7 Quick and Easy Essential Beauty Tips

Good things don't come to people who don't try and the same goes with beauty. Unless you have been blessed with a natural beauty that doesn't change with age, emotions, or bad habits then the way to achieve then keep good hair and skin is by applying these 7 essential tips to your daily life.

If you're missing one or more of these tips in your routine then start doing it today. You'll soon realise that your beauty would not have been able to survive without it! 

Do you have any other essential tips that you would add to this list?

May Favourites | First Half Of The Year Review

As if it's June already? It feels like this year is flying by and soon I'll be doing an end of year review again, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Here are my favourite things from the first half of 2016 so far.

Burt's Bees Hand Salve - £10.99

If you've been following my blog for a while then you'll know that I get dry hands often so I'm always searching for good quality hand treatments and Burt's Bees did not disappoint. I've only been applying it at night time (mostly because it's a bit pricey and I don't want to use it up really quickly) but within 3 days my very flaky hands became smooth and hydrated. 

Since, my hands have gone through phases of getting a bit drier but they have never once been as bad as they have been.

Nivea Lip Fruity Shine Watermelon - £1.99

I had been searching for a lip balm that didn't have too much colour in it and I came across this one and it's perfect! I like to wear it on top of a lip tint during the day to add a bit more colour to it. This is the second one in the Nivea Fruity Shine range I have bought so go and have a look at the other colours they have to offer too.

Simple Spotless Skin Rapid Action Spot Zapper - £5.49

For a few months, my skin started to break out in small white head spots and I tried a few spot treatments that did absolutely nothing so when I used this and it worked I was super happy. It initially reduces the inflammation of your spot and within a day it's dramatically reduced. I am usually left with a small mark where the spot was for a few days but that's fine with me. And since my breakouts keep happening, I'm very glad I have this.

Soap and Glory The Fab Pore 2-In-1 Mask and Peel - £10

I have done a review on this which you can read here. Though I found it isn't actually a peeling mask, it is a refreshing mask that truly makes your pores feel like they are breathing! I love using it once a week to help keep my face as clear as I can. 

Great Modern Artists by Andy Tuohy

I bought this from my trip to Liverpool where I visited Tate Modern. I love the design on it and I've been using it for all the pens and pencils I had laying around my bedroom. I would love to take this to college to show it off but everything I take there looses it's quality somehow, but I'm happy enough with it fitting in with the aesthetics in my bedroom.

Singing in the Rain

My grandparents lent me this DVD and it is such a good feel good and entertaining film. It's great to watch on a rainy afternoon when you're bored. The talent the actors have is on a completely different level to how it is nowadays and I was shocked at how actual humans could do some of the dances that they did. Because it's quite an old film, it's not very expensive so I would recommend going to buy it.

BABOSARANG Katcha and Chandy in Wonderland Diary

Unfortunately, this diary is no longer available but BABOSARANG (you can look at their range on YesStyle.com) have loads of great stationary items so have a look at their other diaries. I have loved the art and cuteness that the diary has and I would seriously be lost without it because I am using it daily.

Posh Pocket Left Brain/Right Brain : 50 Puzzles to Change the Way You Think - £5.99

My college course means that I'm not doing a lot of brain work and, for some odd reason, I missed my high school days where I was challenged in a range of subjects. I'm sure I can't be the only one who has thought this... Nonetheless, I bought this pocket puzzle book which has really challenged me and helped me to think in ways that I haven't done for a while.

Akdong Musician - Spring Vol.1

One of my favourite South Korean artists, Akdong Musician, have finally come back with a new album and it certainly has not disappointed me. As usual, they have brought a range of different styles and moods making it perfect to listen to at this time of year. I love listening to music that matches the weather. "Haughty Girl" is good for listening to in the rain whilst "How People Move" is a really upbeat song that I like dancing to alone in my room. Seriously, have a listen to their album.

What have your favourites been for the first six months of 2016? Let me know.

Soap And Glory | The Fab Pore 2-in1 Facial Pore Purifying Mask and Peel - Review

Pores are always causing problems - full stop. One of the best ways to prevent some of the problems is by using a mask, such as Soap & Glory's The Fab Pore 2-in-1 Facial Mask & Peel. This mask guarantees that your exhausted skin will become fresh once again.

The Product

Said to unclog pores, prevent breakouts and overall detox your skin, this mask and peel is for when you're loosing in your fight against white heads and black heads. It features Rice Microbeads that will exfoliate and polish your skin. As a bonus, rice also has anti-ageing elements.

The consistency is like any other face mask as it is thick and easy to apply to your skin. It has quite a distinctive smell which,to me, is a bit minty with fruity hints - an odd combination but it's nice. 

Though it is proclaimed as a 'mask & peel', it isn't actually a peel and you have to wash it off. It does start to dry but even at that point it is unpeelable which is misleading.

Does It Work?

From past experience with Soap & Glory, I thought I would only notice small differences but I was pleasantly surprised. After you take it off, there is an extremely fresh feeling that comes over your face - a sensation that's similar to the feeling in your mouth after you brush your teeth...

That being said, in the weeks that followed my first application I experienced cleaner and more refreshed skin. 

Conclusion

If you are in desperate need of your pores being purified or fancy treating your skin then I would recommend you try this out. I do think that you'll probably find masks that could give more help to your skin, however. 

One of my main impulses in buying this product was because it said it was a peel and I haven't used a peel in a long time so I was pretty disappointed when I found out it wasn't one. 

Another reason I bought this was because it was half price, but the full price is £10. As I said earlier, there will be other products that'll purify your pores for a cheaper price. BUT, it does work well and if you're willing to pay that price then don't be put off from buying it. Or wait until it's been reduced - like I did.

I give this 3/5

Have you tried the mask and 'peel'? What did you think?

Balance Me Treatments | Radiance Face Mask : Skin Care Review

Is your skin lacking in .... well everything lately? From tired eyes to dull skin, Balance Me ensure that their 5-minute Radiance Face Mask will brighten your complexion and purify your impurities among other skin boosting benefits.

The Product

When I think of a mask I usually expect something quite thick but because this is a quick 5-minute solution so I was reassured when this turned out thinner. The consistency is a bit like a silky and is slightly clay-like with small beads of walnut shells.

It has a distinctive nutty smell with fruity hints - which is appropriate because this is what is in this mask along with kaolin clay.

Does it Work?

I wasn't expecting any miracles, especially the first time I used it but I did notice a difference. My skin problems still exist after 2 weeks of using this mask about twice a week however my skin looks a bit brighter, especially in the dull areas. Immediately after I use it, my skin also feels more radiant as if it has been gently exfoliated. 

Conclusion 

Whilst some people have claimed this mask has done absolute wonders for their skin, I can only partially agree. My skin has benefited from using this mask and I think it would be great to use if your skin was especially dull and in need of a pick-me-up. 

As you may be able to tell, this is just a small bottle and I have to admit this was a free sample from Glamour Magazine (GUILTY!) but you can buy this sized bottle (15ml) for £6.50 or a larger size (75ml) for £18.00. 

If I'm honest, I would buy the larger bottle if it was the price of the smaller one so unless my skin was desperate I'm not likely to buy this. That being said, I would recommend anyone who feels like they need something like this to get it because I think it would definitely be worthwhile to spend a bit extra.

I give this product 3/5

Have you tried this product? Do you agree with me?

Soap & Glory Clean Getaway Gift Set | Review

Specially designed for travel purposes, the Soap & Glory Clean Getaway Gift Set includes four mini products perfect for when you're jetting off and not taking up space in your suitcase with original sized products. It's also great to give someone for a gift - which is how I received it. And since I have (almost) finished all these products I thought I'd take the chance to review each one of them.

Soap & Glory Clean Getaway Gift Set - £10

Firstly, you don't have to buy this just because you're going on holiday or to buy as a gift - Soap 7 Glory products can be a bit pricey (especially if you don't have an income, like me) so buying this would be great to experience the glory of their products without having to splash out.

The shower and bath gels lasted me just over a week each whilst the body butter lasted around 3 weeks and I'm still using the hand cream now (considering I started using it in November). Though it's not long for each product, it can help you decide what to buy if you want to get the larger product.

Clean On Me Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel





































As with all the products, the shower gel is scented with the Original Pink fragrance and it smells great! Though the scent doesn't stay with your body all day, I have still got a whiff of it at mid-point during the day.

With a 'built-in body lotion', it leaves you with super smooth skin as well as saving you time because you don't need to moisturise when you come out the shower.

The larger version is at £6.50 so I give this a 4/5

Calm One Calm All Stress-Battling Softening Bubble Bath

I don't favour baths so I used this as shower gel (judge me all you want) but I don't think it really matters, right? This also doubles up as a body lotion thanks to it's skin conditioning extracts to leave you feeling extra smooth.

Buying the larger one of these as a present, rather than the whole set, is a good idea especially if you know the person loves their baths, unlike me.

The larger size is £6.00 (a whole 50p cheaper than the shower gel!!!) even though there isn't much of a difference between them so this gets a 5/5

Hand Food

Now, my hands get very dry often as you may know if you have been reading my blog posts since I started so I can get pretty critical when it comes to hand cream. As Boots best selling hand cream (*), I can only agree to an extent.

It has been great to renew my hands when they need a quick bit of moisture but I wouldn't recommend this if you have really dry hands because the fragrance could irritate them even more otherwise. However, if you happen to use this when your hands are suffering then it doesn't irritate them as much as I have known others to, so you could use this as a back up hand cream if you are in a desperate situation.

You can buy this at £7.00 for 125ml, £2.50 for 50ml or a pump version with 250ml for £7.00 and this get's a 4/5 

The Righteous Butter

Another product with the Original Pink fragrance and determined to give you soft skin, you wont need to wear perfume if you put this on after you shower.

Similar with the Hand Food, don't use this if you have more serious skin problems because it will probably irritate it even more, however you could use it on other areas that can accept creams with a fragrance. It is also quite similar to the hand cream because of it's scent and it's purpose but as a body butter this is thicker.

To buy a 300ml pot, which would probably last a life time is £10.00 or you could buy a £2.50 50ml pot. Either way I give this product 3/5

And that marks the end of this review, I hope it was somewhat informative and influences your opinion when you next go to buy a Soap & Glory product.
- Zin

Double Skin Care Review | Quick Fix Facials & No 7 Beautiful Skin Hydration Mask

Happy Autumn, everyone! Sorry for being very inactive recently as college and other commitments are taking up any spare time that I might have. Anyway, enough about me and my suddenly hectic life and more about the 2 products that I'm going to be reviewing today!!

I decided to review both products because I have been using them at the same time (not literally at the same time, but I'll use one every few days then the other and so on) and I thought that anything that I have noticed from one of these products could actually be an outcome from the other product. I hope that makes sense because it took me a few minutes to think of how to say that in the most understandable way possible...

Quick Fix Facials Exfoliating Scrub - Blackheads and Blocked Pores : £2.49 

One of the best methods to clean and clear skin is to try make your skin clean and clear. A make-up wipe does not get off all your make-up and you need to cleanse with warm water to really get rid of all that cake! Every so often I think it is also important to go one step further in cleaning out your pores which is why I picked this up in the first place!

This scrub is a very delicate rose pink colour, which is actually one of my favourite colours at the moment, and the smell matches the colour. As funny as it sounds, it smells pretty! It's made with pomegranate extract which will be why this smells so nice.

It's simple to use, just apply to wet skin and gently massage it around your face - whilst paying attention to problem areas. Leave for 5-10 minutes then remove with warm water.

As with any scrub - don't rub viciously!  I can rip your skin and cause it more damage than good. That is also why you should use a scrub every so often.

Back to the product. It feels very delicate on my skin but also feels like it is clearing out my pores which is how a scrub really should feel. It doesn't set like you would expect a mask to but you can feel that it dries up and therefore it doesn't actually take ages to rinse off your face like some masks do.

Afterwards, my face always feels refreshed and CLEAN!! Even after the first time I used it my pores were definitely less clogged and frequent use means that my pores can breathe much more clearly with each use.

Now, my skin has it's dry patches and frequent use of scrubs can make your skin become drier so it is important to always moisturise whilst using a scrub often. Because I had also bought No 7's Beautiful Skin Hydration Mask at around the same time I thought I would use them along side one another.

No 7 Beautiful Skin Hydration Mask : £12.50

So as I mentioned in a previous post, this was an impulse buy but I'm so glad that I did because this has been great for combating the early winter wind drying up my skin.

Firstly, I love the smell and texture of this thing! It's a bit like sun cream, and I know what you're thinking - sun cream is NOT something that is desirable to smell or feel. But don't judge just yet because, although I have never experienced sun cream in a really positive way, it is as though I am dealing with a very high quality sun cream that I want to put on.

Enough talk about it being like sun cream though because that is not what this is...

The smell is very delicate and, again, I would describe it by saying pretty (and let's not forget that hint of sun cream). And as for the texture, it is semi-velvety. By this I mean it has a deep yet soft feel but it is still very light and a little thin.

I love the feeling of putting this on my skin because of the texture and sometimes I can get a bit carried away and I'm stood massaging this into my skin for a good 3 minutes. All you do is massage it onto your previously-cleansed and dried skin, possibly focus a bit more in areas where your skin may need it more than others, and leave it for 5-10 minutes.

Again, this mask doesn't necessarily dry but you know when you should take it off - rinse or wipe off in this case actually. It goes translucent but keeps its texture, basically.

I have tried to wash this off and I don't really like the experience so I prefer to just kept some kitchen towel and wipe it off (it's a lot better and more hygienic than using a towel in my opinion). The moisture is still left over so there is no need to moisturise after using this mask which is one of my favourite things about it!

I would really recommend using this product even if you don't have dry skin, because the winter wind can bring out those dry patches and this is a great mask to soothe those areas and have them more moisturised! If you have very dry skin then this would be great for your skin and I definitely feel a difference after I have used it.

That's all folks!
- Zin x

Berrisom Oops My Lip Tint - Review | Peel Off Lip Stain

Almost a year after first getting the Berrisom Oops My Lip Tint, I am finally going to be reviewing it! This is a peel off lip stain that is supposed to last 12 hours after applying it, leaving it for 5-10 minutes then peeling it off. The one that I have is in Bubble Pink that you can purchase here.

Packaging

Firstly, It comes in a cardboard box that is just smaller than my hand (bare in mind I have quite small hands) and the tube is just a bit smaller and thinner than the box meaning it could easily fit in a small-medium make-up bag.

There are no English instructions but on websites that you can buy it should be instructions in English and you'd probably know how to use it just from reading my introduction for it at the top. This also means you would have to find out the ingredients on the website in case you might have any allergies.

How to use the Product

With the squeezable tube, you put a blob on to your lips and spread it using the bit where it came out (I have no idea what to call that part of the tube!). I would not advise rubbing your lips together to spread it because the consistency is a little bit sticky and will start drying straight away.

Talking of consistency, make sure you put on an equal amount or the colour will be fainter where it is thinner and won't last as long either. The thinner the amount you put on the quicker it will dry. Please keep in mind that you do not want to put loads on because that would not be clever and you could be waiting all day for it to dry. Maybe that was just common sense, though...

















In the picture above it shows when I first put it on, as you can see it is a gel-like consistency. Though it hadn't dried completely, it still came off easily when I peeled it back and I sometimes find that using a dry cotton bud or pad to get rid off any left over bits works well. And finally, the third picture shows what it looked like afterwards.


Review

Like I said earlier, the packaging is good because it is relatively small and can easily fit into a small-medium sized make-up bag meaning it is perfect for if you are going away or just to keep out of the way. Of course you won't be needing to take it with you everyday to work or school (unless you do your make-up there) therefore you will not need to carry around as many lip products or continuously reapplying products throughout the day.

The gel was a bit hard to work with, for me, because it is a bit sticky and also a bit thick but after I got used to using the lip stain it became easier to apply. Sometimes I thought it was a bit time consuming but I realised I could be doing my eye make-up and brows whilst I waited for it to dry.

I hate dry lips, even if they are smooth, so I always applied some clear lip balm or I enhanced the colour with Baby Lips Electro Pink Shock.

Does it last 12 hours? I still have no idea but it does last a very long time and below is a picture of after 6 hours including a 2 hour shift of pot washing, so not bad. The only problem is that I drink a lot of water throughout the day which is why I can never tell if it would last a long time if I didn't drink so much.


















Like I also said at the beginning, I have had this for almost a year and I use it at least once or twice a week but it's still got quite a bit of gel in it so it has lasted a good amount of time.

I would really recommend getting the Berrisom Oops My Lip Tint because of all the qualities it has that I have described in my review. On WishTrend.com it had been $15.99 (around £10) however at this current moment in time it has 50% off making it $7.99 (around £5). If you have been wondering to get it, I would recommend getting it now whilst it is in the sale and at such a good price because if you find that you do not like it you would know you hadn't spent a lot on it.

If the sale has ended when you are looking at this then I would still recommend getting it because it is good value for money, it lasts a long time and it would be worth spending it on something that also lasts all day.

That's all for now
- Zin

Banila Co Clean it Zero Cleanser Review

Recently I decided to buy Banila Co's Clean it Zero cleanser after I had heard good reviews about both the product and the company. Plus I find it really hard to find good cleansers and I had been using my previous one for over a year so I wanted a change.

Firstly, I love the simple and minimalist-inspired design and presentation on the packaging. It's not trying to promote itself on it's own packaging like a lot of products do nowadays and the instructions on the side (both in Korean and English) are simple and straight to the point. It has the purpose, how to use, ingredients and cautions on the side which, if you ask me, is all you need. (I'm saying this because many brands try to sell you other products on the packaging).

Inside the box is the tub that's around 8cm long/wide and inside that is the cleanser, a little plastic covering and a small spatula.

The cleanser itself is described as a 'solid balm' and I would say that is the best way to describe it although it has a more soft and silky texture than a balm. Once you start massaging it turns into an oil but it is thicker than a typical oil yet it still holds that soft and silky texture.

After massaging the oil all over your face you rinse it off or use a tissue to wipe it off. At first it felt like I wasn't getting all my make-up off when I just used a tissue and I should rinse it off but a tissue is all you need - it is that simple!

As you can see, I put bb cream, eye shadow and eye liner on my hand and within a minute it was all gone. Clean it Zero is especially good if you are too lazy or busy in the evening to take off your make-up because it is really so quick to do.

The only problem with this product is that it does sometimes feel like you haven't got all your make-up off only because it is done so quickly and your don't use water so I only really use this when I have minimal make-up on.

Nevertheless, afterwards my face feels clean and really soft so I would recommend trying this product, which you can buy here and they also do one for sensitive skin that you can buy here.

I hope this review has been helpful!
- Zin x

June Favourites 2015

I have returned! My exam's have finally finished and I am now ready to get back into the swing of things (apologies for being gone for so long!!) and what better to make a return than with a favourites post?

1. Barry M Gelly Nail Polish

I absolutely love wearing this at the moment and I think it is particularly summery as well. The colour I have is called blueberry, however on the website it isn't there but the nearest colour to this is either huckleberry or sky blue. My sister also went on a trip to New York recently and the hat she bought me matched this colour completely - another reason I have been wearing this a lot.

2. Leighton Denny Nail Polish
Blush Pink & I Love Juicy

My auntie had received these as samples in a gift box but gave them to me because they were too bright for her and I probably would not have bought these as the price is a bit out of my price range for nail varnish. However, if you do have the money I would really get a varnish from this brand. Not only are there so many colours that are really gorgeous but the quality of the varnish is great and the brush is designed to make it really hard to make a big mistake.

3. banila co. Clean It Zero Classic 

Firstly, banila co. is a great brand and many people agree with that fact. This cleanser has a gel-like consistency to begin with then turns into an oil when you put it on your face. I love it because you can put it on a full face of make-up and it brings all the products off your face. As I am a bit fussy I do it twice just to make sure it is all of but it leaves my skin feelings really refreshed, clean and smooth.

4. Chris Hadfield - An Astronaut's Guild to Life on Earth

I might do a full review on this once I have finished this book (as you can see by the bookmark in the picture, I haven't quite finished it yet). So far I love the way that Chris Hadfield writes about training and being an astronaut and compares different aspects to everyday life as it is very useful if you feel anxious or worried about something. I really recommend that you read it as I have already learned a lot about it.

5. Original Source Vanilla & Raspberry Shower Gel
























I am absolutely in love with this! I adore the smell of vanilla with anything at all and with raspberries it is amazing. The smell is seriously like raspberry ice cream, now who doesn't want to smell like raspberry ice cream all day? Original source is maybe a bit expensive for a regular shower gel but it's a good treat every so often or even a really great present for a friend.

So these are all my favourites for this month and I hope to be updating quite frequently now so stay tuned!
- Zin x

Boots Beauty Shopping Haul

I recently went shopping in Boots and bought a few beauty products which I am going to share with you.

1. Revlon ColorStay ShadowLinks 

Revlon have these small eye shadow colour pallets in a large range of colours, I bought candy, petal and taupe. They have little slides on the sides of them so you can create your own actual pallet of colours which you want as you can often find that there will be a colour in an eye shadow pallet that you don't really want or end up not using, so these are great so you can chose exactly what you want.

2. Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Gell Eyeshadow

Even though this is an eye shadow, I have used it as eye liner and works the same as gel eye liner too. This is in timeless black, which is black with a look of a sparkle in it but when it's on your eye the sparkle isn't very noticeable. It is also good as both a sharp block colour as well createing a smokey look.

3. No.7 Precision Eyeliner Brush

I think that these thin eyeliner brushes are best to use as they are thin so you can have your eyeliner thin and subtle or you can build it up bit by bit to make it thicker. I bought No. 7, even though it wasn't cheap,  because they are a good quality brand and I am most likely to get my money's worth out of it.

4. Maybelline Colour Show Nail Varnish

You can get block colours, such as this 'cool blue', or there are also glitter and neon nail varnishes too in this collection. There was a particular nail design I had wanted to try out (which I may do a tutorial or something similar for in the future) which is why I bought this colour, but I also really like the pastely type colour as is a great colour for summer.

- Zin x
Don't forget to follow my twitter so you can know when I have a new blog post, you can follow me here 

June Favourites 2014

1. Good Things Bright Eyes Treatment 

I had also featured this in my previous post and it is one of my favourites this month because I find it really effective and useful. Sometimes, when I'm still half asleep, I rub my eyes and so they become very swollen and this has helped a lot to make my eyes not as puffy as they have recently been. I also became tired because of exams and got dark circles and this again helped brighten my eyes. It has extracts of raspberry and lychee in it and has a very nice smell, as do all the Good Things range. If you have any eye problem similar then I recommend this .

2. Topp Dogg - Amadeus

I have followed Topp Dogg since their debut and all their songs, even those not released, have really impressed me. I love hip hop and classical and when they're mixed together it's like a super genre and Topp Dogg have done really well in mixing the 2 genres together, I also like how the vocals are quite R'n'B and they go well with the mixed genres. The song Salieri is different from the other songs as it doesn't have the classical in it and I think it's just the rappers of Topp Dogg in it (correct me if I'm wrong). Overall I think Amadeus is my favourite on the mini album but I really enjoy the others a lot too.

3. Strawberries!!

It's the time of the year for strawberries and also a time to get emotional because of strawberries tasting so good! I'm not sure about other countries but strawberries are also the nicest during summertime in the UK, and strawberry picking is so great. I really love strawberries.

4. Nivea Facial Cleansing Wipes

Nivea products are always very good and I enjoy their range, one of my favourites being their face wipes. The one I have is for all skin types but there are also one especially for dry skin or combination skin. The wipes themselves felt a bit dry to me at first and I was worried there would still be make-up behind afterwards but it takes make up off easily and efficiently.

Hope you enjoyed
- Zin x