Cheap Thrills - Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion.

I'm a big fan of Nivea body care products. Sure, they're nothing fancy, but they are reliable, effective and offer great value for money. I am particularly fond of Nivea body lotions and the Express Hydrating Body Lotion is my favorite of the bunch.

It has a very light formulation - an almost a gel like liquid -  that is intensely hydrating and it's not heavy or sticky feeling. This lotion absorbs into my skin immediately leaving it feeling softened and it feels cooling and soothing.

 I use this year round but it is a very good product for warmer weather because of it's lightness. Although it isn't an after sun product, it's a great product to use when your skin feels a little tight from being in the sun or wind.

Fragrance wise, it has a light scent that lingers on the skin without being overpowering. There is definitely a base of that classic Nivea smell here but there is also a spa like freshness that feels very summery. It is a little powdery but isn't particularly feminine, it just smells clean so both men and women can use it.

And it is cheap! A 500ml bottle is around $8.00 (depending on where you purchase it obvs) but you can always find these on special offer, buy one get one, with cash back etc and there are very often coupons for them available. Finally it is paraben free (if that is something that concerns you).

Do yourself a favor and next time you are at the drugstore or in the supermarket throw one of these in your basket, you won't regret it!

White Line Fever.

I love biographies of rock stars and Lemmy was certainly one of the worlds biggest rock stars. White Line Fever was a relatively quick read and one that I greatly enjoyed.

It's not so much that there are fewer tales of rock and roll excess here its more a case that they are slipped into the story so casually you take them all in your stride -  there are plenty of hilarious over the top tales and incidents - but the books main focus is music making recording and touring. 

Lemmy doesn't focus much on his personal life, aside from his childhood years so I didn't feel that I learned much about him - but I did learn a lot about Motorhead!

This was a great book written in a very relatable style. It was almost like sitting down and having someone talk to you over a drink (or should I say drinks?) 

It is written in a very sardonic humorous way and there were lots of genuinely LOL moments. I enjoyed  immensely  the very unique perspective that Lemmy had on life and his vision of various things.

I absolutely loved reading this. They don't make rockstars like they used to that's for sure...

Recommended.

Product Love: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner.

I know that non exfoliating toners aren't essential but they are a quick and easy part of my routine and one that I take pleasure in. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner is one of my very favorites and  

it isn't often that there's not a bottle of this on my bathroom shelf being put to daily use. 

I simply soak a cotton pad with this and swipe it over my face in the morning after washing and use it in the same way at night after acid toning.

It feels very, very nice on my skin, cooling and soothing and it gives a little boost of hydration before I go in with the big guns - serums, oils and creams - as there is apricot, avocado and sweet almond oils in it along with glycerin. There's also sodium hyaluronate, which is a hyaluronic acid to help plump things out.

What sets this apart from other 'refreshing toners' is that it's very gentle as it doesn't have any drying alcohol in it (in fact it is alcohol free) and unlike other toners it is slightly viscous with a milk-like consistency.

It's also a bit of a bargain, a 250ml (8.4oz) bottle lasts for ages and costs just $16.00.

You can find it online at kiehls.com 

M Train

I adored Patti Smith's last book Just Kids in which she told the story of her early life, her moving to NYC and her emergence and growth as an artist. M Train isn't exactly a 'part two' of her tale but it makes a very good companion book to Just Kids.

Patti describes M Train as a 'roadmap to my life'. 

It contains her reflections on life, art and writing and touches on many varied things - travel, people, cafes, possessions, inspirations and dreams included. It also details (to great effect) memories of her personal life and family. 

It showcases her skills as a writer and is beautifully written. With just a few carefully chosen words she can portray great emotions and craft perfectly believable scenarios... You can lose yourself in her words...

Although the chapters don't follow a theme or a chronological order they feel connected somehow. You could read the book either as a whole or dip in and out of it.

The dream sequences she recounts didn't appeal to me (I much preferred the minutiae of her everyday life that she describes so well) but this is the only real criticism I had.

If you liked Just Kids you will certainly like this.

Recommended and a must read if you are a Patti Smith fan!

Cult Beauty and Barney's GWP and More...

I don't often do these kind of posts (and I hate to be an enabler) but there are some rather good beauty offers around right now. If you need to restock anything now may well be a good time to do so. 

Cult Beauty are offering all of the goodies pictured above (worth over 150GBP) when you spend 100GBP. Worldwide shipping is free and if you are shopping from outside the E.U. orders of less than 200GBP are also tax free.  If this tempts you have a look at cultbeauty.co.uk

Barneys are offering an even bigger goody bag GWP in their Love Yourself promotion! One of Barneys famous toiletry bags filled with 21 deluxe samples and full sized products is free when you spend $200.00 or more. The event runs from March 8-12 but you can pre-order at a Barneys store now. Oh, there are step up gifts available from various brands as well! If you are a U.S. shopper why not check out barneys.com and make a shopping list?

As if that wasn't enough Space NK are offering $20.00 off online orders over $100.00 from now until March 9th. Simply add the promo code EXPLORE16 at checkout. This offer excludes sale items and gift cards but you can redeem and collect Ndulge points. www.us.spacenk.com

Will you be shopping this weekend? 

I have my Barneys list ordered and I also have Ndulge points to redeem so I think I will partake in that event. I am seriously tempted by the Cult Beauty bag but a girl can have too much of a good thing so I think I will sit that one out for now...

Cleansers - Winter 2016.

It's time to check what is on my cleansing shelf!

I do this three times a year as I find that the cleansers I use change with the seasons.

Winter time calls for something that is nourishing and amps up my skin's moisture levels. NYC gets pretty darn cold, the air is dry and windy and indoor heating is excessive, all of which make my skin dry and dehydrated - it's time to get that hydration back!

Dr Dennis Gross All-in-one Cleanser with Toner is an old fave that I recently repurchased after not having used it for some time. I often reach for this in the morning. A  couple of pumps applied to a dry face, a quick massage, rinse off - that's it. Simply leave it on a little longer if you are oilier and a little less if you are dry. You don't even need to use a toner with this as it's 'all-in-one' (but I do just because I like them). I find this balances my skin very well and sorts out any congested/about to break out areas. I like the silky texture of this and it's slightly medicinal scent.

Oskia Perfect Cleanser is my balm of choice at the moment. It removes make up effectively and I often use it for my first and second cleanse. I have also been using it in the mornings when I feel that I need a bit of pampering. It has quite a thick consistency and you need to rinse well but it leaves you with baby soft skin that's hydrated and it has a dreamy spa type fragrance.

Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel is as cheap as chips and is a great morning face wash for me. There's a little gentle fruit acid exfoliation going on and it leaves my skin feeling refreshed and cleaned but not tight or stripped. I'm always banging on about the one but it's just so good!

RMS Raw Beauty Coconut Cream is great for make up removal/ first cleanse. There definitely is a huge difference between this and the large jars of coconut oil to be found at the supermarket. If you enjoy using coconut oils you should certainly try this. It is much more refined and feels 'cleaner' and more of a beauty item somehow.  (Full disclosure time - I have recently given this to Mr C&C who is using it to moisturize and heal a post op scar -he is smitten with it.)

MV 9 Oil Cleansing Tonic smells amazing and feels wonderful but it is something that I have had trouble fitting into my routine as you don't wash it off, simply compress it into your skin. However, I have recently been using this a couple of times a week in the morning. I apply it before hopping in the shower where I find the steam helps it absorb into my face leaving it noticeably plumped. It's almost more of a treatment than a cleanser but it is lush.

Eve Lom Cleanser (in the small white pot) really isn't my cup of tea but I have a few of these from goody bags hanging around so I'm trying to use them up. I know a lot of people swear by Eve Lom but among other things I hate the smell of it. I only use this to remove make up as I find it is too heavy for cleansing my skin (as well as being difficult to rinse off completely) and I only use it a couple of times a week as it makes my skin feel clogged up with daily use.  

 Rodial Stem Cell Superfood Cleanser is something that I always pick up in the cold weather. It is a  lightly textured cream cleanser that feels very indulgent and does a great job of removing make up. I like this for removing make up and second cleansing. I find it to be very soothing and hydrating and I love that it smells delicately of roses. 

That's my selection of winter cleansing products, I will update them in June when I switch to a few lighter formulas.

Empties February 2016.

I finished nine full sized products and thirty three samples in February. I'm not sure why there were so many samples as I have plenty of full sized products on the go, I guess I just wanted to switch things up a little!

Bodycare:

Scottish Fine Soap Company Au Lait Body Butter. Even though this has mineral oil as the second ingredient I liked it a lot. It is thick but absorbs well without being greasy and has a comforting, old fashioned powdery fragrance. 

Ole Henriksen Body Sleek Hydrating Lotion. On the other hand this was something for which I had high hopes but was disappointing. I liked it's fresh light summery scent and it hydrated my skin well but it took an age to sink in. I found that I couldn't actually rub this in, I just had to smear it on and leave it to absorb - very odd.

Haircare:

Oscar Blandi Pronto Texture and Volumizing Spray is a great texturizing spray. In fact I may actually prefer it to Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray although obviously it doesn't have that gorgeous signature Oribe fragrance.

KMS HairStay is a light spray that did what it says on the tin and kept my hair frizz free, I liked it a lot.

Skincare:

Skin Owl Eye+ came in a very generously sized pot which I found wasn't that practical or hygienic. As for the formula itself,  it had an instant lifting effect but it made my eye area feeI sticky which was uncomfortable. I wasn't a fan of this.

Tata Harper Replenishing Nutrient Complex was a perfectly good skin oil but it didn't wow me. I did love the way this was packaged with a rollerball which made applying it a breeze and meant I didn't waste a drop. 

Odacite Pure Elements Po+R (Pomegranate and Rose Geranium) was effective and felt very luxurious and indulgent - a very, very nice oil indeed. It was a fairly thick oil that smelt fabulous. I found that it did a great job of hydrating and plumping my skin and it absorbed so well that I could use it under make up. This was a skin savior in the extreme cold. I am very impressed by the Odacite oils that I have tried and think that they would be great to use as targeted treatments rather than everyday oils (purely because of their price).

Caudalie Grape Water is one of my favorite hydrating spritzes. It is an unfussy product that is very calming and refreshing.

Kiehl's Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence left my skin feeling slightly tacky. Honestly, it didn't make a big enough difference to warrant adding another step to my skin care routine.

Radical Extreme Repair Cream was a dreamy night time cream. It was silky and rich and plumping.

Make Up:

Clinique Chubby Stick in 'Whole Lotta Honey' was a brown toned nude that was a flattering color match for me. I prefer these 'regular' Chubby Sticks to the 'Intense' ones as they are quite moisturizing, almost a cross between a balm and a lipstick.

Dr Jart+ Premium BB Cream failed to convert me to the BB cream phenomena. It felt quite nice on application but left my skin looking flat without any radiance or glow and made my pores look prominent.

Perfume:

Byredo Rose of No Man's Land was a rose fragrance that was green and spiky. I found it refreshing and would recommend it as a Summer scent.

Jo Malone Mimosa and Cardamom had a lovely warm base with a lighter floral on top. I liked this a lot but it lasted next to no time on me unfortunately.

I don't think I did too badly at finishing things up in February and it's always good to use up samples. I have a feeling that March is going to see an even bigger Empties pile though...