NOTD - AVON Gel Finish - Nude Shimmer

You can't beat a classic nude nail - it goes with absolutely anything, and it can be worn on any type of nail - long, short, round, square or even stiletto. At the risk of committing beauty treason though it can be a little bit boring! I still wear it and love it though but these days a nude nail doesn't have to be boring.

Nude Shimmer is one of AVON Gel Finish Nail Enamels and it's a real beauty. I'm a huge fan of AVON polishes and for me their Gel Finish line is even better. As well as protecting and strengthening the nails, it also leaves them with an ultra glossy finish without the hassle of having to use a UV lamp or special removal techniques.

Although it has the typical nude, milky coffee, almost taupe base, Nude Shimmer takes the nude polish look to another level. It's crammed full of multi coloured sparkles and shimmer but in a subtle way. No glitter balls here just pretty, subtle sparkles.

The Gel Finish formulation is a little bit thicker than the usual Nailwear Pro + formulation but the extra wide brush makes it super easy to apply. This is probably one of the most self levelling polishes that I've ever used. I had a couple of dints and chips in my base coat and this polish covered them with ease. I'm wearing two coats here but I could have got away with one for a lighter colour.

I'm wearing no top coat here and you can really see the gloss and shine for the gel formulation. These polishes take a little bit longer to dry but they're worth the wait and the wear time is definitely better than the traditional formula. AVON Gel Finish Nail Enamels have a recommended retail price of £7 for a 10ml bottle but take a tip from me and never pay that. They're currently online and in the most recent brochure for just £3.50 each - the offers vary but that's normally around the price that you'll pay. I'm definitely going to pick up some more of these polishes so if you have any Gel Finish recommendations please let me know x 

Sample Saturday - Lush Charity Pot Hand And Body Lotion*

After quite a long hiatus, it's time for another instalment in my Sample Saturday series. Life got in the way a bit with this one, but I'm back on it and it will hopefully become a regular feature again on my blog in the weeks and months to come. If you're one of my newer readers and you've missed out on those early posts, Sample Saturday is where I try out some of the miniature bottles, jars, tubes and even sachets that seem to be taking over my house! Because of the size of the products these won't be the most in depth reviews that you'll ever read on my blog but hopefully you'll still find them helpful.

I thought I'd restart the series with a product that I was given at a recent Lush event (you can find out more about the event here.) As well as producing some fine products Lush are probably one of the most ethical and caring companies on the high street, Unlike some companies they aren't afraid of controversy and alienating themselves, they do what they think it right, be it with regards to animal welfare, environmental issues or human rights. Over the years Lush have released a lot of one off products to campaign for certain causes but one product has stood the test of time and has remained on sale in Lush stores since 2007.

Lush Charity Pot Hand And Body Lotion first hit stores nearly 8 years ago and it's remained one of their most consistent, best sellers. Every penny from each Charity Pot sale, bar VAT or local taxes is donated to charity. The proceeds are donated to a wide variety of causes that help both people, animals and the environment. Since 2007, sales of the Charity Pot have raised more than £7 Million worldwide, for charities involved in farming collectives, fair trade producers, food production and education.

Like most of the products that Lush sell, the Lush Charity Pot Hand And Body Lotion contains only fair trade, organic and ethically sourced ingredients, it's also suitable for vegans and completely cruelty free.

Suitable for use both on the hands and on the body it contains vats of super rich moisturising ingredients including shea, and cocoa butters, and moringa, jojoba and olive oils, and aloe vera. It also contains vanilla absolute and essential oils of rosewood, geranium and ylang ylang.

It's almost pale yellow in colour and it has a rich creamy texture. When you first start massaging it into the skin it feels slightly tacky but give it a few minutes and it soaks right in, leaving the skin looking, and feeling smooth and hydrated. As you would expect from the essential oils and the vanilla absolute, it has quite a warm, heady scent, but whilst it is noticeable it's not overpowering.

This is a really nice product with a really good back story and it's something that most people could find a use for somewhere in their hand and body care routines. My hands and cuticles are particularly dry at the moment so I've been using this as a hand cream last thing at night, and I really do think that it's making a difference. It's a little bit rich for me to use during the day at the moment but in the winter time I can see this little pot coming in to its own.

Lush Charity Pot Hand And Body Lotion is available either online or in your local Lush store and comes in 3 different sizes, including the 10g trial size pot, which you can see here, which is just £1, It also comes in a 95g tub which retails at £6.95 and in a huge 240g tub which retails at £12.95. Even if you just buy the trial size pot, you could still be helping to change someones life for the better, and your skin will thank you too x Have you tried Lush Charity Pot before? Let me know your thoughts x

*Sample

PR Sample / Unpaid AD - Feeling Fruity? - A Review Of The DR Docteur Renaud Mango Hand And Nail Repair Cream*

I don't know if you've noticed but I seem to start a lot of my blog posts in a similar way - My name is Louise and I'm addicted to .... hand cream / body scrub/ highlighter, etc. etc. What can I say? I'm a beauty junkie and I love trying out new products and new brands. Here's the thing though I am slightly addicted to hand cream. It has it own drawer in my bedroom and I almost always have about 5 tube or bottles on the go at once. Slightly addictive behaviour I'm sure you'll agree, but over the last month something strange has happened - I keep reaching for the same tube of hand cream - DR Docteur Renaud Mango Hand And Nail Repair Cream.

Before I received this product I have to be honest and say that I'd never heard of Docteur Renaud as a brand. Although the brand is fairly new to the UK market, it's origins go back to 1947 when Dr. Louis Renaud a French doctor, with a passion for cosmetology research concerning the benefits of plants on the skin, created his own skin care line. The brand was revived back in 2009 by the Nuxe Group, and is currently available in around 400 French beauty salons and in 25 countries around the world. 

"The Docteur Renaud name represents ‘Happy Cosmétologie®’, drawing on the beneficial properties of flowers, fruits and vegetables to deliver health and nutrition to skin but at the same time providing a highly pleasurable, sensorial experience"

Packaged in a peach coloured squeezy tube, this hand cream has an assortment of ingredients all designed for maximum moisture and skin health including mango and shea butters, as well as mimosa, jojoba, and sunflower oils and waxes, and vitamins B5 and B6 for nail strength. It is also free from parabens and artificial colours.

The first thing that hits you when you open the tube is the smell. As well as mango butter, it also contains mango seed oil, both of which contribute to the fabulous, fresh, sweet ripe mango aroma, which literally makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

The cream itself is a very, very pale peach in colour and has quite a thick and creamy texture.

Unlike some rich hand creams though, this doesn't drag on the skin, it feels very, smooth and creamy, which makes very easy to rub into the skin.

The key with this product is not to use too much, you really don't need a lot, a little does go along way. I'm going to be honest and say that it needs a minute or two to soak in completely but when it does, your hands are left feeling protected and super smooth, even after washing your hands. This cream not only provides immediate comfort and moisture to the skin but the effects go on and on, the more you use it the better your skin looks and feels.

In case you haven't already realised I love this product! It leaves the skin feeling soft and hydrated and it smells fantastic - fragrance is something that is so important to me but so is performance and this one is a winner on both counts. If you're not into fruity fragrances then this won't be for you but for everyone else I would definitely consider buying this even if it is just for smell. The DR Docteur Renaud Mango Hand And Nail Repair Cream retails at £13.30 for 75ml, exclusively in the UK from the DR Docteur Renaud website. Are you a fruity fragrance fan? Leave me a comment and let me know x

P.S. As of 2022 this product is still available, only in a different size and in different packaging from around €9.90 directly from DR Docteur Renaud

*PR Sample

Living Nature Nourishing Hand Cream - A Review For My Pure

I'm probably the worlds hugest hand cream lover, at least a couple of times a day, I cover my hands in a cool luxurious cream in my never ending quest for super strokeable hands. I wouldn't say I had particularly dry hands but my cuticles are prone to dryness and I occasionally get flaky patches on my fingers. I have a few firm favourite hand creams which I continually repurchase but I am always looking to try out new ones, so for one of this months My Pure products I chose the Living Nature Nourishing Hand Cream.

Packaged in quite a chunky tactile bottle, the product dispenses via a flip cap from the base of the bottle, I have to say I did find it a little stiff at first, and when Mummy Lou tried she couldn't work out how to get the cream out at all lol

As you probably already know if you've read my previous Living Nature reviews ( click here and here if you haven't ;), Living Nature is a New Zealand based brand that prides itself on the purity of their ingredients and this hand cream is no different, it even claims to be 100% natural with the preservatives, fragrance and ingredients all coming from natural and plant sources.

When you look at the ingredients listings this certainly seems to be the case. The key ingredients are active manuka honey, known for its anti-bacterial properties, and larch tree extract to prevent moisture loss. It also contains many other plant based ingredients such as olive, coconut and jojoba oils for moisture.

The cream itself has quite a creamy texture but it spreads out easily and absorbs a lot quicker than what you would expect. The skin is left matte and feeling super smooth, a feeling that actually lasts and doesn't disappear in an hour or so.

I have to say this is one of the nicest hand creams I have ever used I have had no dry patches at all in the month I have been using this. My one issue is the smell, other reviewers have sad the smell is quite mild but sorry I don't think that, it has quite a strong, distinct smell which is quite hard to place Mummy Lou said it reminded her a bit of aniseed and I think she's right there is definitely a hint of aniseed or liquorice in their somewhere, personally the smell is a bit much for me but the hand cream is so good I think I can ignore it :) The Living Nature Nourishing Hand Cream 100ml retails at £12.49 from My Pure.

(The Living Nature Nourishing Hand Cream 100ml Was Provided By My Pure For Review Purposes )v

A Zest For Life With Baylis & Harding

Apologies for the awful title of this post but there are very few companies that have such a prestigious heritage as Baylis & Harding. Founded over 40 years ago, this UK based, family company has long been recognised for it's luxury toiletry products, and its commitment to quality and affordability. I have to say my only previous experience with the brand came from my mum and my grandma, as a result I'd always associated the brand with shall I say an older generation, but how wrong was I! Yes the brand has a traditional heritage and still features classic fragrances such as Lavender and Wild Rose, but there is so much more to Baylis & Harding. As well as producing a lot of children's character and licensed toiletries such as Mr Men and Thomas The Tank Engine, they have also introduced a hair care line, a beautiful floral Royal Bouquet line of hand care products and the colourful Fruits line, again a range of hand care products.

I was very kindly sent a product from the Fruits line. The packaging in the line is a lot more vibrant than a lot of Baylis & Hardings products. I was sent a 500ml bottle of the Baylis & Harding Lemon and Mandarin Hand Wash. The design of the bottle is gorgeous and so bright and cheery, in a bright yellow and white with pictures of Lemon and Mandarin slices, so you know exactly what's in it. With my favourite style of dispenser, an easy to depress pump, it's quite a liquidy gel.

The smell really is the highlight of this hand wash, it smells gorgeous, so revitalising and zesty, you can really smell the real Lemon and Mandarin extracts in this hand wash. When you add the gel to water it produces a light, gentle cleansing foam that leaves your hand delicately scented and thoroughly clean but not tight or dry.

I have to say I really loved this hand wash it would be ideal for the bathroom or even the kitchen, not only that but it's super reasonably priced and you could get the wash and the matching hand lotion for less than £5.00, and if Lemon and Mandarin isn't you thing they have plenty more fragrances to try in their 5 distinct ranges. Baylis & Harding may not have been a brand at the top of my radar but it's certainly one I will take notice of now, some of the shower cremes and bath foams are definitely on my to try list. Baylis & Harding Lemon and Mandarin Hand Wash retails at just £2.00 for 500ml.You can purchase Baylis and Harding from variety of different outlets including Debenhams and of course the Baylis and Harding website where you can see their full range and order online. Any questions please ask x

(Baylis & Harding Lemon and Mandarin Hand Wash Was Provided By PR For Review Purposes )

Sorry , Sorry, Sorry

Lots of apologies and admissions today with a few positives thrown in for good measure

First of all huge apologies for the lack of Hello Kitty pics I promise I will put some more up tomorrow.

Secondly I have broken my shopping ban again :( I was a good girl and sorted out a huge bag for the charity shop, and an even bigger bag for ebay but as a result I discovered my wardrobe was a bit lacking in certain areas. I found I had donated and planned to ebay loads of t-shirts and vests which were either too small or too short. So when found discount codes for La Redoute and Asos this week I thought I would replenish my stocks - I got some lovely longline t-shirts and some fab long coloured vests - perfect for spring / summer and for layering. I also had to place an order with Urban Outfitters to order a friends birthday pressie so to make it worthwhile I ordered myself a nice long navy t-shirt from the sale section - soft and lovely. OK these purchases can probably be justified seeing that I actually 'needed' them and I should make enough money on ebay to be able to afford them but what can't be justified is the other MAC order that I placed! I caved and ordered the little Hello Kitty make up bag I wanted, another eyeshadow, a blusher and a lip gloss. Grr I am so angry with myself for being so weak I was doing so well too. I must do better even though I have a shopping trip planned with my mum sometime in the next few weeks -I am going to try and just buy myself a little treat, and the rest of the birthday and Mothers Day pressies I need to buy - stay strong Louise you can do it!!!

Never mind the past week has had some positives - although it still looks a bit nasty and dry my hand is healing - I have been slathering it with Bio Oil and it definitely doesn't look as angry - I should find out in the next week or so if I am going to be left with a scar hopefully if I keep moisturising it, it should be OK.

Yet another huge positive for me this week was that I managed to get to the football match on Wednesday night :) (See my pic of a snowy St James' Park).Although we unsurprisingly lost to Man United it was the first game I had been to since before Christmas so I am pretty chuffed to rejoin the human race again - even if it was just for 90 minutes!

Yucky Hand Picture

Just a little update - it drying and healing but it looks disgusting (worse than it does here) and itches like hell :(

Ow Ow Ow - My New Essential Fashion Accessory!

After a few days of feeling much better my poor hand started hurting last night - it felt very, very tight and pretty uncomfortable. By this morning it had started to blister and scab (sorry if tmi).I know this is part of the healing process but it isn't nice and due to the patches of open skin the decision was made to bandage it up. Hopefully this should keep it nice and clean and stop any infection till it starts to heal :(