Online Treats

Aloha Sprinkerinos,

Remember that spending ban I was on? No? Nor do I.

I'm not usually one for internet shopping. I prefer to actually have the experience of being in the store, touching the products, mooching around etc, but a couple of weeks ago (before my busy stint), I ran away with myself...and my debit card. Woops.

I've made a video of the haul which I will link as soon as it's live, but for now, here's a little teaser.

This nifty storage case is actually a shoe organiser but I have used it as a toy tidy. I love that I can see what's where and it's safe for Baby Glitter to drag about. It was only £3.99 and there is a buy 2 get 1 free offer, so if you have a lot of shoes/toys/anything at all you want to store away, it's a winner! You can find it HERE.

 

I plan on doing a few OOTD's with these ASOS pieces. I have worn the white eyelet skirt and pink highwaisted SO much since buying them so in my eyes, they're an investment!

I also bought some Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Cleansers because I had run out, tried to kid myself that other products were as good and then came to my senses and reordered. 

I talked about the bunting bracelet in a post of it's own HERE, but in a nutshell, it's the cutest little thing and was only £2.39. Click on the pink for the link! (So poetic. Tehe).

The word art was sent to me from the tres creative Maisy Moo. All you do is choose your shape and colour scheme, give them the words you would like incorporated and wait for it to land on your doorstep- fabulous!! We love ours and think it adds a great little touch to Baby Glitter's bedroom.

Ok, I know, they're just straws. But loooookkk!! They are paper (don't worry, they don't go squooshy in your drink), pastel coloured and if you have an obsession with pinterest or American lifestyle blogs (Carosello, A Beautiful Mess etc) then you will understand why I needed them in my life. I bought them from THIS British seller. I also gave them a sneaky little feature in THIS post.

Well, that's it. A bit of an eclectic haul and as soon as the video is live, I will embed it on this blog post too. Keeping things nice and tidy :)

Do any of these bits and bobs float your boat?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Lady of Vintage. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!  

How To || Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

If you have been a reader of this sparkly blog for a long time, you may well know that I have a deep, deep love for Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. Over the past year or so I have tried many a remover in the hope that it will live up to my beloved Cleanse and Polish, but alas, none have. Not one. Not a sausage. (NB- Please don't rub sausages round your face, they won't remove your waterproof mascara.)

Since I talk about it so often, mention it in tonnes of videos, recommend it on twitter and facebook, I thought (I can't take the credit for this, it was requested) I ought to film a video showing exactly how to use it. I know it isn't rocket science, but if you are new to a product, I often find it can be a little daunting.

This video is also on my YouTube channel but embedding it here means those of you who are strictly blog readers can see it too- hurrah for modern technology eh!

If you would like to read my 'Battle of the Cleansers' post from last year (guess who won?), you can see that HERE. 

I really enjoyed doing a bit of a 'how to' and being in a different set up....and being a bit naked haha...so perhaps you'll see a few more of these sorts around these here parts of the interweb. Hooray!

Are you a fan of this product? Have you found anything to beat it?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Lady of Vintage. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!  

February FOTD

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Those of you who watch my videos may well have noticed that I have been sporting the same sort of look of late. I have found a look that I find quick, easy and suitable for day/night/the lot.

On Saturday morning, before leaving for the IMATS, I snapped a few quick shots. I never know quite how to pose for facey shots, I know there is a certain blog style but having tried them, I look like a total goon, so I just tried to show you the products like a noooormal person.

Face

Moisturiser- I'm currently trying out a few, reviews to come.

MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer, NW15.

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint Foundation, 02 Beige.

MAC MSF, Soft and Gentle.

2True Face and Body Bronzer.

Lips

Boots own brand Strawberry Lip Balm.

Topshop Lipstick, Brighten Rock.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss, Pink Pop.

Eyes

HD Brow Kit, Vamp.

Illamasqua Pure Pigment, Beguile.

Topshop Eyeliner, Coal. (Smudged with a pencil brush)

L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara (loving this at the moment, review to come).

Hmmm, reading that back it sounds like an awful lot of items but in the mornings, it doesn't feel like it. I can do this entire look in about 10 minutes. If I want to make it a bit more 'night time', I would use more eyeliner and spend longer on my lashes and also use a lipliner to do better lips, but seeing as this was at 7.30am, I was pleased.

Do you have a look that you find yourself going back to again and again?

Toodlepip!

xx

FOTD :: Simple Lips

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

You may know this, but I make little videos for this website thing call YouTube. Lately, I have taken to recording a big batch all in one day and having a babysitter for Baby Glitter. Now she is a little older, she doesn't nap for as long in that day and it doesn't give me enough time. Also, whilst she naps, I need to do things like cook, clean, have a shower!! Gargh!

So, in my videos I have been sporting a certain look A LOT. I am literally in love with it. Simple eyes, bright lips, glowy skin, easy hair. The look really is a basic yet effective one and takes minimal time- a quickee if you will.

I feel like this look enhances my nice features and is easy on the eye. For nights out and fun things, I love me a big ol' pair of false lashes, dark eyeshadow (MAC Shadestick in Shark Skin being a favourite) and sparkly lips, but now I'm busy busy, I like to tone it down a bit but still feel vibrant.

Face

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint in Beige 02

Make Up Forever 5 Cream Camouflage Concealer Kit

MAC Mineralised Skin Finish in Soft 'n' Gentle

Boots Lipsalve in Strawberry

Barry M Lip Crayon in 04

Non brand kabuki brush

Eyes

MAC Paintpot in Bare Study

HD Brows in Foxy

MAC Brow Set

Studio Makeup Liner Styler Pen

Barry M Soft Eye Crayon on Black

The brush is new from the Denman TuttiFrutti range and actually smells like blueberry's. I love a gimmick.

Do you have any good time saving makeup application tips? I'd love to hear them!!

Toodlepip!

xx

Interviewing Liz Earle

Aloha Bloggerinos,

As those of you who follow me on twitter (@Sprinkleofglitr) may know, last Thursday I went on a grand adventure to the big smoke, to meet THE Liz Earle.

Liz had kindly agreed to let me chatterview her and seeing as the 6th coincided with Baby Glitter's half birthday (can you believe she's six months already!?), I decided to take her along too. Being the HUGE Liz Earle fan that my Auntie Judith is, she asked to come along to and offer her assistance with Baby Glitter.

So the four of us, yes, I say four because we took the Silver Cross pram, which is so large it may as well have been a fourth person, set off on our London Adventure.

After successfully mastering the London Underground avec large pram and bambino, we strolled around Covent Garden, enjoying the quaint stalls, delicious smells and street performers.

After a lovely lunch (kindly paid for by Judith- thank you Auntie Jurbiff) in an open air cafe, we headed back onto the dreaded tube-with-buggy and had a mooch round Harrods. I must say, as much as it is a hassle to lug a baby and buggy round the underground, there are a lot of kind strong men down there who graciously helped and did their good deeds for the day. Thank you random men who will never read this!!

(Auntie Ju at the cafe in Covent Garden. For those interested, Judith is my Mum's sister, so if my Mum were alive today, I think she might look a bit like this but with brown hair. Another random fact- Baby Glitter LOVES that Tiffany necklace. Her little eyes light up whenever she has the chance to grab and yank it! haha)

We had a longing mooch round Harrods, oh how the other half live, and I told Baby Glitter that Mummy would make her millions and buy her the deluxe dolls house complete with miniature Rolls Royce car. If you are ever in London, you should absolutely check out Harrods, if only for the Food Hall- Yum!

Once we were completely mooched out, we headed over to Sloane Square and off to the swish Liz Earle Store. We arrived a little early and I had plans to change into a lovely new dress but at the last minute didn't, I wish I had now because EVERYONE at Liz Earle was in shmexy lady like dresses. Liz actually wore this dress, which I remarked was beautiful and very jazzy. You can't beat a few sequins, can you?!

Before the chatterview, I had time for a chat with Andrea in the coffee shop next door. Andrea is the lovely lady who sends me lots of fabulous goodies to try and it was great to put a face to the name. She was so chatty and interested in the blogging world, I could've nattered for ages. I wish, wish, wish I had taken a photo of the both of us because I feel like she is more of a chum than a faceless person in my inbox :)

And then it was time, time for me to meet the lady behind the brand, Liz Earle! Dun dun duuunnnn.

Liz was LOVELY. I'm not just saying that in case she reads this, but she really was wonderful. Very easy to talk to and very on her game. A cool bean if you will.

As luck would have it, Jo Fairley and Sarah Stacie, co-authors of the famous Beauty Bible were there that evening for an exclusive shindig with Ms Earle and a few others and me, Auntie Judith, Baby Glitter AND the big ol' buggy were invited to stay and join in. If I had been alone, I would've gladly stayed all night, but as it was getting late, I wanted to get Baby Glitter home and into her bed so that her routine wasn't overly disrupted- sacrifices eh?

(Jo, Baby Glitter and Liz)

Needless to say, she had her fifteen minutes of fame and was cuddled by everyone. I kept thinking, 'she has noooo idea she is being squished by beauty industry celebs, the lucky little thing'. Auntie Ju was also pleased and punch to meet everyone, I suspect she is actually Liz Earle's number one customer ahaha.

(Baby Glitter and Sarah)

With all the excitement in us, we headed back to the train and chatted all the way home about our day in the capital.

You may be thinking, "weeeeellllll, where's the interview then?". Well Sprinklerinos, I have something exciting to tell you. Chatterviewing is something I plan to do a lot more of and so have set up a separate blog for the chatterview write-ups. The blog explains exactly what a chatterview is and is live right now! Yay!

If you would like to see what Liz had to say about the brand, cracking America and what she does on her days off, click HERE.

Don't forget to follow by clicking the 'Join This Site' button, so you can keep updated on all the latest chatterviews!!

All in all, a fabulous day! Thank you so much Liz for having me, Andrea for setting it all up and being a great email buddy and Jo and Sarah for giving Baby Glitter such big squishes.

Toodlepip!

xx

Little Helper

Aloha Bloggerinos,

The past couple of days has seen me doing rather a lot of 'life laundry'.

This entails all those jobs you need to do but never have time to squeeze in between work, play, sleep etc. I haven't been anywhere this week and so have been staying at home with Baby Glitter and cracking on.

I've been through EVERYTHING in my wardrobe, thrown out things that have holes, put a pile of clothes in a 'charity' bag and hung up and reorganised what I want to keep. I was ruthless. I had Zoe on skype and she cruelly made me put my pink sequined top (that I wore in my 100th video) in the charity pile....but you've not seen the last of that bad boy, I've got a plan for him..mwahahaha!

"That top is so on trend! Don't chuck it, hang it up!"

I've also been introducing Baby Glitter to new foods, such as banana, sweet potato, apple, pear, bell pepper and baby cereal. So far, so good- she likes all of the above except apple. As well as new foods, I've been encouraging her to sit unaided and roll 180 degrees, she's so close!

In Sprinkle of Glitter land I've been working with a lovely gal is going to help me give my blog a little makeover and tidy things up a touch. I'm so looking forward to her working her magic on it.

Mine and Zoe's secret venture is coming along really well, we had a bit of an exciting breakthrough today, so we are all of a dither and zizz.

"Oh Mummy, I can't let you put this cardi away, it's such a wonderful pillow"

On top of allllll of that, I'm going to London on Thursday for an exclusive interview (oh la la) with none other than, Liz Earle! THE LIZ EARLE!! ARGH! I'm going down with my Auntie Judith (who I suspect is Liz Earle's biggest customer!) and Baby Glitter. Ju will care for Darcy during the interview and we'll have a mooch round Covent Garden. I'll enjoy showing Baby Glitter the capital, although I'm pooping myself at the thought of talking to Ms Earle! Eeek! I'll let you all know how it goes.

The pictures provided in this post are just quickie snaps taken of Baby G whilst I was having the big wardrobe frenzy, she was a great little helper. I had a little play about with the settings and thought this brightylighty snaps looked fun.

What have you done so far this week?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint

Aloha Bloggerinos,

A few weeks back, Liz Earle sent me the new Sheer Skin Tint to have a play with and let my gorgeous Bloggerinos know what I thought.

Before we even begin, I can tell you it's a thumbs up! My last Liz Earle review (found HERE) was a bit negative. I felt awful for not being jolly-hurrah-yippee about it, but knew I would feel terrible if you were to purchase it on my recommendation and not like it. As I said then, reviews on Sprinkle of Glitter are and will always be 100% honest, even it it means the brand in question fall out with me or put a picture of me on a board and throw darts at it! Tehe.

Since starting her business two decades ago, Liz had planned to created a beauty line, as well as her already fabulous skincare range, and so, Liz Earle Colour has arrived!

First up is this little number- The Sheer Skin Tint retails for £21, for 40ml.

First impressions of this product are that I love, love, love the packaging. Each tube comes in a chic navy blue box, the colour of which was inspired by sea surrounding the Isle of White, where Liz lives, and is patented- special! I love products that come in boxes, they feel extra luxurious and I rather struggle to throw the pretty packaging away. Anyone else have that problem?

The glossy blue tube has a basic squeezey nozzle, which I think is a shame as a pump would have been less messy, but I can always decant. Something I did notice that I liked, is the sticky label on the box. It's perforated so that I don't have to rip it off, ripping with it half the box and making it look all horrid and ruined. As a box lover (oh my!), I like to keep things in as perfect condition as possible. The devil is in the detail, eh. Or maybe I'm just a bit sad....hmmm.

The Sheer Skin Tint is available in three shades, Bare, Beige and Beach. Below are swatches of Bare and Beige, which is what I am when I'm sporting natural or tanned skin, respectively.

Enriched with vitamin E, avocado, borage and an SPF of 15, this lightweight foundation feels smooth, non-greasy, dewy and fresh on the skin. It gives a light- medium coverage and as a rosy-cheeked girl, I'm always on the hunt for something to even out my skin tone, and this does- Hurrah!

It feels light and unclogging (urgh, horrid word there) to the skin and coverage really did last all day- something even my beloved MAC Studio Sculpt can struggle with.

I have been wearing this for about a fortnight and can happily say I have had no breakouts, no strange dry patches and no irritability. I don't know how true this is, but I actually feel like it does my skin good.

I think in the winter, when I don't use so much fake tan, I would need a foundation with a fuller coverage, but with a tan, this is perfect for me. Literally, perfect.

Another great thing, to support their "Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle" campaign, when you order online, Liz Earle will send you a sample of each shade, so that you can try it out and ensure it suits, before opening your full size tube. That way, if it doesn't suit, you can return your unopened tube and safe faff, mess and waste- genius.

There is only one flaw inthis product (that I have found so far) - I think there needs to be a more varied range of shades. Whilst Bare, Beige and Beach suit me perfectly, someone with darker skin, would really struggle to make this work. My halfsister has dark skin and I know this is something she couldn't use. Perhaps Liz Earle are busying away in their labs making more shades as I type. We'll wait and see!

The Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint is being released into the world as of tomorrow. Will you be making a purchase?

Toodlepip!

xx 

Lou's Reviews :: Liz Earle Superskin Body Cream

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Recently, I was sent Liz Earle's Superskin Body Cream to try, test and review.

As you may know, if you are a regular reader of Sprinkle of Glitter (which I do hope you are), I regularly review Liz Earle products and absolutely love them. I find they suit my skin beautifully, do the job they say they will and look great on my dressing table too.

So when the Superskin Body Cream popped through my letterbox, I was pretty excited.

Liz Earle says:

"This divinely aromatic, ultra-rich body cream is formulated with 25% plant oils – making it our most intensive body moisturiser ever. With East African shea butter, organic rosehip oil, antioxidant cranberry seed oil and pomegranate extract, natural source vitamin E, plus the divine scent of neroli, this luxurious cream helps mature or very dry skin look and feel visibly plump and smooth."

Weeeeellll I don't have mature skin (at least I hope I don't, being a spritely 20something!) or very dry skin. I would say I lean more towards dry on the moisture scale, but not very dry. I think this is why this product, is sadly not for me.

As always with Liz Earle products, the packaging is sophisticated and luxurious- how may other body creams come in a fancy double carded box? Although, for £28.10 for the 200ml tube, you'd want a bit of zazz, non?

The problem I had with this, didn't lie in the beautiful packaging though, it was the actual product- the cream.

I found the scent to be extremely strong and reminded me quite a lot of an older lady. As you will know, I'm fussy about smells but Matt agreed that this was perhaps a bit much. I suppose if you liked the smell and didn't want to wear any perfume then this might suit, but for me, it was a no no.

Onto the actual cream. I didn't like it. Yes, IT DID MOISTURISE. I can't fault it in the doing-your-job-department, but it was incredibly oily. When dispensed from the squeezy tube (more on this in a mo), there was a little puddle of oil surrounding the cream. This does rub in and is only because of the 25% plant oils but for me, I didn't like it. It wasn't aesthetically pleasing.

I think this item would have been better suited to a pump dispenser or perhaps a finer nozzle because it very quickly became all messy and gunky, which a) looks bleaugh and b) encourages bacteria and other nasties.

I must say, I feel awful to give a Liz Earle product a bad review and I did think about this for a loonnng time before I wrote it. In the end I decided that Sprinkle of Glitter's loyalty must always lie with it's Bloggerinos. I will always tell you the truth about my thoughts on a product, even if it means I might not get sent any more from that particular brand.

In summary, the Superskin Body Cream wasn't suited for me. That isn't to say the product is bad, it does moisturise and I had no negative skin reactions, it just wasn't my cuppa tea.

I do however have a review of the Sheer Skin Tint coming up and that is a woweeamazingiloveitsomuch kinda item, so I won't feel too bad for the thumbs down today!

Have you tried this product? Do you like oily creams?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: MAC Haute and Naughty Lash Mascara

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Remember a couple of months back I went to the snazzy MAC Event for the Baftas? Well, whilst I was there they gave us all an AMAZING (seriously, I squealed) goodie bag and this was one of the products in it. The MAC Haute and Naughty Lash Mascara.

I've seen quite a few drugstore dupes of this two wand mascara and was eager to try it and see for myself.

The idea is that if you want day-time yet defined lashes, you can use the pink ended wand, but if you prefer a thicker, fuller look, use the purple glittery end. Simples.

So does it work?

The idea of having a multifunctional product really floats my boat- saves space, money and waste- what's not to like?

The pink end actually does give a smooth, natural look that is still noticeable but not really full on. It's ideal if you are doing a low key fluttery girlie look. A negative for the pink wand though is that it is very flimsy. When I comb it through my lashes it feels like because the wand 'stem' is so thin it kind of bends and that takes a bit of getting used to. Not brilliant if you are in a real hurry.

The glittery end is my favourite by a long shot. It takes plenty of mascara fluid onto the brush, glides through the lashes with ease and gives a really full dramatic effect. (Next time I use it, I shall take pics and update this post! *Slaps wrist for not doing it today*)

This mascara doesn't clump, is easy to remove (saying that, I use Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish which I suspect could remove super glue it's that good) and can withstand a few tears, despite it not being waterproof.

As with quite a few MAC mascaras the actual fluid is very wet, which is great because it goes on well but you have to be careful not to blink too much whilst it sets, otherwise you have that delightful black-mascara-splodges-on-perfectly-applied-eyeshadow look. Does anyone else have that ever? It drives me insane!

All in all, I thought this was good, but not great. Usually, I can't rate MAC products highly enough, but at an rrp of £17.50, I think this is perhaps rather steep for something that isn't woweeamazing. I'll definitely finish the tube and will enjoy using it, but for that price, I wouldn't repurchase. Instead, I would consider one of the drugstore options.

To read the official MAC blurb, click HERE.

What do you think? Is £17.50 worth it?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: Liz Earle Foot Scrub

Aloha Bloggerinos,

A few weeks ago, I was sent another little goodie from Liz Earle to try and review for SprinkeofGlitter.

Liz Earle Foot Scrub (rrp: £10.45) boasts softening avocado, wheatgerm, peppermint and rosemary essential oils, as well as natural pumice to remove those horrid dry skin cells.

To use this fresh smelling foot scrub it suggests massaging daily into dry areas of the foot, concentrating on heels, toes and the balls. (ooer! Of your foot I mean!)

Now, this is a touch gross but I feel it important to share so that you get the full force of my review. My feet are horrid. There are no two ways about it, I have the driest feet you will ever see. So dry in fact that matt kindly calls me 'Concrete Foot' sometimes, because if I don't look after them, they take on that delightful grey dead look. Mmmm lovely. With this in mind, when I find a product that alleviates this problem, I'm one happy bunny.

I have been using this scrub in conjunction with my trusty ped egg (which I use about once every 2 weeks) and Lush Dream Cream moisturiser (which I use daily) and I can honestly say that I've seen a real difference. My feet look nice and normal and not like concrete at all! Hurrha!

Basically, whilst in the shower, I squib (excellent word is 'squib') some of the scrub onto a flannel and go keerraazzzy with rubbing my feet. It feels soooo lovely and therapeutic to know you are getting rid of all the dryness, to reveal smooth as a baby's bottom skin!

The actual product is the thickness of toothpaste and smells wonderfully minty fresh- I could sniff that tube all day I tell ya. The paste has little bits of pumice in it, not unlike normal exfoliators, that don't dissolve, so you can really go for it. A couple of pitfalls to avoid (which I have learnt from experience) are that it's best not to use this scrub in the bath because the little pumicey gravelly pips sink to the bottom and everything gets very rough indeed! Also, I have found a flannel is best for application. The first time I used my hands- what a stupid mistake, I had red raw hands for hours! The second time I used my shower lotus, but lost all the product and pumice in the netting. From then on I have used a flannel and this seems to work well. I think those special exfoliator gloves would be good too.

As usual, Liz Earle has come up trumps and produced another fantastic product- will they ever disappoint me?? If you would like to have a look at the official blurb for this product, click HERE.

What do you do to keep your tootsies flipflop friendly?

Toodlepip!

xx

Mummy Must Haves - Batiste, Liz Earle and No. 7

Aloha Bloggerinos,

As you can imagine, life with a newborn bambino is busy. Yes, they sleep, but when she sleeps, I like to sleep or I have to do all the boring housey things that can't be ignored and so pampering/hair/makeup/even a shower (!) seem to have been pushed to the bottom of the priorities list.

Despite needing to spend my time looking after Baby Glitter, doing boring housey stuff and sleeping, that doesn't mean I want to look a wreck and so have been finding and using products that suit my new needs. I'm thinking about making my 'Mummy Must Haves' a bit of a feature, because I think they could be applied to anyone who has a busy life/doesn't want to spend tonnes of time getting ready and wouldn't just be for Mummy's. What do you think? Yay or nay?

Batiste Dry Shampoo For dark and deep brown hair (rrp £3.05) :: Dry shampoo has been my saviour ever since I was in hospital to have Baby Glitter. As you can imagine, after 2 days of labour and a traumatic delivery, I hadn't exactly stayed fresh and with all the problems I had, the most I could manage the next few days was quick rinses in the shower, not a hairwash in sight! To combat this, I turned to this absolute gem. Why I haven't used it before fails me but better late than never.

It's super easy to use too, which is clearly a must when in a rush. You simply hold the can about 30cm away from your roots, spray, massage in with your finger tips, leave for a minute or so and then brush through! Within moments I feel much fresher and more presentable- wohoo!

I just had a quick looksie on the Boots website and noticed that Batiste also do a range with different scents (not for me as a scent freak) and also one with silver and one with gold shimmer- definitely something I will be checking out!! Alllsssooo, in celebration of the Royal Wedding, Batiste have brought out a limited edition union jack can (pictured above) that you can buy exclusively in in Superdrug  for a mere £2.19. Hurrah!

No 7. Quick Thinking Wipes (rrp £7) from Boots :: I buy these when Boots do their £5 Off Vouchers because I can't justify spending £7 on wipes (unless they are the AMAZING ones from MAC..drools). I have used these loads over the last 3 weeks, they are a godsend when you don't have time to properly cleanse and tone. Naughty but speedy. They smell nice, take off all my makeup and have enough moisture too the, (I say that because some brands of wipes feel really dry and rubbish).

Liz Earle Skin Brightening Treatment and Moisturiser :: I shan't go into a mini review or anything because I have done a proper Lou's Review on these HERE and HERE.

I've used the Brightening Treatment Mask a few times since Baby Glitter's arrival because it can be done in well under 5 minutes and it really does perk my skin up, which after a night of not much sleep, is a real necessity. I feel a bit more 'sorted' for the day once I've done this and like I have had a little treat.

I loved the Skin Repair Moisturiser from the moment I first used it and have been luxuriating in it ever since. This was my favourite product I took with me to the labour ward because it made me feel a bit more like Louise and less like a big wobbly mess. Also, the hospital was unbearably hot, so my skin was crying out for help. Sadly, I've run out of this now and am gutted. As soon as I get some pennies, I shall be buying another.

So Bloggerinos, have you tried any of those products? What do you think of my new feature? A keeper?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: Liz Earle Shampoo and Conditioner

Aloha Bloggerinos,

This review has been a long time coming because I have had these products quite a while but been pretty busy, what with having a bambino and all that jazz.

As you can see, this is the Botanical Shine Shampoo and Conditioner from Liz Earle for normal and all skin types.

The first thing I liked about these products was the packaging. Yes, I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but with things like this, I do. I've never had shampoo or conditioner in shiny tubes like this, so it was all a bit novel and exciting to me. The second thing I reaallyy liked was the scent. As you all know, I have serious smell-sensitivity and am uber fussy about fragrances, but these smell all zesty and I do love a fruity fragrance- I can even smell apple in these, how often do you find apple smelling haircare? Not very I'd say.

Due to baby related sleep deprivation, I'm going to cheat on the sciencey bit and just quote what Liz Earle have to say about the two items and then tell you what I think. I wanted to be Mrs Eloquent-Sophisticated-Tell-You-About-The-Ingredients-And-Magical-Properties-Pants but Baby Glitter wont allow such things at the moment!

Botanical Shine Shampoo :: With West African shea butter, natural source vitamin E, shine-boosting apple and orange extracts plus naturally derived cleansers, our shampoo gently cleans without stripping to leave hair soft, shiny and smooth. Contains no sodium lauryl/laureth sulphate.

As I said, for me the apple was the prominent scent and I luurrve it. The shampoo lathers really well and a little really does go a long way, which is a winner because for the £7.65 price tag, I would consider this a luxury shampoo and would want to get the most I could out of it. Containing no sodium lauyl or laureth sulphate, this product fits in with the company ethos of lovely natural goodness and really makes you feel you're doing your hair a favour.

Now, I have a negative about this shampoo but I kind of want to say to the product 'hey, it's not you, it's me'. For a loonng time now, I have had a serious shampoo problem. About 99% of shampoos make my scalp really flakey/the shampoo refuses to wash out of my uber thick hair and I'm left with a load of stuff stuck to my roots. Not nice. To combat this is use a Boots own Product Build Up Shampoo as this rinses out well. I tried the Liz Earle Shampoo with trepidation and sadly it did fall into the 99% category but I don't blame the product AT ALL. I gave it to my Auntie Judith and she bloomin' LOVES it, so all is well in the world again.

Botanical Shine Conditioner: Specially formulated with meadowfoam and yangu oils, blue seakale and shine-boosting apple and orange extracts, our creamy, colour safe conditioner leaves normal hair glossy, hydrated and in perfect condition, ready to style. Naturally active ingredients include meadow foam oil to help condition, Kenyan yangu oil to smooth and soften plus apple and orange extracts to boost shine.

I have two words to sum up my feelings for this conditioner- 'love it'. I love that, like the shampoo, I can smell the apple, so the two products compliment each other well. I love that it makes my hair lovely and shiny and soft but without that kind of heavy, filmy effect that some conditioners can give. I love that it looks expensive and regal in my shower (yes, I am secretly a bathroom snob. Forgive me). And also, these days, with Baby Glitter taking up all my time, a hairwash has been pushed pretty far down the pecking order, so when I do finally get to do it, this luxurious conditioner really makes my shower time blissful. Mmmmm even typing this now makes me want to hop in and wash the day (and baby sick) away. Basically, this is a total winner for me and will most likely be forking out the £7.65 to buy it once I have run out.

I really must say that Liz Earle is one of the only 'beauty' brands that has yet to fail me. I've tried and reviewed quite a few of their products now, ranging from skin care to fragrance to hair care, and all (aside from my slight issue with the shampoo but as explained, this is MY issue) have wowed me. I feel a bit like they are the grown up sophisticated big sister of my beloved Lush products. Both being natural and backed by good ethics, but Liz Earle being sleeker and more refined somehow. That's not to say I don't still hanker for a pink glittery bubble bath that smells like sweets!

All in all, I am one happy bunny. If you would like to find out more about these products, check out the Liz Earle website HERE.

Have you tried or would consider trying either of these?

Toodlepip!

xx

PS

Baby Glitter says Hello and that she'll be back in a video as soon as her Mummy feels up to it ;)

Lou's Reviews :: Liz Earle Botanical Essence No. 1

Aloha Bloggerinos,

You know when you buy or are sent something reeaaallyyy good and you feel reeeaaallly excited when you think about it or look at it or play with it? Well I've got that!

I was sent this nifty little number from Liz Earle as it's Mother's Day coming up and this would be an ideal gift. Sadly, my own Mum was taken to heaven when I was 7, buuuttttt this year will be a million times better than all the other lonely Mother's Days because I will be a Mummy myself to little Baby Glitter and I'm VERY happy about that indeed.

This perfume comes beautifully packaged in a neat little box and the bottle is square and professional looking. Now, I think a some of you might be turned off by the bottle because it isn't what you would call 'pretty pretty' but I really like sciencey/nature/natural type things and this kind of reminds me of that area of life (I did a degree in Pyschology and Biology you seee, I'm not just a science geek..well, maybe a bit actually). I love that it comes so snug in it's box because you shouldn't keep your fragrances in the sunlight as it diminishes their quality.

The scent of this is fruity and zingy, a winner for someone like me who loves sweet or citrus smells. I think it's a prefect smell for Spring and Summer and makes you feel all happy and sunny. After a good few hours (ie, the zinginess lasts a long while) the scent settles into a more subdued floral smell, and I enjoy this too. I went on the website to see exactly what the ingredients were and was surprised at how aesthetically pleasing it is- it's a picture list! Woop woop! Click HERE to check that out and see all the yummy natural products this is jam packed with.

The Botanical Essence No.1 perfume retails for £40.35 and really would be a lovely present for your Mothers, Aunties or Grandmas (I thought I'd throw a couple of others in there for those that don't celebrate Mother's Day conventionally, like me) or just to treat yourself to a little Spring time gift :)

You can click HERE to have a looksie at this lovely.

What sort of things do you do for your Mum's on Mother's Day? Am I in for lots of lovely pampering this year??

Toodlepip!

xx 

Lou's Reviews :: Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask

Aloha Bloggerinos,

I'm fairly sure you will have seen the truckload of Liz Earle reviews going round at the moment, but I actually haven't seen anything on this Brightening Treatment Mask, so I do hope that this is of interest to you. Personally, I don't mind when you see the same product on lots of blogs, I like to read tonnes of different views, but I know some people don't- horses for courses eh.

(Side note- As I type this, Baby Glitter is going gaga in her womby home, she loves a bit of blogging).

(I couldn't not show you how beautifully the Liz Earle stuff is packaged)

I was sent this product about a fortinight ago and unsurprisingly for a Liz Earle product, I'm in love.

This product claims to instantly revitalise tired or dull skin and give you a natural looking radiance.

I'm always really sceptical of products like this, even though I have had nothing but excellent experiances from the Liz Earle range, but as usual, was proved wrong- Liz Earle, I salute you!

I have used this mask in 2 different ways- mixed with my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish to add a bit of oomph to my cleansing routine and on its own in the morning (on my clean skin) to give my face a radiant glow. I enjoyed using it both ways but mostly prefer it in the morning because I feel using it solo gives the most noticable results.

(Cute little wash bag and muslin included in the kit- yippee!!)

To use, I massage about 2 pumps worth onto clean dry skin, leave for a minute or so whilst I brush my teeth/potter about annoying Matt for taking my time ahahaha, and then just wipe off with the provided muslin (after I have run it under the hot water tap) and tada, done! None of this peeling off bits of serum or schmearing mud round your face with a flannel like so many other 'mask' products. By nature I'm pretty lazy, so this method is ideal for me, the whole process is done in about 2 minutes- another winner for when Baby Glitter makes her appearance and I have no time.

I honestly did think that my skin looked a lot more 'glowy' and I felt fresh faced and bushy tailed. I'm not getting good quality sleep at the moment, so this is perfect as it creates the illusion of a good 9 hours.

Containing witch hazel, this mask has a zingy and awakening scent but doesn't leave you all tight faced. It is recommended to use it in conjunction with the toner and moisturiser, but on a few occasions I've been a bit naughty and skipped the toner phase and I still felt super :)

In a nutshell, I can't rave about this enough, it is literally my love and I know I will be buying this over and over!

To find out more about this little gem, check out the Liz Earle website HERE.

Do you have any skincare products that you are obsessed with at the moment? Are there any you think I'd like?

Toodlepip!

xx

(Spell check wont work! Eek! I will try again later but please excuse my typos for now!xxxx)

Lou's Reviews :: Liz Earle Toner and Moisturiser

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Do you remember when I posted about my love for the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser HERE? Well, those crazy gals at Liz Earle were kind enough to read my review and then send me the next two steps in the range, which I was over ze moon and zo stars about now that I'm such a convert! Eep!

(How professional is that? I do think Liz Earle have excellent PR)

I was generously sent a bottle of  Instant Boost Skin Tonic and a jar of Skin Repair Moisturiser (for dry skin).

Instant Boost Skin Toner

A while ago I asked you all what the point of toner was, so it was good luck that you all answered before this product arrived, otherwise I'd be fumbling around in the dark for something to say like a blind mouse.

I have been informed, by none other than you clever Bloggerinos, that the purpose of toner is to remove any remaining yuk from the skin, close the pores and prepare your skin for moisturising. Now that I know this, I am much more inclined to use toner and much less clueless- thank you!

I love this toner. It doesn't smell the same as the Cleanse and Polish (which is a shame because I am in love with the fragrance of that one), but does still smell mature and sophisticated. I go through phases. Sometimes I like the funky vivid smells of Lush Whoosh Shower Jelly and Snow Fairy, and sometimes I like a more grown up scent.

The packaging, like all of this range, is very bathroom friendly- pastel greens with unoffensive silver writing, lovely. Also, I like the cap of the bottle. Rather than take the whole cap off, you twist the lid and tada, a little nib where the toner comes out of, allowing you to control the flow of product and prevent wastage. A bonus in my books.

I have only ever used one other toner before (Lush Breath of Fresh Air) so I am by no means an expert in this field, but I know what I like, and I like this. It feels refreshing but doesn't make my skin tingle and it doesn't leave me feeling all tight and horrid- this is a big thing for me because my other one does leave me running for the face cream post haste!

I can't say I noticed that it removed any remaining yuk from my face, but I really do think this is because the Cleanse and Polish kit deals with everything and does such a good job that there is nothing left to remove.

Phewf, who knew I could talk about toner for so long?! Sorry!!

Skin Repair Moisturiser

I'm in love. Fact.

I used to use Lush Dream Cream religiously because I enjoyed the thick, non oily consistency. Then Baby Glitter started making my tum her home, my sense of smell went gaga and Dream Cream became Nightmare-Vomit-At-The-Smell-Of-It Cream. I had been using a Vaseline body lotion in it's place because I could bare it, but this. is. brilliant!

The scent is subtle yet fragrant- I'm yet to put my finger on it but all I can think of is that it smells 'clean'. Does that make any sense? I hope so!

This product sinks in beautifully, especially after using the 2 prior steps the routine, but I have also used and enjoyed it after a little makeup wipe cleanse (sometimes I just don't have the energy for a full routine/I'm lazy).

It leaves my skin feeling revived, soft and I have noticed my foundation sets very well over the top of it.

Win win win.

Links are at the top for each product but for the whole Liz Earle site and prices (I didn't include as they are different depending on sizes), click HERE. 

Have you tried these or similar products? What did you think?

Toodlepip!

xx