings underneath.

For shoes, I love the idea of lots of laces and stiletto heels. This one is from Tom Ford New In Box Black Suede Lace Up Peep-Toe Booties.

Finally, the hardest part is to decide what purse to carry. I found this Jimmy Choo Plum Purple “Chandra” Clutch Bag, and I thought it would match well with the dress. It wouldn’t be too much since the coat will serve as a little break in between the dress and the clutch – does that make sense?

Check out Arianne's blog: Ayre  

Follow her on twitter: Ayre

Autumn H&M haul

This is my first proper fashion post, and I though what better way to incorporate fashion in my little blog than an autumn fashion haul! H&M is definitely my favourite highstreet brand, as they bring out affordable, yet trendy pieces. I decied to browse through H&M today and definitely didn't walk out empty-handed. I felt so good walking out with two large bags, and I must say I'm not even sorry! Let me talk you through the contents of my shopping bags today.

Figure-fit jacket: I got it in a size 34, it's the smallest one they have. If you're petite like me, you should give this a go, it will probably fit you just right. I got mine in black, but they also have it in ink blue, beige and grey, which for me is quite a good range of colors. It's supposed to be in the office-wear section, but it could be worn as a more casual jacket with jeans and booties this autumn.

Cable-knit jumper: (purple and black): Cable-knit jumpers are a must-have for me this autumn. I could honestly buy one in every single autumnish colour, but I decided to restrain myself a little bit and only got the purple and balck ones. The purple jumper is quite the slouchy, comfy jumper, perfect for cold autumn mornings. The fit is quite relaxed, but nothing too baggy or overly slouchy. H&M's jumpers are always spot on in my opinion, especially for petite girls (most brands do them way too long, and yeah, I'm looking at you Zara). The black one is more figure-fit and the little see-through detailing on the top is really feminine. Unfortunately I got the black one on sale and can't find the link to it on the website.

Necklace: Unfortunately, the same thing goes for the necklace, I couldn't find it on the website. I'm a sucker for dainty jewelry and I'll definitely enjoy wearing this with shirts or maybe even the purple jumper.

What did you get form H&M this autumn?

University worries

Honestly, calling myself a "fresher" feels so weird. But it's that time of year when I can officially consider myself a fresher. I'm moving to the UK ( and I will be going to University of Leeds and doing Human Resource Management) in exactly 10 days' time and I still can't wrap my head around it, not even a little bit. It all feels a bit unreal, but it's happening whether I like it or not. So I thought why not write up a little post about it all, because the frustration is reaching critial levels, haha. Here's what I'm worried about, and how I'm trying to cope with all those things. Hope it helps some ofyou who are going through the same.

What to pack? It might sound silly but when you're moving abroad, or even cross country it's so hard trying to figure out what to pack. I'm packing right now and I can tell you - it sucks. I have to fit all my stuff in a suitcase, and I only have 21kg plus hand luggage. Basically, that covers the essentials and a few extra bits and bobs. I would advice taking sheets and a pillowcase with you, and ordering a duvet and a pillow online, so that they can be ready and waiting for you in your room when you arrive. I'll probably order mine from click2campus. Also, use vacuum bags for your clothes. Loads of them. This will save you LOADS of space and it keeps things somewhat organised.

Am I going to fit in? This is something everyone's worried about, I think. When you're moving to a new place, and especially when you move to another country it can be such a frustrating and depressing thought. But remember, we're all in the same boat here. I'll try and go to as many parties as possible for fresher's week. It's a great way to meet new people, and hey, if you're not a party person, I'm sure you'll find someone exactly like you, and you can bitch about how boring it is together (yeah, that'll probably be me). You could get a wristband to get into all the events which make is a lot easier. Also, the first few days after moving in, leave your door open so that you can meet your flatmates.

Did I choose the right course? I'm so worried about this right now. But I mean which 19 year old person knows exactly what they're going to do with their life? I know I don't. My decision was well thought-out, I spent endless hours on the Leeds university website (and probably you have, too) researching, getting familiarized with the course and modules, pitying myself for choosing a course with Economics in it. But in the end, all that matters is that I can change my decision at any time, and that a degree in Management doesn't necessarily mean a career in management. What I want to do is enjoy myself, get the best out of my university experience, and mostly, build new relationshpis and connections.

Hope I didn't bore you to death with this rant, but I had to get it off my chest. How was your university experience, and if you're starting this year like me, are you worried, too?

Beauty hacks and quick fix tips

Today's post is inspired by The Lovecats inc.'s beauty tips and tricks post, which I was featured in *happy dancing*. I'll be talking about my favouite time/money-saving tips and tricks and I really hope you find them helpful. Some of them I've read in Cosmo years ago, some of them I've learned "the hard way" myself, but they've all made my life so much easier and I can't wait to share them with you!

Tip 1: Store skincare in the fridge. I like to store my Avene Thermal Spring Water in the fridge and spray it on my shaved legs for a cooling sensation. Works with eyecream and micellar water as well.

Tip 2: Use hair conditioner as shaving gel. It’s a great alternative to shaving gel as it does help moisturize your skin and the shaver glides effortlessly against your skin.

Tip 3: Double lipstick as a blusher. Especially with berry shades, as it helps brighten your face and preverns you from looking washed out. I've shown you the Bourjois Rouge Edition in Brune Boheme, which I used as a blusher on my prom night, and it looked natural, yet brightened up my face a lot.

Tip 4: (It's super weird, but I promise, it works) If you smudge your nailpolish while it’s still not completely dry, lick one of your fingers and and gently smooth the smudge out.

Tip 5: Before you apply your moisturiser on your shaved legs, spray some Avene Thermal Water (if you don't have it, La Roche Possay and Vichy have their own thermal water sprays a well)  on your skin to minimize irritation, redness and to help lock in the moisture from your lotion/body butter.

Tip 6: Cotton buds are your best friend when it comes to applying liquid eyeliner. Instead of soaking a whole cotton pad in makeup remover, fix any mistakes with a cotton bud, dabbed in cleansing milk (I find it's easier to use than micellar water).

Tip 7: Use a spoolie and hairspray to keep your brows in place if you run out of clear brow gel. Use a light hairspray, otherwise your brows might end up crunchy-looking. Spray directly on your brows, or on the spoolie, and then brush them out in the desired shape.

Hope you enjoyed this post and found these tips helpful. What are your best beauty tips and tricks?

Nuxe Reve de Miel Cleansing Gel Review

Before I start with the review, I'd like to say that I'm a huge fan of Nuxe products and I tried SO hard to make this product work, but it's simply not for me. This will not, however, be a negative review, as I like to keep it positive here on the blog, and besides there are things I abslutely love about this product, it's just that it does not get along well with my personal skin.

Why I bought it: I was on the hunt for a new cleanser and as I'd heard good things about it and, of course about the brand itself (and have used the Reve de Miel Lipbalm and Hand cream and they are certainly holy-grail material) I decided to give the Reve de Miel Cleansing Gel a go. I like to do my research before I buy products, especially ones on the pricier side of things. So naturally I read a few reviews and found nothing suspicious, not a bad word about it, in fact.

What I like about it: I'm a sucker for pretty packaging and admittedly Nuxe's packaging is always the bomb. It's amber-coloured and comes with the most gorgeous pump you'll ever find. Super travel-friendly as the pump is secured well and is tightly screwed on, so you won't have to worry about spilling half of it out. Besides, the pump destributes the perfect amount of gel without wasting any product whatsoever.

Now about the gel itself. Its consistency is great, not too thick or too runny. It's amber-coloured, same as the ackaging, which again looks really appealing and reminds me of honey. The smell is simply divine - it smells of honey, but there are definitely flowery notes in there too. It's quite the stron, overpoering scent, so of you're not a fan of strong scents, steer clear from it. Nuxe Reve de Miel Cleansing Gel is enriched with honey, sunflower extraxts and the formula is completely soap-free. It's supposed to be suitable for dry and sensitive skin, but here's where I disagree.

Why I don't get along with this product: I have combination skin, but it has been more to the dry side recently, some dry patches have appeared around my cheeks an forehead, and that's why I though a product aimed for sensitive, dry skin would fix that. Little did I know. It dried my skin out a lot more than expected (I am aware that gels are usually harsher to the skin, but still, it was an exceptionally uncomfortable sensation!) and my skin felt dry and tight well after I washed my face with it. I tried to make it work, I moisturised heavily after cleansing my face, but it still felt too harsh. Overall it's definitely not my cup of tea, unfortunately. It's too drying and I'll proably break out if I continue using it, so I've decided to give up.

Have you tried it and what are your thoughts on it? What cleansing gel would you recommend for sensitive skin?