At Home Manicure with Scholl

Scholl Manicure Set* link



I was excited to receive the Scholl Manicure Kit* recently as I'm dreadfully lazy at doing my nails. As you'll have read in previous posts I dabble with Biosculpture Nails but have been known to miss one or two appointments and then laziness or lack of time prevents me to dedicating the time needed.

Hopefully the Scholl Manicure Kit would help speed up the process and make things a little easier. So what does the kit contain? Firstly you have a handy travel pouch to keep everything contained and mine has had one or two other products I use thrown in such as orange sticks and my Renunail Strengtheners.

I'm always dubious of these sorts of electronic beauty gifts as more time consuming but it's not the case with this handy gadge. The main component or 'pen' is chargeable so you only require mains access when charging and so far I have used this pen on numerous occasions and yet to need to recharge.

Nine different attachments tend to all your nails needs:

1. Sapphire shaping disc to gently shape and file nails
2. Fine grained sapphire disc to file thicker nails and shape them perfectly
3. Course grained sapphire disc to shorten thicker toe nails
4. Sapphire cone to remove dry skin or calluses from the soles of the feet and heels
5. Felt polishing cone to smooth and buff nails for a high shine finish
6. Flame stone to help remove difficult edges and ingrowing nails
7. Rounded stone to gently remove corns and calluses with soft repeated touches
8. Cylindrical stone to smooth the nail surface and remove dead skin around the nails - ideal for the regular surface of toe nails
9. Polishing cone to smooth and polish the edge of the nail after filing as well as the nail surface.

I've found reason to use all the attachments which again is something you often find doesn't always happen. The discs for toenails are perfect and whilst I still enjoy using my Leighton Denny file for my hands it's something of a waste on the feet.

I do have a bit of an ingrowing nail problem on one of my toes and after a day walking round in heels can suffer from hard skin and it's great that I don't have to go through the effort of soaking feet to use these attachments and I can maintain the process on a regular basis as I'm not relying on trips to the salon.

As I said I often find these are the sort of gadgets that you use once or twice and then they sit at the back of a draw but the ease and results from using the Scholl Manicure Kit means it will most definitely have a permanent place in my kit.

Are you a beauty gadget fan? 

*PR Sample

 

 

Mistletoe Ready with The Breath Co.

The Breath Co. Fresh Breath Toothpaste* link
The Breath Co. Fresh Breath Oral Rinse* link

As a single girl one of the Christmas traditions I enjoy is the hanging of mistletoe - what better excuse is there to pucker up with eligible suitors. The one thing that could lead to my downfall is the fact I am a smoker so luckily I have The Breath Co. to offer me a hand.

It's a strange thing to admit but I hate brushing my teeth, always have done. I'm not entirely sure why but I just find the whole experience traumatic, slight over dramatisation but either way I'm not a fan so I want the products I use to be quick and effective with minimal gagging - not attractive.

The Breath Co Fresh Breath Toothpaste* has a mild flavour which I find inoffensive compared to many as I'm not a fan of mint either so this mild, not really minty at all taste is perfect for me. The dentist recommended formula eliminates the bacteria that causes bad breath and leaves your mouth feeling fresh and clean rather than just minty like other brands. A major plus for me was that you can eat/drink straight after brushing which you certainly cannot do with the mintier varieties, fresh orange and regular toothpaste is a big no no. I'm also very lucky despite my smoking that my teeth aren't too discoloured and to maintain this The Breath Co combine OXYD-8 and Aloe Vera to clean and brighten teeth.

In addition to disliking teeth brushing and despite my skill for downing vile tasting shots I'm also not a fan of mouthwash, again this may be due to the overly minty taste. Once again like the toothpaste the taste of the Fresh Breath Oral Rinse says mild mint but again as a fresh taste, almost tasteless but in a positive way like I'd say water is. Again OXYD-8 is included and this aids removing sour, bitter and metallic tastes all which can be remnants of nights out or exotic meals.

It's quite amusing to me that something I saw as a necessary evil has become something I don't associate as a negative and I've got into quite the habit of using my mouthwash after meals and the like. I'll definitely be keeping up this new regime as we move closer to the festive season and don't forget to wish me luck under that mistletoe.

*PR Sample 

The Aloe Skincare Range from The Body Shop

The Body Shop Aloe Skincare Range* link

When The Body Shop contacted me to see if I was interested in testing out some items from their new Aloe Skincare range I was more than happy to. The Body Shop is a brand that I remember fondly for their make up as their All In One Facebase was the product that got me through my late teens but I have never sampled their skincare. 

I often refer to my skin as fairly normal and wouldn't consider it sensitive as I can pretty much slap anything on without fear of horrendous side effects but the reality is that even the not so noticeable outbreaks and redness can be due to sensitivity which I've had highlighted in various skin scans during my blogging days which is where the Aloe Skincare range comes in.

The first product I've been using is the Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser* which is created to ensure your skin isn't left feeling tight and dry whilst soothing the skin. I've used the product both morning and night and loved it as a morning cleanse likening it to a less creamier version of Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish. I've spoke many times of  enjoying my morning cleanse more than night time and this is certainly a cleanser I would keep in that line up. For the purposes of a well rounded review I also used this for my evening cleanse either after a micellar water or oil or simply alone. Either works well but I was impressed when using alone how quickly it dissolved my make up and removed stubborn make up. I usually don't find cleansers drying because I will tend to go straight in with toners, serums and the like but I tried to wait between the next stages to see if I noticed any difference and the noticeable thing was I didn't. I wasn't reaching for more moisture as my skin wasn't left dry or tight so it certainly works as instructed. 

If were to be critical and this is only a personal criticism I would prefer a tube to dispense the product as sometimes when hands are wet squeezing the product out feels an effort and I can imagine as you reach the bottom of the bottle this will be a struggle and I would prefer it to be clear so I could see how much is left otherwise it's a thumbs up from me.

I was also sent the Aloe Soothing Day Cream* to add into my skincare regime so this has been my morning moisturiser during testing and I'm pretty impressed with this petite pot which is an affordable £4. The Aloe Soothing Day Cream offers hydration from it's light texture which sinks into the skin without leaving it greasy. Due to both it's efficiency and size this would be the perfect product to take on holiday with you if you're going to warmer climes and forget your SPF without a doubt and it'll be on my travel shopping list next time I'm heading to the beach. It's soothing and calming formula was welcome after a threading trip when I was experiencing extra sensitivity.

Which leads nicely onto the Aloe Soothing Gel* which I wasn't able to test too throughly but did reach for after the aforementioned threading appointment when things were looking a little red and it certainly did the trick. The Aloe Soothing Gel contacts Community Fair Trade organic aloe vera which is just the thing to cool and moisturise and again would be a perfect holiday staple.

The Body Shop has had many skincare products over the internet which I've had on my list to try and the experience with the Aloe range has definitely enhanced my desire to try more and it will certainly be a staple in my travel beauty bag next year.

Have you had any experience with The Body Shop's skincare products? I'd love to hear your recommendations. 

*PR Sample

Leanne's Lockets Charm Bracelet

Leanne's Lockets link

My friend Lisa seemed rather disinterested last week when I mentioned how I wanted a bracelet. There was no bracelet in mind just a decision that I needed a new one for my collection but she didn't seem too keen to help me find one.

It all became clear when she produced a gift for me at the weekend which was in fact a bracelet. Lisa has long been a fan of Leanne's Lockets and has a floating charm necklace and when she saw that there was a new bracelet range she decided we both needed one.

The bracelet is of course adjustable and due to the locket face is quite bulky which I like from a bracelet. Obviously the joy for this sort of product is choosing the charms to go inside. She picked an angel wing and crown for me but said I could pick others as I wished.

I think these would make such a personal gift for friends and family as you can choose from over 100 charms which are most significant to the recipient. The necklaces are affordable at £25 including four charms or £22 for a bracelet with two charms and due to such a speedy turnaround from Leanne you can order right up to the last postal dates (in the UK) of 18^th December.

The lockets themselves are made of stainless steel so they will not rust of tarnish and hypoallergenic and you can choose from either gold or silver colour options to create a bespoke gift for someone special or even yourself.

Leanne has just launched her website which you can find here or you can find her on Facebook.

GHD Curve Classic Curl Tong Review

GHD Curve Classic Curl Tong* link

In all my 35 years I've never owned a pair of GHD straighteners prefer a more natural and or curled look so I was pleased to get my hands on the new GHD Curve Classic Curl Tong's* recently and put them into action.

I've used numerous curling tongs over the years from the cheap to the expensive and daren't think of the damage I have done to my hair so thankfully the GHD Curve features tri-zone technology to ensure healthier looking hair due to the barrel keeping at the optimum curling temperature without causing heat damage. The tri-zone barrel delivers a constant heat evenly across the barrel which ensures that the curl will last longer than your night out.

The barrel is a comfortable 26mm size with a ergonomic lever to stop that burning of fingers I've experience in the past with other curlers when you have to keep hold of the curl to set it to hold. 

I'm in no way a professional at curling my hair but my first attempt at home with the GHD Curve Classic Tong was fuss free and a breeze. I found I was able to work quickly through my hair and left with a universal look which I was pleased with. 

The curling tong comes with all the usual things you would hope, long leads, automatic sleep after 30 minutes and a plus for this limited edition set is a rose gold heat mat and bag to keep them stashed away tidily and stop any carpet burns.

These would be the perfect Christmas gift for an curl fans out there and to see them in action here's my selfie.