August 2013 Beauty Essentials

August was a bit of a whirl wind month for me. I had a hectic few weeks between starting back college, doing loads of courses and just generally trying to have a life. So when I was reaching for products this month I was either looking for something quick and handy that I knew would do the job or something more luxurious that would make me feel all "awwwwhhh" inside.

Lets start with bodycare......
I wear fake tan alot but hate the thought of it clinging to my dry patches. To avoid this I use body scrubs religiously. Up to this month I had a few favourites but I was never 100% happy with them. Then I was introduced to Cocoa Brown's Tough Stuff which blew my mind. This comes in a sachet and honest to god it will get rid of any stubborn tan while at the same time removing any dead skin....all you are left with is glowing baby soft skin. It's a new must have for me and at €2.99 per sachet why would you not want this in your bathroom cabinet? Oh and it's pink!! You can read my full review on Tough Stuff right HERE!

Pic from Tesco.ie

After a full body exfoliation I love to slather myself with a really rich, beautiful smelling body cream. I found a new one in August which is to die for. It's called Flower Pharm Orange Flower Body Butter and I found mine in Tesco for €5.99 for a big 300ml tub. The texture is rich but its not too rich that it won't soak into your skin. I never have a problem with it rubbing on to clothes or anything, even if I get dressed straight after. I usually apply this in the morning and still in the evening time my skin would be well moisturised. It also smells divine. I believe the fragrance is Neroli which I have discovered recently is one of my all time favourite scents. It also has coconut oil, sweet orange and chamomile essential oils so it is bound to be very nourishing for the skin. The scent lingers throughout the day but it is in no way overpowering. It reminds me of the really nice oils spa's use for massages....Ah Bliss.

Pic from michaeltoddtrueorganics.com

I am all about Body this month and another product I was loving in August is the Michael Todd Pink Grapefruit Body Lotion. This is very different to the Flower Pharm butter. This is much more lightweight in texture but yet it is still so hydrating. I loved this for sunny days. I applied it after sun exposure for a refreshing boost to the skin. The scent reminds me of a milkshake for some reason. Really does smell good enough to eat. You can purchase this HERE and I would recommend checking out some of their skincare while you are there. Its so reasonable and I love it. 

L'oreal is becoming one of my go to brands the last while. I never really used the brand alot in the past but they have come up trumps with their recent releases. I am only obsessed with their new hair care line. Anyone I have spoken to feels the same. They do an entire range for all different hair types. I have curly hair which can get dry and frizzy so I choose the Ever Sleek range and I really can notice a difference. My curls are more defined, less fuzzy and the best thing is if I wash my hair and style it I don't need to fix my hair during the day because it doesn't get unruly like it does with other products. Definitely check this out if you are in the market for new hair care. It's a must try. I just repurchased some a few days ago and they were on special in Boots (2 for €12)!

Another L'Oreal product I am in love with for the last while is the Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Water. This is basically a cleansing water that will remove even stubborn mascara but is very gentle on the skin. Check out my full review HERE. Let's just say I had a slight panic attack when I realised this had run out and I didn't have a backup....does that tell ya something hey???? Again this on special in Boots at the moment for around €4.50 (or maybe a little less).

Ok...so now let's get on to makeup. 


I started off the month of August saying I wasn't going to buy any new products....that I was going to use up what I had..... Did not and never will happen!!! 

I am shade 180 Sand Beige with no/slight tan

But with my good intentions came me searching through my makeup collection trying to find products that I only used a little bit or ones that I have loved in the past that would be fun to try again. So I came across my Revlon Colour stay foundation. This was a firm fav of mine for many years and I still do love it but have really gotten back into using it the past while. I do have to say though that I think the Normal to Dry skin formula is streets ahead of the Oily/Combo skin one. No matter what skin type you are I would recommend the Normal to Dry type because it will still last all day (if you are really oily make sure to set with powder) but it just gives a much nicer finish than the Oily/Combo one. The last time I bought the foundation I used it for a day and hated it and its because it was the oily version. Its just not as nice. Overall, I adore the coverage this foundation gives without looking cakey and I love that it really does last on me all day long. This is a cult favourite amongst makeup artists and it will be one that I will always go back to when I need something long wearing and reliable. There are however two downsides to this product. I HATE the packaging. It doesn't have a pump so you have to pore the product onto your hand which means that if you spill out too much you are wasting your product....Revlon should really sort this out. Also I do feel its a little on the pricey side. Its around €18 which isn't expensive for a higher end brand but when its sold next to Rimmel and Maybelline it does seem over priced. Although I would like to add that it is well worth every cent because it really does do the job well.

Image from www.sarahgcosmetics.com

For my eyes, bronzer and cheeks this month I have really only reached for one product and that is the Sarah G Cosmetics Face Kit Palette. I won't go into too much detail on this because I plan to do a full in-depth review on my purchases from this line very soon. In a nut shell I love this palette, its convenient, easy to use, great pigmentation and very reasonably priced for the quality and amount of product that you get. You have everything you need for face and eyes in this little gem so it is amazing for reaching for in a hurry or carrying with you on the go. I am really glad I have added this to my collection so stay tuned for my full review very soon. 

Shade 010 Dating Joe Black

The Sarah G Palette does have a lovely dark grey/black colour that can be used to line the upper lash line but if you want a more defined look or want that sought after winged eye liner then I have found your new best friend. The very inexpensive brand Catrice have in my opinion the best liquid eyeliner. Its simply called Liquid Liner and its in the shade 010 "Dating Joe Black". The brush on this is so fine it allows you to create a very neat and precise line without getting it all over your face. I find this so easy to use and do believe that it would be perfect for beginners and for under €4 its a steal. Catrice is available in some pharmacy's and also alot of Dunnes and Penney's stock this brand. I would highly recommend giving this a go if you have wanted to master liquid liner but haven't been able to. 

Left Vegas volt alone..Right with Decoderm gloss over it

While I was in London at IMATS I bought a beautiful Mac lipstick called Vegas Volt. Its a bright orange coral type colour. I love how it just wakes up my complexion and adds a pop of colour to my face without looking OTT. This colour is part of the Amplified range of lipsticks which means that it has a really opaque finish, vibrant colour and is long wearing. Usually I need to topup every 3-4 hours depending on how much action my lips have gotten that day. If I want to add some gloss to this lipstick I am loving it paired with the Decoderm 3D Magnificent Gloss in shade 03. This just adds another dimension to the lipstick. I love this look. You can read my full review of some of the Decoderm range HERE.

Pic from www.eyeslipsface.co.uk

My final product this month is not a makeup item but is definitely makeup related. Its the e.l.f Daily Brush cleaner. This is great for spot cleaning your makeup brushes on days when you don't have time to give them a full on clean. Its anti bacterial so I find it great for cleaning the brushes which I use on my face so that I don't spread acne or bacteria around my face. I use this everyday on my foundation and concealer brushes and it gives me peace of mind that my brushes are clean even when I am in a hurry. This is so reasonably priced at less than €5 for a 60ml bottle. I have used this for a very long time and will continue to repurchase.

Well that's all my favourites for this month. I hope you enjoyed them and find my recommendations helpful. If you love or hate any of the products above please let me know or if you have any products which you have been loving during the month please say as I am always on the hunt for new things to try. Have a wonderful day and talk to you all soon xxxx

Stubborn Tan? Tough Stuff's Your Man! (or your lovely pink lady in this case)!!!

Lately the only fake tan I have used is Cocoa Brown's 1 Hour tan and I haven't had much problems at all with it leaving tan clinging to dry areas (review here). Although depending on how well I prepped my skin before fake tan application I may get a little bit of stubborn old tan clinging to my dry ankles, knees, elbows or under my arms after a week or so.

I was sent the new Cocoa Brown "Tough Stuff" scrub to try out and was so happy with the results. This product is "A No Nonsense Scrub for Rough Areas such as feet, ankles, knees, elbows & hands". It can be used to:
-Prepare skin for fake tan application.
-Buff your skin to make it feel soft and smooth.
-Get rid of nasty old tan.

I am a massive fan of body scrubs because I tan regularly and like it to look as natural and even as possible so was very curious to give this new launch a go. I have tried a tonne of body scrubs, some better than others but I always find that they leave a residue on my skin. I also can never seem to manage to get rid of my old tan completely after using certain scrubs, I usually have to exfoliate and then use a dry rough towel on wet skin to get rid of the rest, with Tough Stuff there is no need for this last step.

Tough Stuff is housed is a 50 ml sachet. The packaging is as girly and eye catching as the other Cocoa Brown products. The only thing I would change is that I would love it to be packaged in either a 200 ml tube or a tub firstly because it would be much easier to use in the shower and secondly because it would mean that I would have a big container of this super scrub to the ready whenever needed.

On the back of the sachet there are some great application tips from Marissa Carter (owner and founder of the Cocoa Brown brand). She advises that the scrub can be applied to dry skin for a deeper exfoliation or wet skin for a more gentle scrub. She also doesn't recommend using the scrub on sensitive areas as it is very strong so we don't want to irritate the skin. Marissa also recommends that you do not use this scrub on the same day as applying tan so I used it today before getting a spray tan done tomorrow and avoided using it on my chest and decollete area. I just love how this little sachet has so much information on it, very user friendly.

So what did I think of the product?????

I used this on wet skin in the shower. I didn't have any old stubborn tan to remove so the purpose of me using this was just to really buff my skin and prepare it for fake tan application.

Well firstly it smells so sweet and girly which instantly had me hooked and of course its a pink colour which again added to the princess pampering experience. The texture reminds me of a really expensive salt scrub that you would get in a luxurious spa . And wait for it..... hooray not a single bit of residue left on the skin after I rinsed it off. I also find with other body scrubs that the grains don't all wash off in the shower. I think this is because the product is oil based and so does not melt in water and hence the residue. With Tough Stuff there is none of this fussing about. It rinses off completely and the only thing it leaves behind is super soft baby like skin that almost tingles it feels so fresh and new. My skin was slightly pinkish after use but it states on the back of the sachet that this is normal and it is down to the fact that it gives such a deep exfoliation!

I am a sucker for using up the whole sachet when I use them but with this product I couldn't use it all. I exfoliated my whole body (and didn't skimp on the application) and I still have enough left for another full body scrub which I cannot wait for! I absolutely LOVED using this scrub on my thighs and bum area. It really works the area well and really helps with all the nasty lumps and bumps that us ladies get in that dreaded area. I felt like I had a body brush and scrub all in one.

Yes the product looks and smells amazing and there is no doubt that it ticks all the girly boxes but all of this aside this product really is a very high quality, no nonsense product. It does exactly what a body scrub should do, it's as simple as that.

Well done Marissa for delivering yet again another amazing product that will be part of my body skincare routine for many years.

Tough Stuff is sold in all Cocoa Brown stockists and costs a tiny €2.99. Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think. I have no doubt you will adore it as much as I do.

Love and Cuddles
Anita xxxx