From Day to Night with Antipodes

Hello there lovelies

So this post was meant to go up yesterday but somebody may have forgot to hit the publish button which is why you’re getting it a day late.

Do you find that when you discover a skincare brand that you love you want to own the entire collection- well that’s me and how I feel about Antipodes. Ever since I first started using the amazing eye cream I knew I was on to a winner with the brand and have since purchased the Aura Manuka Honey Mask and Joyful Hand and Body Cream both of which I absolutely love. A few weeks ago I decided to take the plunge and make the (all be it expensive) purchase of the day and night cream in the hope that they would live up to the high expectations I had placed on them.

Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream. This has a lovely light fragrance that smells like the Aura Manuka Honey Mask. It leaves my skin feeling deeply moisturised and like its natural ingredients are really benefiting my skin. Containing avocado oil for its antioxidant properties, manuka honey which has antibacterial properties and Vinanza Grape to keep skin healthy and energised its packed full of beneficial ingredients for your skin. It provides a lovely base for makeup without causing it move throughout the day. I don’t feel this cream would be suitable for those with oily skin but of you have normal to dry skin I think it could work well, I certainly enjoy using it.

Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream. In a nutshell I don’t like it, this makes me cry on the inside due to the fact that it's pretty expensive. I’m so disappointed that I don’t like it but I’m not disappointed in the product itself. The thing I don’t like about it is the smell. It’s fragranced with sandalwood, ylang ylang and patchouli all fragrances that I really don’t like. I find it smells really heavy and I wasn’t expecting it to be so strongly fragranced. I thought it would have a nice light fragrance being called avocado pear, which is more like the types of scents I like, I don’t like heavy herbal opulent scents, I like light floral fruity scents and this is definitely not in that category. It’s my own fault and I probably should have read the ingredients before buying- lesson learned. All is not lost though as the scent is right up my mum’s street and she’s chuffed that she’s going to be inheriting it. That’s all down to my personal preference. As for the product itself it’s most definitely nourishing, I don’t think it would suit oily skin as it’s extremely rich but if you suffer with dry skin I think it could work wonders. After applying it at night when I wake up in the morning I can still feel it on my skin, it leaves it feeling really moisturised and like its been well fed overnight. If this was fragrance free I’m sure I would love it, I just can’t get over the smell enough to continue using it. It’s purely my personal preference with regards to the smell, I would recommend trying a sample if you can before buying as it’s so expensive. I may be disappointed but my mum is one happy bunny.

So do you have any recommendations for a good night cream as I’m now on the hunt for a new one (insert wailing emoji)

Until next time 

POTW 13 Scrubbing My Way To Summer Skin

Hello there lovelies

This weeks POTW is the Boots Extracts Cranberry Body Scrub. Now that we’re in May and summer is fast approaching (well hopefully) I thought it was about time I paid a bit more attention to the condition of my skin all over my body and in particular my legs. I’m always looking for products to help me achieve perfectly polished pins so that they look good when exposed in the warmer weather and I find one product that helps is a body scrub. I love this one from Boots mainly because of the smell but unfortunately it’s not available all year round but the almond one is very nice too. I find this one exfoliates really well removing dead skin cells without leaving skin feeling raw or looking red, the scrub particles are contained within a lovely soft rich cream that helps to buffer them some what so they aren’t too harsh. If it was my choice this would be a bit more dense with the particles as I find I have to use quite a lot of product to get a good covering all over but saying that it has definitely made a difference to the condition of my skin since I’ve been using it, I’ve really noticed it on my thighs, which has been the area I’ve been concentrating on, they are much softer and smoother and just generally look more “polished” glowy almost especially when a body butter is used afterwards. As I have to use so much of this it is definitely going to need repurchasing in the next couple of weeks but it’s a really good price for the quality of the product.

What body scrubs do recommend to achieve perfectly polished pins for summer exposure?

Until next time

Love From April

Hello there lovelies

It’s that time again to give a round up of things I’ve been enjoying in April. Firstly can I just say where the heck did April disappear to, it went in a flash didn’t it. It’s been a bit of a manic month for me this month, it feels like all I’ve done is work which has resulted in me being ever so absent, or feeling it anyway, with regards to my blog and twitter returning likes, follows and comments etc. Anyways here are a few things that I’ve been enjoying throughout the month of April.

Midi rings. I never really saw the point in midi rings until a couple of months ago and now I absolutely love them. They’re so dainty and feminine but add a modern twist on ordinary rings and I’m always looking out for more to add to the collection now I’m hooked.

Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Varnish. I’ve only had this a couple of weeks but it’s barely been off my nails since I got it. I got the shade Mary Mary Quite Contrary and it’s so pretty, it’s not quite a lilac colour, I think it has slightly more pink tone in it to be a true lilac and it’s a really pretty pastel colour that’s great for spring.

Kinder Bueno White. I seriously have been eating way too many of these this month. I love white chocolate and these have the added bonus if a yummy hazelnut cream encased in a crispy wafer shell then covered in sweet white chocolate. These have been great when I’ve needed that late afternoon sugar boost.

MAC All That Glitters Eyeshadow. When I got this I knew it would be a great shade for this time of year. Despite the name it’s not at all glittery. I’ve been wearing this most days over Brule just to add a bit of colour to my lids and it’s such a great colour for a barely there makeup day.

Moringa Body Spray. I’ve said before this is my favourite scent form the Body Shop. It’s so light and refreshing and perfect for spring with is delicate floral fragrance. I just love this.

Bioderma Sensibio Light. This is only a mini trial size of this gem that I got from Escentual but it’s a really great light day cream that provides an excellent base for makeup and keeps skin hydrated. One I’ll definitely be buying the full size of.

Calvin Harris Summer. I LOVE this song. It’s not my usual taste in music but I really like Calvin Harris and this song is one of those ones that going to be great to crank up the volume at the summer BBQs. I actually pre-ordered this, as I couldn’t wait for it to go into my playlist. Whenever it comes on the radio in the car the volume goes up and the windows go down. A true summer anthem that’s going to be played quite a few times.

Who knows what May will bring, hopefully more sunshine, less working and plenty more beauty products.

What have you been loving during April?

Until next time

Spring Lips

Hello there lovelies

 As spring is finally here (who knows how long it will last) I thought I would share with you some lip products that I think are perfect for spring, although I’m sure they would look lovely all year round too. I’ve mentioned before that I’m not the most confident of lip colour wearer, even if I know a colour suits me I don’t always feel confident, but I’m trying, I really am. So here are a few of the ones I’ve been enjoying recently.

Revlon Matte and Lacquer Balms. I got the matte balms in the shades Audacious (top) and Complex (bottom) and these are so lovely, I must admit that I was slightly concerned about a matte lip product on me as my lips dry out pretty quickly. I’ve not had any problem with these, although they are totally matte they aren’t drying in the slightest, they have good lasting power and a cool minty taste to them. I prefer the matte balms to the lacquer balm I have in the shade Demure (middle) as it’s a bit shimmery for me but it’s a lovely product and they are so easy to apply.

Revlon Lip Butter and Lipgloss. I got the lip butter in the shade Juicy Papaya and the lipgloss in Ballini. The lip butter looks a really scary orange colour and as soon as I got this I thought oh no that’s going to look awful but I actually love this, I love the texture that literally feels like butter and the colour is really sheer and not at all scary, it’s a great product to chuck in your handbag and apply like you would a lip balm while adding a subtle hint of colour. The lipgloss has a great formula and ballini is a lovely nude colour that doesn’t wash my lips out and goes great over lipsticks to add some sheen.

Sleek Pout Polish. I got this in the shade Peach Perfection and I think this product is great. It goes on feeling like a nice conditioning balm and sort of melts into more of gloss but retains the feeling of a balm. It smells of lovely shea butter and feels really nourishing; it also has the added bonus of containing SPF so great for summer. The only downside is that it’s a dip your finger in the pot to apply job which I’m not always a fan of but I love the product and the colour is lovely.

Tanya Burr Lipgloss. I got the shades Chic (top) and Afternoon Tea. They have a great formula which isn’t sticky at all, they feel moisturising on the lips and are so pigmented they also smell fab too but lets face it they were bound to be good as I don’t think Tanya Burr would put her name to any old s*** would she. I prefer the more neutral shade Chic over the pretty pink shade of Afternoon Tea. Your lips have to be in tip top condition for these too and I prefer a couple of dabs over a lipstick rather than wearing alone.

Nars Lipgloss. I got this in the shade Chihuahua, mainly because I have a Chihuahua so I loved the name. I have to say I am in love with this one; it may be my absolute favourite ever. It is such an easy wearable shade and the one I feel most comfortable wearing. It looks quite pink but it’s really sheer and just enhances your lips natural colour. It smells horrible but all is forgiven once applied.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick. I’ve had this for ages and it’s one of those ones I um and ah about every time I put it on. I have this in the shade Asia and although in the pictures it looks brown its actually quite pink, it’s a kind of dark dusky pink colour. I find it better when it’s applied by dabbing it on then dabbing it into the lips so it’s more subtle. It has a lovely moisturising formula and good staying power.

I’m getting better with my lip products and I’m getting more confident with wearing them too and I’m looking forward to adding to my collection.

What lipsticks/glosses do you really like?

Until next time