Scrub A Dub A Dub

Whilst I like to use my Dove exfoliating soap on a daily basis to keep my skin smooth, every once in a while I like to use a more heavy-duty scrub. The reason for this, is that it really helps keep the skin smooth, particularly on the legs and arms. I also think a body scrub in general helps improve the skins texture, and can make you feel extra squeaky clean. The scrub I've been using faithfully for around the last two years, is the St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Body Scrub.

The scrub contains 100% natural granules, that are quite fine however there are quite alot of granules in just a small handful. This means that you really do get quite a nice thorough scrub, because there are alot of exfoliating particles. There is nothing I hate more with scrubs, than when they don't contain many exfoliating granules as it can be difficult to get good results. Thankfully with St Ives this is not the case! The scrub also has a really lovely scent to it. I wouldn't say it's "Apricoty" as such, or that is overly fragranced. The smell seems quite natural, and pleasing to the senses.  

One aspect I like about this scrub, is the fact although it is quite thorough and invigorating, it does not irritate my sensitive skin, or cause it to peel or turn red. I do tend to moisturise my legs after use, just to be sure I am not drying the skin out... however I do feel this is quite a good product to use on skin if you tend to be irritated by certain cosmetics. I think the fact is not perfumed definitely helps this fact.

Price wise, you can pick this scrub up for £5.09 at Superdrug, which is not bad at all really when you compare this with other brands. St Ives have been established for 25 years now, which is another great reason to trust in them. It's all well and good paying £30+ for a scrub, but if that's a little steep for you as it is for me, then there's no reason to miss out on an indulgent treat for your skin. 

A little goes along way with this scrub, so don't think 300ml of product won't get you very far as you'll be surprised. I think this scrub works brilliantly on leaving my skin ultra smooth and re-vitalised, and doesn't leave a sticky residue either like some scrubs do. All in all, it's definitely something I have to repurchase once it's all gone!

Stargazing

Finding a pure white foundation is not an easy task. Sure, there is Mac Face & Body.. but at nearly £30, it's a costly purchase. Changing those decimals around a little, Stargazers liquid foundation in the shade "White" totals just £3.50.

There are several uses for a pure white foundation. Some of you hardcore palies out there, may wish to use this on it's own as an everyday foundation, or for stage and theatre purposes... even for halloween or Geisha looks. Alternatively, you may require a white foundation to mix with other foundations if they are too dark for you and so need lightening.

Whatever your need for a white foundation, be warned that they are not easily available in shops or online. Barely a handful of brands do a white shade of foundation, so for me Stargazer was a good place to start as I found it to be one of the cheapest brands that do stock a white shade.

Now whilst the colour may be fantastic, I was a little disappointed by how smooth the application is when the product is applied to the face. As for my hand, you can see I was able to smooth it over nicely. However, if using a foundation brush you may struggle with brushmarks, as the product tends to set quite quickly, meaning there is no room for going over areas and smoothing things out. Having said that, my skin is quite dry and the foundation does not state what skin type the product would best suit. I think perhaps oilier skins may have a better time with this than dry. 

The other issue to remember with a white foundation, is that unless you find a white concealer (I have never been able to find one myself), then well.... concealing is going to be an issue. If you have any major skin concerns, be warned that you may not be able to cover them all that well. Although, the foundation is quite thick in texture so with the right application you can make it quite dense on the skin. 

All in all, this is not a bad place to start if you are really wanting a pure white foundation. It's not the best quality foundation I have ever tried, however for £3.50 I guess you could say well what did you expect? Even if it's not the best, I applaud Stargazer for boldly going where alot of make-up companies would never dare to go, in catering for extremely pale skin.

May Freebies

Just a quick heads up, that there as some great beauty steals in this months Elle & Marie Claire Magazines. Firstly, grab a Benefit mascara in Elle, worth around £10. As it's travel sized, it's perfect for trying out to see if you would like the real thing... and great for traveling with too! 

Marie Claire is giving you a choice of 3 items as a free gift. Either a lipstick, the super shock black eye liner, or an eyebrow pencil which is what I chose. I have been on the look out for a new eyebrow pencil, so for me this is perfect! The Supershock range is highly rated however, so this is a perfect chance to grab yourself a discounted product that you are sure to love!

If you buy both, you will also recieve a generous sample of the L'Oreal mythic hair oil, as well as some Clarins primer. There is even a sample of Alien by Thierry Mugler (see last post). This month is definitely a great one for freebies!

Other Worldly

For today's post I thought I'd enlighten you all on what is my signature scent - Alien Eau de Parfum by Thierry Mugler. Alien, is the follow up to the very successful Thierry Mugler fragrance "Angel". Upon creating Alien, Thierry Mugler was quoted as saying...

"When we did Angel, we were completely innocent, and then it became number one in the world. Creating Alien was a huge challenge because now the whole world is watching."

It was whilst reading Vogue, and noticing a little insert which was essentially a mini pull out perfume bottle, that I came across "Alien" by Terry Mugler. Although just an advert, this little bottle made up of sleek card, which when you pulled the tab and pressed down would spray you with perfume, kept coming to the attention of my senses as I stuck the sample on the wall. The scent seemed to last forever, and it was almost like having an air freshener in the room! I'm used to smelling many perfumes, particular when they include some form of sample in a magazine... but the scent of this perfume was just something different, which really intrigued me, and so when I was blessed with the messiah that is my student loan... I decided to treat myself with a bottle.

I had a good look around online to find the cheapest deal, and found you could either buy the refillable or non refillable bottle. Suprisingly, and to my delight each bottle contains the Eau de Parfum, meaning I wasn't buying yet another short lasting Eau D'Toilette! I ended up buying the non-refillable bottle for £38 from the Perfume Shop.

The Bottle:

"The power of a talisman. The faceted bottle is set with gold claws. Reminiscent of a stone and precious talisman, it seems to contain the energy of an Alien Solar goddess. Engraved in glass like an enigma, it's symbolic name is reflected, mirror-like." 

Now in reference to the title "Alien", I can certainly see some otherwordly connection with the design of the bottle, as it looks like it may have belonged to one of Doctor Who's former lovers. On the other hand, it also looks like a mystical and luxurious gift from the east, with it's deep purple colouring and flashes of gold, including a gold spray mechanism on top (there is no separate lid). 

The bottle is smaller than I would have expected, as it contains 30ml of perfume. The shape of the bottle is edgy, and it has 8 sides to it, which are slightly haphazard, yet the overall result still manages to look sleek and glamorous. I would say this is probably the most interesting and intriguing perfume bottle I have ever owned.

The Scent:

Onto the star attraction, and to put it simply - the scent is devine, dream-like and ultimately the most amazing perfume I have ever had the pleasure of smelling. 

"Thierry Mugler leads us towards a femininity derived from a world infused with bliss and spirituality, at the crossroads between what is real and extroadinary." 

It's notes include jasmine sambac, casherman wood, white amber, vanilla and solar accord. 

I'm not quite sure how all of these smell individually, but as a combination I can tell you they work beautifully together, and I can definitely detect the woody undertones, yet the lighter more fragrant jasmine and white amber. What I would say about the scent is, although it is unusual, it's a pleasant unusual, and not at all in marmite territory, like fragrances such as Dior's "pure poison", which I personally think is a real love/hate kind of scent. 

One of the best aspects of the scent, is as it's an Eau de Parfum, it is incredibly long lasting. I remember trying the sample bottle, and still being able to smell the scent on my wrist after I had been in the shower! One spray will literally last for hours, which for me is perfect as I detest having to re apply perfume throughout the day, as I just see it as a waste of the product. 

As for it's suitability, this is definitely not a fruity teenage scent, as it's more grown up and sophisticated than that. Although I would say this scent does suit night time, I have been wearing it in the day because of it's long staying power. Although it is a prominent scent, it's the kind of smell which wouldn't equal overkill, if used within the day time. I would also recommend this for special occasions, as it has that air of elegance and glamour to it. 

This is my first experience with Thierry Mugler perfumes, as I have never really heard about them before I saw the insert in Vogue, however I would thoroughly recommend getting hold of a sample, or buying a bottle for yourself as you definitely get your moneys worth in terms of staying power, and of course that beautiful, mystical fragrance.

When I spray myself with "Alien", I instantly feel glamorous, Parisian even. It comes across as other worldly with the name and the bottle design, however this should be embraced rather than avoided, just because it initially appears somewhat different. 

I struggle to fault this perfume on anything but the price, (if buying the refillable option for £64). The concept is mystical yet very appealing, just like the smell - which has an incredible staying power and is certainly like nothing I have smelt before. It would make for a wonderful gift too, however if that was me I would struggle to give this away as it smells so good! My recommendation? Try Alien for yourself.