Worth The Splurge? Crème De La Mer – The Lip Balm | Review

I think it’s true what they say. The more you use lip balm, the more your lips need it.  At least that’s certainly the case in my book. I find my lips become super uncomfortable if I don’t use it. You probably all know by now that I love lip balm as I have shared with you my collection of EOS lip balms- all of which I absolutely love. However it is my Crème De La Mer lip balm that has a special place in my heart. A little touch of pure luxury.  I wanted to try this for ages before purchasing it, becoming a fan after frequently reading about it in magazines as a firm favourite amongst celebrities. I bought my first pot when on holiday in America four years ago, and I am about to open my third – so I guess it’s safe to say I’m a fan!

The ingredients in Crème De La Mer were created 50 years ago by Dr Max Huber who suffered an accident in a laboratory. Neither medicine or science was able to create anything of benefit to repair his burns, so he embarked on a personal quest to transform the look of his skin. He created the Miracle Broth which is the truly magical ingredient in the Crème De La Mer products today.

This Lip Balm contains Miracle Broth, and I find this product really does repair and rejuvenate my lips leaving them feeling super hydrated and soft. We all know that the winter brings with it the obligatory sore and chapped lips, but using this balm instantly soothes them. I feel it doesn’t just sit on the outer layer of my lips but actually sinks into them. It has a refreshing minty taste that is a real pleasure to use and does not taste synthetic like some can.  I like to apply it before bed,  and always wake up with hydrated lips that are ready to take on whatever lipstick I choose the next morning.

So in essence, The Crème De La Mer Lip Balm is worth every penny and in answer to my post title is 100% worth the splurge.  I do agree the price does make you blink somewhat, but for a balm that lasts about 18 months used at least twice a day – I feel I can justify the cost. I don’t mind paying for a product that delivers and this certainly does. For that reason, I can’t recommend this enough. If you are ever passing a Crème De La Mer counter then stop by and test it out!

You can purchase the Crème De La Mer Lip Balm for £45.00. If you don’t live near a counter then you will find it at various online stores including John Lewis.

Have you tried this lip balm? I would love to hear if you think it is amazing too!

Talk to you all soon x

Chanel Precision Nourishing and Rejuvenating Hand Cream | Review

Hello everyone! I hope you had a lovely Christmas and Santa left you all lots of beautiful makeup and beauty goodies under the tree! I can’t wait to work my way through all of my beauty gifts and review them over the coming months!

I have had my eyes on this lovely hand cream from Chanel for quite some time.  Every time I walk past the Chanel makeup counter I have a sneaky little test of it. It leaves my hands wonderfully soft with a distinctive scent of delicate lotus and hibiscus flower that lasts for some time.  I was delighted to unwrap this hand cream yesterday and have it ‘on tap’ throughout Christmas Day!

Chanel Precision Body Excellence Nourishing and Rejuvenating Hand Cream is priced at £41.00 for a 75ml tube. It is a little pricey for a hand cream but if it works and I like it then this is totally justifiable. After all, our hands work hard throughout the day so it is important to look after them.

This hand cream belongs to the Chanel Precision collection.  It contains Purple Bengle PFA extract that is exclusive to Chanel. This extract offers firming properties and is the perfect ingredient for beauty products.  It prevents dark spots (age spots) on our hands and conditions the cuticles.

This hand cream can be used at any time of the day on clean hands.  Massage a small amount into each cuticle, nail, finger and the palms.  The cream is rapidly absorbed.  Personally, I don’t like the feeling of a ‘coating’ over my hands and this hand cream, thankfully, does not leave me feeling like this.

I am making it my New Year’s resolution to take extra care to look after my hands.  The texture and appearance of our hands give away our true age so I am investing today to (hopefully!) see the benefits in 30 years time!

Hope you enjoyed my review of the Chanel Hand Cream.  Have you tried this? I would love to hear from you!

Talk to you all soon x

 

Lush Magic Wand Reusable Bubble Bar – Review | Christmas Gift Idea!

It’s exciting times here at Pretty Honest HQ. Christmas is coming and that means one thing. It’s officially the season of gift buying! I would love to write a Christmas Gift Edit but the ladies I buy for read my blog, and I don’t want to give away their presents! This is however, the perfect opportunity to do a mini review on this lovely product. The Lush Magic Wand. I was given this as a present recently, and used it today for the fist time.

I love nothing more than a Lush Bath Bomb but they can be quite expensive when they are single use.  The Magic Wand is not only pretty to look at but also excellent value for money as it is reusable.  Fill the bath with warm water and wave this wand in the water to release a lovely burst of candy floss scented bubbles.  For bigger bubbles run the wand under running water.  The result is simply heavenly.  A bath filled with the scent of Snow Fairy.

After using this wand, pop it on the side (I use a soap dish) to dry out for next time.

The Magic Wand Reusable Bubble Bar is priced at £5.25.  It lasts for approximately 10-12 uses.  You do have to be very careful with the stick as it doesn’t feel like it holds the weight of the star very well. However, if it did break it wouldn’t be a huge problem as it would still be useable.

This is a lovely Christmas or Secret Santa gift to give to friends or family.  Don’t forget to tell them to make a wish!

Talk to you all soon x

Pretty Honest Beauty Blog Product Of The Month November | Jo Malone Vitamin E Body Treatment Scrub

There was absolutely no doubt in my mind which product was getting crowned with the product of the month award for November.   I get particularly dry skin from a combination of the harsh elements and central heating.

Jo Malone Vitamin E Body Treatment Scrub is the one and only product that is guaranteed to put a glow back into my skin.  A wonderful luxurious treatment that sloughs away surface cells to reveal radiant looking new skin.

I like to apply this scrub while I am in the bath.  I take a small amount from the tub and rub it into my skin paying particular attention to my elbows and knees.  The scrub leaves the skin with a lovely oily residue that makes my skin water repellant! After drying my skin, I like to apply a thick layer of body creme to really take advantage of my glowing skin.

The Jo Malone Vitamin E Body Treatment Scrub is priced at £70.00 for 600g.  A little does go a long way.  It is expensive but so worth it!

Not only is this scrub excellent for reviving dry parched skin, it is also good in the summer before fake tanning.

So there we have it.  November’s product of the month! I hope this has inspired you to have a little pamper and prepare your skin for the party month!

Talk to you all soon x

 

Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub | Review

The cold weather and central heating certainly plays havoc with our skin and in particular our lips.  Not only can dry cracked lips look unsightly with or without lipstick, they can also be quite painful.  That is why at this time of year I always go back to one particular product. Lush Lip Scrubs.  I have tried using a toothbrush to gently exfoliate my lips but nothing really compares to these scrubs.  Available in flavours that are every bit as yummy as they sound, my particular favourite is Mint Julips which is a lovely mint chocolate flavour very reminiscent of an after dinner mint!

I like to apply the lip scrub once or twice a week as part of my evening cleansing routine.  I dip my finger into the scrub and gently massage it over my lips.  This action gently buffs away any dry skin and once rinsed off leaves lips beautifully soft.  I like to take full advantage of my newly smooth lips and massage in a lip balm to ensure any moisture is put back into them. I find this helps to prevent any further cracking.

The lip scrub lasts for ages, so whilst £5.50 may be a little pricey for what is essentially sugar and essential oils, it does last for ages so is totally worth the price.

If you are currently having problems with dry chapped lips (lets face it, who isn’t at this time of year?!) then let this product be the next item on your ‘To Buy’ list.  It leaves lips lovely and pink and provides the perfect base for applying lipstick.

Talk to you all soon x

 

 

 

Lush Haul | Snow Fairy Body Wash, The Comforter Body Wash, Salted Coconut Hand Scrub and Golden Handshake Hot Hand Mask

It has been a busy shopping week here at Pretty Honest HQ! A Space NK haul yesterday and Lush today! Just like Space NK, Lush is another shop I simply can’t walk away from empty handed! So, inside my little brown bag is a selection of body washes and hand products.  So lets see what caught my eye!

I love a ‘at home’ manicure and I am always on the lookout for products to try out.  Salted Coconut Hand Scrub (£7.95) is a lovely creamy coconut scented scrub that just transforms my hands.  If you have slightly dry hands and are looking for a product to instantly transform them in seconds then look no further.  I take a small amount in my hands and gently massage under running warm water.  I would recommend taking full advantage of the benefits of how this scrub leaves your hands immediately after and apply a generous helping of hand cream.  I can honestly say two days later my hands are still dramatically softer.  I cannot recommend this hand scrub highly enough!

Next up is a product I am yet to try.  The Golden Handshake Hot Hand Mask is a waxy product that melts in hot water to create a thick creamy lotion that you can soak your hands in.  I will review in detail when I try this out (you won’t have long to wait..I am so excited to find the time to try it!) This is a real bargain at £2.95.

Finally are two products that I picked up near the counter! As you may know from reading my blog, I am a fan of The Comforter Bubble Bar, so picked up the shower gel in the same scent.  It is a lovely blackcurrant scent and lathers up beautifully! I also picked up the Snow Fairy Body Wash. If you are a Lush fan I am sure you will agree with me that nothing spells out Christmas more than this product, does it?!  A lovely candy floss scented body wash that fills the bathroom with a lovely sweet scent. it is very rare that I can still detect the scent on my body throughout the day but I certainly can with these.  I bought the smaller bottles (100ml) and they are priced at £3.95 for the Snow Fairy and £4.95 for The Comforter.

I hope you enjoyed looking at my Lush haul as much as I enjoyed buying it! My only regret was not buying a bath bomb (or two….or six!) so I can confirm that bath bombs are on my shopping list for this weekend! I would love to hear any recommendations if you have any!

Talk to you all soon x

Masque Bar Anti-Blemish Mud Mask – Review

I am really enjoying looking after my skin at the moment.  I won’t lie, this is partly because for once in my life I actually quite like how it looks.  For todays post I wanted to share with you all a lovely mask I have found on the shelves of Boots.  I have been intrigued to try this brand for some time so when I found it was on offer I decided to give it a go.

Masque Bar is a fairly new brand that have created a range of beauty breakthroughs from teams across Asia, Europe and the Americas.  They promise to deliver a range of masks that exceed the benefits of those you would find in spas.  Now that really is a promise!

These masks are developed in Korea, and this really excites me as Korea it the hot topic of the beauty world right now!

You get three individual sachets each containing 15ml of product.  I shared one sachet with my mum and managed to do this twice so  one was actually enough for 4 applications.  I ensured the opening of the sachet was sealed securely so had no problems with it drying out.

The mask contains ingredients such as kaolin and fruit oil to name but a few.

The mask is a thick creamy white clay that you apply to a cleansed wet face avoiding the eyes and lips.  I leave the mask on for at least 15-20 minutes (even 30 minutes plus!).  The mask will dry to a harder consistency and at that point you will know it is ready for removal.  I take the mask off using warm water, and it leaves behind a lovely glowing fresh appearance.  It calms down any redness I may have and leaves my skin wonderfully smooth ready to take on my makeup the next day.  As always with any clay mask, its important to moisturise well afterwards. My Mum and I have different skin types but we both found benefits in using this mask.  I therefore think this is a product well worth recommending to you all.

This mask is currently on offer in Boots for £9.99.

Have you tried any of the other masks in this range? I would love to hear from you.

Talk to you all soon x

Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask – Review

I had my fair share of skin troubles growing up. Thats why I take particular care of my skin now. I am a fan of Clinique – it really suits my skin and leaves it glowing. Don’t get me wrong, it has taken me a long time to find a brand that works for me and Clinique seems to do just that. You can read my everyday skincare routine here.
I particularly love products that you leave on overnight, so was excited to try the Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask after reading the promises made by Clinique of a creamy deeply hydrating night mask that helps skin replenish lost moisture and build reserves for the next day. With winter fast approaching this product will become my must have!

I apply this mask after my three step Clinique skincare routine. The mask applies thick but massages into the skin easily and is absorbed quickly.  It is oil free and does not feel greasy. I also apply this mask to my neck being particularly generous with the amount used here!

If you are passing a Clinique counter, apply some of the cream to the back of your hand and feel how soft it makes it feel after a few minutes.  I’m really impressed with this mask and enjoy using it twice a week for a little pick me up.

This mask works for all skin types.  it comes in a 100ml tube and is priced at £30.00.

Talk to you all soon x

Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment – Review

Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment

 

Happy Sunday readers! If like me you enjoy a little pamper session on a Sunday then this is the product for you!  I have decided on making this my post for today with my little Sunday pamper session in mind for tonight! I have often walked past this on the shelves in the shops not really understanding what it did.  I often thought it was a pricey beauty gimmick, and it wasn’t until I searched the tutorials on YouTube that I became obsessed with getting my hands on it!

So what does this product promise? Well, this is marketed as being a magical mud clearing treatment that will target, prevent and heal for seemingly poreless skin. Ideal for use as a full face mask or targeted spot treatment.

The Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment has been clinically developed by Glamglow’s Dermatological Chemist to help fight all common skin concerns including visible pores, targeting problem skin, blemishes, pimples, breakouts, spots, black and white heads. razor burns and in-grown hairs. It just sounds too good to be true!!

 

 

Superglow Super Clearing Treatment

Peel back the protective foil and you are presented with the mud.  I like to apply the mask using an old foundation brush, as a little really does go a long way.  Not only is it a more hygienic way of applying, but it is also a way of spreading the mud evenly and conservatively on my face.

The mask is similar to that of a regular mud mask, it is dark on application and dries to a lighter colour.  However, it is during the drying process that the magic happens.  The mask feels tingly on my skin, and has an aniseed scent to it.

The mud drys to reveal little dots on my nose – It is as if it is pulling out all of the oil from my pores!  These dots are the pore-matrix formula that literally are dots of vacuum extraction! I can’t help but find watching this so satisfying!

Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment Mask

 

After leaving the mask on for 10-20 minutes I simply rinse the mask off my face to reveal a glowing smooth complexion underneath.

I like to use this as a whole face mask every week, and use it over any odd spots I may get from time to time.  I find this mask really does act as a vacuum and brings to a head any breakouts quicker than if I was to leave it.

I have definitely noticed a difference in my skin appearance and texture. As I have combination skin I can suffer from a particularly oily nose at times and after using this I have noticed a reduction in the amount of oil I seem to have.  I also note an improvement in the little blackheads and blocked pores around my nose.  I feel this product really is too good to be true.  Its not often a product actually lives up to the promises on the box but Glamglow really does.

I bought my Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment from Space NK for £45.00.

Have you tried any other product from the Glamglow collection? I would love to hear from you if you can recommend another product for me to try.  I would also love to hear from you if you have tried the Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment Mask!

Talk to you all soon x

 

My Everyday Clinique Skincare Routine

My Clinique Skincare Routine

One thing all us beauty blog readers have in common is we like to spend our money on makeup.  Whether it’s high end expensive splurges or budget buys, we all invest our money in the quest to look the best version of ourselves.  The quality of our skin provides the foundation for our makeup, so I believe in investing time in my skincare routine to make my makeup look the best it can.  Of course I also want to keep those dreaded wrinkles at bay and as we all know, prevention is better than a cure! This is why I have been inspired to share with you all my current skincare routine.

Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush

I have combination skin.  Dry on my cheeks with an oily T-Zone.  I use the Type 2 Clinique 3 Step Skincare.

I invested in the Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush.  This brush is a lot like the Clarisonic Brush. I have used a No7 cleansing brush in the past but found this almost scratched my face and made it feel very uncomfortable. For this reason I was a little concerned about spending such a lot on this brush.  However, I need not have worried! The green bristles are a little denser than the white bristles which are softer.  The green bristles are used on the T-Zone and the white bristles on the softer more sensitive parts of my face.  The brush should be used in circular movements and it switches off after 30 seconds. This brush costs £79.00.

Step 1:

Clinique Liquid Facial Wash

I like to dispense one pump of the Clinique Liquid Facial wash into the Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush.  I used the Clinique facial soap bar when I was younger and didn’t get on well with it.  However, this liquid wash does not leave my skin feeling overly tight and removes all visible makeup.  This is priced at £16.00 for a 100ml bottle.

Step 2:

Clinique Step 2 Clarifying Lotion

I then dispense some of the Clinique Clarifying Lotion onto a cotton wool ball and wipe around my face.  I am always very shocked to see some makeup transfer on the cotton wool.  I didn’t know the Clinique Clarifying Lotion exfoliated as well but there is no doubt it does leave my face looking smoother. This is priced at £16.50 for a 200ml bottle.

Step 3:

Clinique Smart Custom Serum

I then apply a pump of the Clinique Smart Custom Serum.  One pump is enough to cover my face and neck.  This stage is crucial as it helps to prepare my face for taking on the moisturiser. This serum targets my problem areas.  This step is fairly new in my routine and I can definitely tell the difference.  The only thing I don’t like about this serum is the packaging.  I like to see how much product I have left as it takes me by surprise when I use the last pump and haven’t bought my next one! This is priced at £48.00 for 30ml.

Step 4:

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+

The next step is the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion +.  This iconic yellow moisturiser has transformed my face and I cannot rate it highly enough! It sinks into my skin and leaves me feeling soft and supple. This is priced at £30.00 for a 125ml with pump bottle.

Step 5:

Clinique All About Eyes- Eye Cream

The final stage in my skincare routine is the Clinique All About Eyes cream.  I noticed I was starting to see fine lines around my eyes and as you can imagine I was straight out to the shops to invest in a pot of prevention! This eye cream is light and moisturising and sinks into my skin easily.  This is priced at £26.00 for a 15ml pot.

So there we have it – my skincare routine post! I would love to hear from you if you use any other products in the Clinique range  that you think I may benefit from!

Talk to you all soon x