my Simple skincare routine

Last weekend I went on a skincare haul and picked up a few things from Simple. So this past week while I have been trying out these products i have developed into a routine which I thought I would share. I am unsure of prices as the receipt is long gone and I have the memory of a fish but I think it is all around £3.99.

Every night I begin by using my cleansing facial wipes. I just use these on my eye make up. These are a life saver as I find it hard to find face wipes don't don't give me an allergic reactoon. I don't know what it is in face wipes that makes me go red faced and puffy but so far only simple face wipes and some of Johnsons face wipes do me good. So if you have sensitive skin I highly recommend it.

I then use my purifying cleansing lotion. I squeeze a generous amount onto a cotton pad and use up and out light sweeping movements over my face. Don't pull downwards as it stretches the skin, meaning you'll suffer when you're older! This takes off the majority of my face make up.

Then i close my pours with with my soothing facial toner. I once again pour a good amount over a cotten pad (even though it says to use cotten wool). I repeat by just doing soft sweeps over my face and neck. 

I finish off with my hydrating light moisturiser. I squeeze it onto my finger and place a dot in the centre of my cheeks, chin, nose and forehead before smoothing it out. Once again, don't press to hard or downwards. I also use this in the morning after washing my face. 

I did also buy the deep cleansing face mask but haven't yet used it. I am excited to though as it is supposed to remove deep dirt and eliminate dead cells, which should hopefuly leave me spot free after a few uses. I will review it after I have used it. 

I absolutely love Simple and definitely recommend it. I have really sensitive skin and a lot of products I have tried in the past haven't reacted well with my face. Simple is designed for sensitive skin so nothing I have ever used from then has reacted badly with my skin. 

Isabelle

Toodle-oo

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Ted Baker body care

For my birthday last year, Izzy bought me four items from Ted Baker which came in a really sweet, clear Ted Baker bag. As they were a present, prices can't be told. It included a body foam, body wash, body moisturiser and body spray. Yes, I have only just started using the body wash and body foam 8 months after Izzy gave it too me (sorry Izzy). So here is a quick review on these four products. Also sorry in advance for the poor quality photos! 

As I hardly ever have baths (haha) I have only used the body foam once but I did like it and think I might squeeze a little into the bottom of my shower before I go in as the smell is Amazing. It doesn't irritate my skin which is a bonus as I find a lot of other body foams make my sensitive skin go all red and itchy. As I don't have baths often I doubt I will buy this again but for all you bath lovers, i do recommend it. 

Next up is the moistiriser. This I finished about 2 months after Izz gave it too me and have still kept the pot to remined me to buy it again! I found it was non-greasy and moisturising. And once again, the smell is so good! I occasionally have to just smell the pot as each product smells slightly different. 

Talking about smells leads on to the next product. The body spray. Now this is a life saver for when you have those days were you just feel a little dull and need a spritz. It is also the perfect size to carry around in your school bag or handbag and perfect to use after P.E! I will definetaly buy it again as it does smell amazing.

Finally, the body wash. Not only does it make the whole bathroom smell amazing after being used but it makes you smell amazing as well! It smells just like the body spray which is great and leaves you feeling refreshed. However, I think I may be slightly allergic to it as it does make me go a bit pink. I recon I would buy this again but maybe not right after I have finished. 

If you have tried any of the products let us know in the comments as we'd love to hear what you think about them :)

Isabelle

Toodle-oo

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Revision tips

So its gotten to that time of year where preparation for nearing exams is needed, so I thought I'd share some revision tips that are working for me.

First of all, make sure you don't leave it to the last minute. The weeks will soon fly by and before you know it you'll have only two weeks to cram loads of information into your head. I promise you, this doesn't work (I tried and ended up with an F in my exam). Start revising 2 or 3 months before and it will pay off.

Get rid of all distractions. Whether its a book you can't put down, instagram, tumblr or just any internet site. Yes, this is an extremely difficult thing to do and I had to use all my will power to delete my tumblr app (not my account) this weekend, but I'm sure it will be worth it. Lock your book away and freeze the key. Scrolling through tumblr thinking to yourself i'll start revising in 5 minutes and 20 minutes go by with nothing acomlished other than a few rebloggs won't get you good grades or a good job! 

Next, make a revision timetable. Prioratise certain subjects. There are online websites you can use that will make one for you if you'd prefer not to make it by hand.

 But make sure you don't overload on revision, your brain will need breaks even just for 5 minutes at a time. 40 minutes of a subject should be enough with a break in between and treat yourself to a sweet or chocolate afterwards. Try not to revise past a certain time in the day. I usually revise 40 minutes on 1 subject before 6pm and another 40 minutes on another subject after 7pm but I don't revise past 8pm.

Organize your revision. Put it in a folder with you different subjects and tick off things once you've revised them. 

Lastly, revision techniques. Both me and Izzy like to use spider diagrams and bright colours. Did you know that memory works better in colour because colour has a stronger appeal to the senses, prompting a better connection to parts of the brain involved with memory (ahhh, science!). Also, make sure you do past papers, as knowing how to answer questions helps as well. Its no good knowing loads of information but not knowing how to put it onto paper and get the marks. 

Here's a quote from the famous Anne Frank to end this blog post "Earning happiness means doing good and working, not spectulating and being lazy. Laziness may look inviting, but only work gives you true satisfaction". 

Isabelle

Toodle-oo

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The Tangle Teezer

Hello,

It's only a short one this week as it is half term and I am heading out to Centre Parcs for most of it. Although I wont be able to see or speak to Isabelle for 5 days which is a record  for us! By the time this is up I'll be there, yay! But...I COULDN'T not write about this! 

I'm sure you have seen these weird looking [ergonomically designed apparently] hairbrushes in a few beauty guru vlogs in the last few months. 

They are amazing.



They are called 'Tangle Teezers' and have been designed with plastic bristles that are painless to use, they also limit the damage done to hair whilst wet and stop them from being pulled straight out. 

(WARNING: Obviously as it is plastic do not use it whilst blow drying as you do run the risk of damging the brush or, if you have long hair and take longer than usual, even melting parts of it!)  

They can be used for wet and dry hair, this is a god send as I have always been told to NEVER brush wet hair but this is perfect. 

If you are unlucky and have fine hair like me then your hair will get knotty near enough straight after brushing it. I have found this problem has been totally eliminated and my hair feels so soft all day! 

The design is made to be handheld without limiting the bristles on the brush, the shape, although odd looking, means there is no problem of dropping it and damaging it. 

They have been developed to have 'memory flex' technolodgy so that you can have results that are specific to you. 

They also come in a variety of colours from Tangerine, blue with pink teeth and green.

I got mine from Boots and I think it was about £10.95 although this is a bit pricier it is definatley worth it, I would suggest it for all hair types and lengths. Enjoy! 

If you have any tips and treats for your hair let us know! 

Toodle-oo
Izzy

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Natural Collection

I have purchased many products from the Natural Collection so I thought I'd share my experiences. All of the products are £1.99 and can only be bought from the drug store Boots.

First of, are there concelers, both of mine in the shade fair. I use the liquid one for the summer as it is a darker shade and quicker to put on when I'm rushing down the beach, and the stick one for the rest of the year. I find that both do the job and even mange to cover my under eye darkness as well as any blemeshis or redness. For the price that they are, I will continue to buy them as they satisfy my face just fine and don't proceed to make my spots worse.

Next up is the pressed powder, which i have in the shade warm. As you can tell from the picture below, it has been well used. I put it on after my conceler or tinted moisturiser to set my make-up and matte my face. However, it doesn't stay on for a very long time. I don't know if I will buy it again in the future but I think once its gone I will go for something more expensive.

This leads on to my tinted moisturiser, in the shade natural. I havent used it since the summer as the shade is too dark for me and makes me look extremely orange, so I'm going to have to go with what I can remember. Consistency is what you'd expect, its lighter then a BB cream and very runny. However it does its job and does cover up a lot and some days, I didn't even need to put on my conceler. It did make my face shiny though so I had to use a power after. I might buy this again once it runs out depending on whether I would rather go for a foundation.

I don't have much to say on the lipstick (shade sweet pea) as I never wear it purely because the colour makes my lips look silver. I do find that it stays on for a long time and is very moisturising. I will buy their lipsticks again but in a different shade.

The pigment of the eyeshadow duo did surprise me (shades mocha/latte). The dark brown stays on all day as does the white. They aren't shimmery which is just what I wanted as my No7 duo (in similar colours) is too shimmery for school. I will buy their eye shadows again.

Next is the blusher in the shade peach Melba. Both me and Izzy have them in the same colours and both agree we will buy them again. I don't wear mine much as I do have naturally flushed cheeks. There isn't much in the pot but for the price I didn't really expect much more. The colour is perfect for spring/summer seasons as it adds a natural glow.

None of these products have given me spots which is great as that is the only thing which puts me off wanting to wear make-up. I will continue to buy from Boots Natural Collection as I think most of the products are up to the same standards as other high street brands.

Isabelle

Toodle-oo

❣

Beginners Luck

HAPPY FEBRUARY!
 I just want to start off by saying that what matters is the type of person you are, no amount of makeup can change you're personality and you don't need to do it to impress others. True friends will love you for who you are. I think until your are at least 13 makeup is pointless really, but it's whatever makes you comfortable.

I think over the last 2 years I have felt very lost when it comes to makeup. I felt that I had no idea where to start or what I needed. After watching and reading many blogs, vlogs and tutorials I have finally got to grips with it. I hope this helps anyone else that felt as stuck as I did.

Starters:

>Primer

>Foundation/Base 

>Concealer 

>Blusher/Bronzer 

>Powder 

> Mascara 

>Lipstick

>Eye shadow

>Brushes and blending sponge(make sure to wash every week or every 3 uses)

 

 

So...if you have clear skin, accept for a few spots and blemishes, you DO NOT need a full blown foundation, My suggestion would be to purchase a Tinted Moisturiser or BB Cream, this gives a light moisturising coverage without clogging up your skin. I would suggest Garnier or No7. Also a bit of concealer goes a long way.  I have found that the Rimmel London Wake Me Up foundation is the best, it gives brilliant coverage and is not too expensive. I also add the True Matte Perfection Mouse Foundation in my oily t-zone as it helps to keep it under control. 

In my experience powder blush is better than cream blush as I have combination to oily skin. However if you struggle with dry skin, cream blusher is perfect! 

Corals and darker pinks are best in summer and lighter pinks in winter to give a natural glow. 

I find that a small bit of bronzer goes a long way as you do not want streaks on your cheeks and to just define your cheekbones you want it to be natural. I have only tried the MUA mosaic bronzer as it was only a few pounds however I am definitely keen to try the Sleek blusher and contour kit. 

I find that pressed powder, when over foundation, sticks in areas and I will only wear it as a light cover in summer. 

However I like to set my makeup with lose translucent powder over the top and the rest of the time just to stop shine and to make sure it stays a little more. This is just to help the primer set. If you have oily skin I would definitely recommend it as I have found it a godsend, also if you are prone to shine you may as well give it a go. 

When it comes to lipstick you do not need a lot of them-not that that has stopped me. 

If you have dry lips then obviously a moisturising balm lipstick is the way to go and maybe just stick to actual lip balms for a while. If not a matte look is always classy for a day out. I find they tend to last longer too. Corals and bright pinks and reds (much like blusher) are great for summer and darker reds and plums work well during the winter.

 

A neutral eye shadow palette is not essential but is always nice to have for an extra smoky eye. Personally, I'm not very adventurous with eye shadows and just stick with simple (and cheap) combinations. Isabelle got me a super cute eye shadow palette for my birthday from H&M and I'm very impressed! 

I do believe, however, that mascara is as essential as it gets. Without it I literally look like I'm from The Walking Dead. It opens up your eyes and makes them pop. If you want a natural look then I suggest a brown but if not then you can stick to black (or super black is you think it makes a difference). Mascara can be expensive. This is true across the board. I have tried most high-street brands and although they good they are not true to all their promises. I have found however that the MUA mascaras are much better and are only £2 or £3 which is insane value for money! 

When it comes to brushes I do not know much. I was given a Fraulin*38 set for Christmas a few years ago and they do the job. For a starter they are perfect. I do use the Primark powder brush for blusher, it has a really nice feel and is really easy to apply. There are obvious recommendations for brushes like MAC and Tom Ford but they are much more expensive. The best blending sponge is by far the Real Techniques Miracle  Complexion Sponge. It honestly does live up to the hype. 
For the basics I think all you need is a powder brush, blush brush, contour brush for bronzer, blending eye shadow brush and a blending sponge to stop steaks and patchy foundation. All depending on what you use and how often you use it, this will determine how much you are willing to pay but, as with everything, the pricier ones are of better quality.

I hope this has helped you to find cheaper alternatives for the basics. If you have any other substitutes please let us know in the comments. We all love a good bargain! 

Toodle-oo

Izzy

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REMEMBER: You are beautiful just as you are, makeup is supposed to enhance your features NOT cover them up :)

  

Soap and Glory body product tryouts

For Christmas this year, I received a Soap and Glory gift box which included 5 items. These were the Hand Food hydrating hand cream, The Righteous Butter body moisturizer, Clean On Me moisture shower gel, Scrub Of Your Life super-smoothing body butter and a big pink bath scrunchie. I'm sorry I won't be able to put and prices on these items as they were a present and came in a set.

As I'm sure you well know, all Soap and Glory products smell divine, so that is my first big positive. No one wants to put nasty smelling things on themselves, so a nice smell is big advantage. Unfortunatly, none of the products say what is in them to give the smell.

The Hand Food doesn't leave you hands feeling moisturised for a great deal of time. It only leaves my hands feeling well moistured for around 5 minutes, until my hands feel dry again. It also has a very greasy feel to it, leaving finger prints when I go on my tablet! I don't really recommend this product as the only real positive I have found is the smell!

I really have been enjoying Scrub of Your Life as it leaves my skin feeling silky smooth after I use it. The only downer was that it also leaves me feeling a bit rubbed raw, as I'm sure you get with most exfoliating body washes.

I also have found The Righteous Butter really good as well. Unlike the hand moisturiser, i don't think its at all greasy and I find it moisturising. Its very thick (a lot like butter) and I only need a small amount to cover most of my leg! I think I will be buying this again after its gone.

The Clean On Me just seems like any normal shower gel to me. It smells brilliant but I'm not sure as to how moisturing it is. I don't think it dries out my skin, but I also don't feel any more moisturised than normal after I have used it. I don't think I will be purchasing this after I've used it, as I haven't found anything special about it.

I don't have much to say about the bath scrunchie as it just seems like any other. I'm definetaly glad I tried out these products as I now know what I find worth buying, and what I don't.

Isabelle

Toodle-oo

❣

A Few Lipstick Reviews

Something I cannot help but love is lipsticks. After watching countless Youtubers and reading blogs I fell in love with the cute colours. Although my collection is small it is growing. They aren't the cheapest things for a sixteen year old and a baby pink and dark red is definitely missing from my collection. 

My favourite at the moment has got to be the NV Chunky Crayon in Plum. I got this from Boohoo.com on a whim to get a free dilivery deal as it was only a few pounds off. I didn't have very high expectations but it does last all day however it may need reapplying if you are going out to eat. It has a nice matte feel but doesn't dry out your lips. It is really pigmented and for what you are paying there is a lot in the stick as you do not need to use much at a time. 

I am also a really big fan of Rimmel products in general and especially their lipsticks. I love long lasting lipsticks as you do not have to waste it constantly reapplying so when they brought out their 'Lasting Finish Lipstick' I could not wait to try it. I have it in 058. It is a rose pink with a slight shimmer. It can dry out your lips if you do not use chapsticks and lip balms in between. It lasts quite a while but if i'm out for a lo0ng time I do find myself having to reapply it. They are around £8.00, this is a bit more expensive for a high-street brand but it a perfect alternative to more expensive options.

I cannot resist a bright coral in summer so the Maybelline COLOURsensational was ideal. The vibrant colours last all day. I have Coral Tonic(422) its is a bright pinky-coral. It has a moisturizing rich colour and tastes amazing, although, I cannot put my finger on what it is. The casing is really cute and it is definitely my go to lipstick in summer.  It is around the same price as the Rimmel lipsticks.

The Collection 2000 lipsticks are alright, i'm not the biggest fan, the colour does not last long but is okay for a quick trip out. The Volume Sensation tends to dry out my lips. I have it in Tea Rose(12) it is a slightly pink-brown. I also have the Deluxe colour in Prohibition (01).  This is a nice red-pink and I would definitely suggest this as a cheaper option as they were both around £3.00. 

I know some people have hundreds of lipsticks but I am hoping to try and get a bigger range of colours throughout the year to help give you all an idea for cheaper lipsticks that are still a good quality.

(Rimmel Drop Of Sherry, NV Colour Plumb, Maybelline Coral Tonic, Collection 2000 Tea Rose, Collection Deluxe Prohibition)

I am also very keen to try the Topshop lipsticks in pink. They have also been recommended and all of their cosmetics are of an unexpectedly good quality for a high-street shop. 

What lipsticks would you recommend? Whether they are designer or high-street let us know in the comments below. 

Toodle-oo
Izzy

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