All About Feelunique Pick 'n' Mix - March 2019 Selection*

Over the last few months or so I've been sharing my thoughts on the various subscription boxes that I subscribe to, and bar a few dodgy items, and a few hiccups here and there I'm still a huge fan of the concept, I love trying new things and I love the whole surprise element. Given the financial outlay and the risk element though, I can completely understand why some people don't like them. If you like the idea of trying new things but you aren't keen on the surprise element though there are a now a few options that able you to enjoy the beauty box experience without as much of a risk.

A lot of the beauty box companies such as Glossybox, Cohorted and Latest In Beauty do a lot of limited edition one off boxes, as do various beauty retailers including QVC UK, Debenhams, and even ASOS. The contents of these boxes is either clearly listed so you know exactly what you're buying or in some cases you can even choose what you want in your box. The fact that you know exactly what's in the box takes away that surprise element but since you can choose whether or not to buy it, it definitely takes away some of the risk. One thing it doesn't tackle though is the price issue, and if anything some of these one off boxes can actually work out more expensive than a regular subscription box, just having a quick look online the cheapest one off box I can find at the moment is £20 for QVC UK's TILI, not cheap and potentially still a pricey way to try something new. Fear for those of you who are watching the pennies but you fancy trying something new beauty wise, then there is another option.

Now if you read my February empties post or if you've ever watched any of my You Tube videos, and then you'll already have heard about the Feelunique UK Pick 'n' Mix. I don't know about you but I love Feelunique UK, their site features beauty products from over 500 brands including Clarins, Charlotte Tilbury, HUDA Beauty and Anastasia Beverley Hills, it really is a beauty junkies paradise. Apart from the sheer amount of choice on the website one of the reasons that I really love Feelunique is because of their fabulously proactive sampling policy. As well as the popular "try me" policy on certain items, you also get 2 samples on every order over £40, and they offer a fabulous Pick 'n" Mix service.

It's exactly the same as buying some Pick 'n' Mix at the cinema only without the terrifying price tag. Feelunique UK allows you to pick 5 samples a month, from an extensive and ever changing list of everything from perfumes, to make up, and skincare products from all of their most popular brands for only £3.95 shipping and handling. It sounds a lot but after your samples have been dispatched you then receive an email from Feelunique containing a code, which entitles you to £3.95 off your next purchase, so it's pretty much risk free.

Now I'm going to be honest some of the samples are quite small, they usually have not for sale printed on the packaging, and they are often samples that you could get on counter if the assistant was feeling generous that day. The website clearly indicates though the type of sample that you're requesting for example, a vial, a tube, a sachet or a card, and the size.

I'd the first to admit that I don't get a Pick 'n' Mix every month but if I see something that I've wanted to try for a while, or even smaller or mini of products that I already love then I'll go for it. Now by looking at the sizes and so on you can often really good sized products such as the Sol de Janeiro Body Buff Smoothing Scrub 'N' Mask that I talked about in February's post. I've had all sorts from mini eye pencils, to decent size fake tan sachets and mini lip glosses, it really it worth keeping an eye on it to say what's new. If you have a look at my You Tube channel then you can see some of my previous samples but today I thought I'd share this month's selection with you. I haven't had a chance to try anything yet but I thought it might give you an idea of what was on offer.

Now you don't get any fancy boxes with these, your samples will either come in a padded envelope or in a cardboard box / envelope like what you can see in the picture above. It's not about the packaging it's all about the contents and this is what I chose in March 2019.

RMS Beauty Living Luminizer - 0.04g

Even if you're a relatively new reader than you'll probably know that I have a bit of a thing for highlighters, so when I saw this one from RMS Beauty, I thought that I'd give it a try.

Now I've tried anything from RMS Beauty before but I'm really liking their philosophy, their aim is to transform the way that women use make up, their products are made from organic, non toxic ingredients and designed to heal and nourish the skin.

Containing almost skin care like ingredients such as castor seed oil, coconut oil, beeswax and rosemary leaf extract, this product apparently has a cult following, and promises a translucent, sheer, dewy, satin pearl finish.

It's a carded sample so you don't get a lot, but there should be enough for a couple of uses on the cheekbones and maybe on the brow bone. The full 4.8g size retails at £36.

Glamglow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturiser - Pearl Glow - 1.5ml

From an out and out highlighter to a multi use product that can add glow and luminosity in all sorts of different ways.

Founded in 2010 Glamglow are famous for their face masks, but this is something a bit different, it's a moisturiser and illuminator in one.

It contains a mixture of botanicals including jojoba, Shea butter, and green tea ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, to add moisture, hydration and radiance to the skin. It comes in 3 different shades and this one, Pearl Glow appears to be the lightest shade and in swatches online it appears to be a shimmery creamy, white.  You can use it as a moisturiser, and use it under the rest of your make up or you can wear it on its own, or you can use it as a highlighter and apply it to the cheekbones and where ever else you want to glow.

This is a decent size sachet so hopefully I'll be able to get a few uses out of it. The full 50g size again retails at £36.

Clarins Instant Poreless Mattifying Primer - 3 x 1.5ml

Next up an item from Clarins - I used to use a lot of Clarins products but bar a few products, it's a brand that I don't really pay that much attention to any more, so I thought that this might be a nice way to try a new product, and to try and tackle a few issues that I have with my skin and make up at the same time.

Despite being now in my early 40's (cry!), my skin can still pump oil out like it's going out of fashion, and you could still on occasions drive a truck through my pores, so if a product promises to the matte the complexion down, and minimise visual pores and imperfections, I'm all over it .Containing organic strawberry tree fruit extract, this cream gel primer, apparently turns into a powder on contact with the skin and absorbs oil and sebum to minimise shine.

Bring it on I say, and with 3 sachets, I've got plenty of product and time to see if it lives up to all of its promises. A full size 20ml tube retails at £24.

Benefit Gimme Brow + Brow Volumising Fibre Gel - 3 Neutral Light Brown - 1g

As much as I like trying new things, I've sometimes used Pick 'n' Mix to pick up minis and travel sizes of products that I already love, and I do love a bit of Gimme Brow. It's the perfect lazy girl (or shattered, time pushed girl!) product, it add a hint of colour, thickness, and definition to the brows, as well as taming the strays, and stragglers and covering the occasional white hair!

I'm usually a 4 / 4.5 in Gimme Brow now but this colour is perfect for when I don't want and obvious or full on brow or for adding a bit of definition and highlight. This is a good size tube and it would be ideal for trying the product for the first time, without too much of a risk. The full 3g size retails at £21.50.

Guerlain Cild D'Enfer Maxi Lash So Volume Mascara - 01 Noir - 1.5ml

Finally a product from Guerlain, now despite the fame and cult status of their Meteorites, I think I've only ever owned one of their products and that was a lipstick, so when I saw this, being the mascara junkie that I am I added it to my sample selection.

Again it sounds really impressive, it's designed to intensify and enhance the eyes, by adding condition, thickness, and volume, and all without running or smudging.

I can't wait to give this a go and whilst mini tubes like this don't always give you a true picture of the wand, it will definitely give me some idea of the formulation. The full 8.5ml size retails at £28.

As I say I haven't had the opportunity to try any of these products, bar the Gimme Brow yet, so keep an eye on my Instagram, and my future empties posts to hear my thoughts x I hope that this has given you at least some idea of some of the items that you try with Feelunique Pick 'n' Mix. The selection is constantly changing and every day there seems to be something new, so it's well worth keeping tabs on the website. I know this post probably sounds like a bit of a ad but I promise you I just love the concept x If you want to find out more about Feelunique and the Pick 'n' Mix service, then check out their website to find out more x Are you a fan of samples? Let me know xx

*This Post Contains Both Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links

Sample Saturday - Agadir Argan Oil Daily Moisturizing Shampoo And Conditioner*

As much as I love finishing beauty products and racking up those empties, sometimes it can be a double edged sword. Last week I finished both a shampoo and a conditioner from a kit that I've been loving lately, and seeing those empty bottles made me feel a little bit sad :(  I've written a full review in a previous post but the products made me feel like I'd given my hair a serious moisture boost so obviously I went straight online and ordered some replacements.

Whilst I was waiting for them to come though, I still needed to wash my hair and give it the TLC that it so desperately needs, so I had a little look through my sample stash and found a bagful of sample sachets from a brand called Agadir Argan Oil.

Founded in 1964, Agadir Argan Oil is a professional haircare brand, that has Argan Oil at it's heart. Unlike some brands and some cheaper products on the market Agadir only use 100% pure and certified Moroccan Argan Oil in their products, and there products aren't tested on animals. Although there is a big buzz around Argan Oil at the moment in the beauty industry, it's been used in it's native Morocco on both the hair and the skin, for many, many years and with good reason. This precious oil is famed for both both it's moisturising and nourishing properties, and it can even help improve the elasticity and strength of the hair.

The Agadir Argan Oil range contains a large variety of both care, and styling products for all hair types, and needs and I was lucky enough to be sent sample sachets of most of the products in the line. I'm going to try and review them all for you in due course but my most pressing need was shampoo and conditioner, so that's what I tried first.


Agadir Argan Oil Daily Moisturizing Shampoo - 10ml

There are two shampoos in the Agadir range and this is probably the most, all round, everyday one. Suitable for all hair types, it's both sulfate and paraben free. It contains 100% pure Argan Oil, and it also contains Vitamin E, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids. It also includes a unique colour preserving formulation, and is designed to leave the hair smooth and conditioned.

The first thing I noticed when I opened the sachet was the smell, as you know I'm useless at describing scents but this was a warm heady, intoxicating blend of nuttiness, woodiness and tropical flowers that lingered on the hair, without being over powering.

With a light, liquidy almost gel texture, it's almost a pearlised peach in appearance. Despite being sulfate free it foamed very easily with the addition of a small amount of water, leaving a smooth, and creamy foam. It rinsed away easily, and the hair was left feeling clean, and nourished.

I have to say on first glance I wasn't expecting a lot from this shampoo, the gel like texture didn't give me any indication of just how moisturising it was. If you like a shampoo that leaves your hair squeaky clean this isn't for you, but if you want something that seems to moisturise and smooth, unruly or dry hair then I would definitely recommend that you give this a try. I used this alongside the conditioner but if you have normal, easy to deal with hair or if you wash your hair every day, then you might be able to skip the conditioner all together. Agadir Argan Oil Daily Moisturizing Shampoo comes in a 355ml bottle and retails at around £15.30 from selected salons, D&L Hair Products and FeelUnique.

Agadir Argan Oil Daily Moisturizing Conditioner - 10ml

Although some people could probably get away without using a conditioner, at the moment I can't and my hair needs all of the nourishment it can get so I used the accompanying conditioner after shampooing.

Like the shampoo this conditioner, contains 100% pure Argan Oil, and enriched with antioxidants and Vitamin E. It aims to strengthen and repair the hair, provide shine and to keep the frizz at bay. It's also designed to protect the hair against humidity and it also contains a sunscreen to protect the hair and scalp.

At first glance again this conditioner had the potential to disappoint, although it was white and creamy looking, it just wasn't as thick as I was expecting but appearances can be deceptive and again this product impressed me. It spread easily throughout the hair and after leaving it for a few minutes, it rinsed away easily, leaving the hair smooth, tangle free, and even a little bit fuller, with leaving it feeling heavy or weighed down. After I'd dried my hair, it felt smoother, looked shinier, and the frizz had all but disappeared, and with the same heady scent as the shampoo, my hair smelled fabulous. Agadir Argan Oil Daily Moisturizing Conditioner comes in a 355ml bottles and retails at around £15.30, again from specialist salons, D&L Hair Products, and FeelUnique.

Okay I know I've only managed a couple of uses out of each sachet but I have to say my first impressions are good.  You just need a small amount of product and after just one wash my hair looked shinier and felt healthier. I know it's hard to make a judgement on just two uses but I would definitely consider purchasing both of these products in the full sizes to see the differences that long term use could potentially make to my hair.

 I hope you've found this post useful I love trying out new brands and I hope that you enjoy reading about them too x I still have a quite a few Agadir Argan Oil samples to post so make sure your following for some more Sample Saturday reviews x Thanks for reading and if you have any questions please leave me a comment x

*Samples

The Beauty At Tesco Advent Calendar - Days 12 - 24 And A Merry Christmas

Apologies for the lateness of the post but I did want to squeeze at least one more in before Christmas. I have a little recipe that I want to show you but it's going to have to wait till Friday now so in the meantime I thought I'd show you the rest of the goodies that I got in my Beauty At Tesco Advent Calendar. You can read about Days 1 -12 here x

Days 13 - 15

Tesco Reflect & Perfect Cosmetic Mirror
Dead Sea Spa Magik Delicate Boosting Mask - 25ml
Royal Moroccan Moisturizing Shampoo - 15ml, Royal Moroccan Moisturizing Conditioner - 15ml, and Royal Moroccan Serum Treatment - 5ml

Days 16 - 18

Baylis & Harding Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit Moisturising Body Lotion - 30ml (See Below)

Ghost EDT - 5ml

Stylfile Emergency File - Around £4.49

Days 19 - 24

Baylis & Harding Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit Balancing Body Wash - 50ml - Both This And The Body Wash Retail For £3 In A Gift Set
Manuka Doctor Rejuvenating Face Mask - 7ml
Denman Mini Classic Brush Keyring - £2.79
Vaseline Lip Therapy With Aloe Vera - 20g - £1.99
Dr Lewinns Renunail Triple Strength Nail Colour - Pomegranate - 14g - £14.00
Natio Spa Heavenly Hand Cream - 20ml


Although there were quite a few sample sizes in this calendar I have to say that I think it was well worth the money, particularly when you take into account the recommend retail price of items such as the Dr Lewinns, and the Nip + Fab. I'm looking to trying all of the products but I'm particularly excited to try the nail polishes, the foundation brush, the Manuka Doctor mask and of course the Nip + Fab.

I would have liked to have seen maybe a couple of more make up products but that's just a personal thing - the variety was really good and something that all beauty lovers would get something out of, and I really hope that they do a version next year.

So the last door on the calendar has been opened, the trees decorated, my new Christmas PJ's (Despicable Me!) are on, and the Mulled Wine is going down a treat, all that remains is for me to wish you a very Merry Christmas, and even if you don't celebrate I hope that you have a nice day anyways x

Christmas isn't always a joyful day and if you're feeling along, isolated or you need help or assistance then please, please read the lovely Kellie from Big Fashionista's annual You Are Not Alone Post and get the help and support that you need  x

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas x

Sample Saturday - Finding Samples And A Mini Review Of The Garnier Body Oil Beauty Oil Infused Nourishing Lotion

Apologies for the lack of posts this week but I'm back with another Sample Saturday post. Over the last few weeks I've been sorting out all of my samples sachets and tubes and you'd be surprised at just how many duplicates I've accumulated.

I don't know about you but I'm much more likely to buy a product if I've had the chance to at least try it out first. Thankfully that's something that more and more brands and companies now seem to be recognising, and it's now easier than ever before to obtain samples and trial sized products.

Probably the best way to pick up high end samples is to brave the make up counter, but there are other ways. I'm a huge believe in signing up to online mailing lists, yes you might get a bit of junk mail, and junk email but every now and then you might get a little surprise through the post. GWP's - Gifts with purchase, and shopping online are also good ways to pick up samples but perhaps my favourite way is to buy magazines.

Despite my love of blogs and online media, I don't think my love for glossy magazines will ever end. Cover mounted gifts are often a great source of samples, and trial sizes, and of course how could we ever ignore the scratch and sniff perfume samples, and the occasional sample sachet.

Judging by the amount of sample sachets that I've accumulated from magazines, it still must be a good way for brands to get their new products out there into the public domain. During my recent search I found 3, 10ml sachets of  Garnier Body Oil Beauty Oil Infused Nourishing Lotion, all of which came from various glossy magazines.

Introduced earlier this year, this nourishing body lotion contains real essential oils and extracts of Argan, Macadamia, Almond, Shea Butter and Rose.

It is pale yellow in colour, and has quite a creamy texture for a lotion. It's very easy to massage into the skin, and it has pleasant, smooth slip, feeling on the skin.

This lotion takes a minute or two to absorb into the skin completely but afterwards the skin feels smooth and.hydrated, and not at all greasy or sticky.

I don't think my camera has really captured it here, but this product gives you skin a really healthy sheen. My skin not only looked better and healthier immediately after application but it actually felt moisturised for a good few hours afterwards.

Like any product though it does have a couple of negatives. Despite the inclusion of both natural oils and extracts, it still contains mineral oil so if your sensitive or you choose to avoid it. this product probably isn't for you.

My biggest issue though is with the smell, which is quite strong. I get a little bit of the rose but I also get quite a bit of almost woody, nutty, warmth. I do quite like the smell but it is quite strong and it does have a tendency to linger on the skin, so it could potentially interfere with perfume or fragrance. The scent isn't too girly though, so this could potentially be a unisex product

I know it's hard to judge after just a week or so's use but I have to say I'm pretty impressed with this product and it's something that I would potentially recommend. If you have drier skin, don't let the word lotion put you off, for me it's as affective as a thick, body cream but with a lighter lotion consistency. It feels nice on the skin, and the skin looks smoother, healthier and more hydrated almost as soon as it's applied. The scent could be an issue for some but since I've predominantly be using this product at night after a bath or shower, it hasn't really bothered me x

The Garnier Body Oil Beauty Oil Infused Nourishing Lotion is available in both a 250ml bottle which retails at around £4.99, and in a 400ml bottle which retails at around £6.99. It's available from various retailers including both Boots, and Superdrug. If your quick though and you want a bargain this product is currently on special offer in Tesco with the 400ml bottle retailing at £4.99 and the 250ml bottle retailing at just £3.32. Are you a body product junkie like me? Leave me a comment and let me know x

Sample Saturday - L'Occitane Shea Butter Zesty Lime Hand Cream

After a mini hiatus Sample Saturday returns with a post on something that I've been loving lately and using lots. I'm going to be honest and say that this product isn't technically a sample, but the full size is small enough to justify it's inclusion.

I'm a huge fan of L'Occitane hand creams and over the years I've probably tried most of their fragrances and textures. Alongside the permanent Rose, Lavender, Verbena, Cherry Blossom, and the original 20% Shea Butter varieties, they also produce yearly limited edition fragrances. The limited fragrances are always worth a look and a sniff and over the last few years they've produced fragrances such as Honey and Lemon, Sweet Violet and Vanilla.

L'Occitane hand creams seem to be one of the most popular magazine free gifts at the moment and last months Marie Claire came with a free 30ml tube. There were several varieties to choose from but I went for one of their newer fragrances Zesty Lime.

Like every other hand cream in the L'Occitane range, Zesty Lime comes in the traditional paint tube style packaging. Some of the larger sizes come in metal tubes which can be quite hard to squeeze but this one feels a lot more flexible and appears to be made of plastic.

This cream, like the original and best seller, contains 20% Shea Butter. The Shea Butter gives this hand cream, a rich, thick and creamy texture.

Despite the thickness it has a nice slip and it's very easy to massage it into the skin.

It does take a couple of minutes to sink in but because of the luxurious texture that's only to be expected. Once it's fully absorbed the hands are left looking fresher and brighter, and feeling soft, smooth and protected.

This hand cream is easily as good as the Original 20% Shea Butter one but for me it has a slightly bigger selling point - the scent! 

Described as Zesty Lime, you would expect it to have a citrus aroma, and it does, but Zesty Lime for me just doesn't do it justice Yes you do get fresh lime, but I also got fabulous lemon and grapefruit notes. If you like L'Occitane's Verbena fragrance you'll probably like this too. Zesty Lime is slightly warmer, and not quite as strong or fresh as Verbena but it definitely has similar citrus notes.

I know I'm a fan of L'Occitane hand cream in general but this one is probably one of my new favourites, due to both the texture and the scent.

Because of the texture Zesty Lime is perfect for this time of year when your hands get sore and chapped because of the cold weather. The texture also makes it an ideal night time product, just slather some on your hands and pop on a pair of cotton gloves, and in the morning your hands will be silky soft.

I guess there is only one real drawback with this product, and that's the size in comparison to the price. I love L'Occitane but their products aren't cheap. L'Occitane Shea Butter Zesty Lime Hand Cream comes in a 30ml tube and retails at a pretty scary £8! Okay you don't need a lot so the tube will last a while but that isn't cheap for just 30ml. Unfortunately it's limited edition and that's the only size tube it comes in,so you pays your money, you makes your choice I guess. Alas I can't just justify a repurchase of this particular one at the moment but I will definitely continue to buy L'Occitane hand creams in the future, or at least magazines that come with them as free gifts.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Zesty Lime Hand Cream retails at £8 for 30ml, and is available from selected L'Occitane stockists, L'Occitane standalone boutiques, and from the official L'Occitane website. Are you a L'Occitane fan? Let me know below x 

Sample Saturday - Pulpe De Vie Sweet Frappe Mask And Face Scrub*

If you've ever subscribed to a beauty box or you've ever bought a glossy magazine then you're bound to have a drawer full of sample sachets and mini bottles. Don't get me wrong they're fabulous for holidays and weekends away but more often than not they sit in the drawer unloved. A few days ago I found another bagful of sachets and it gave me an idea. In an attempt to use up some of my numerous sachets, and mini bottles I've decided to introduce a series called Sample Saturday.

I'm not saying it's going to be every Saturday but from now on, as regularly as possible I'm going to be doing a review of a sample from my collection. Depending on the size or the number of samples that I have, it will either be an initial impressions post or a full review. Believe me I have all different sorts of minis and samples in my drawers, so there should be a post to suit everyone.

Today's post is going to be all about something that I was sent. Sometimes as bloggers we're lucky enough to be sent full sized products, but on a lot of occasions we're sent sample sachets or minis. I'm grateful for everything that I'm sent so I was excited to be sent some samples from a new brand to me Pulpe de Vie.

Pulpe de Vie are a small French company based in the beautiful region of Provence, they produce a certified organic line of skin and body care. Their products are predominantly fruit and vegetable based and their ingredients are all purchased from local suppliers and growers. They are an all French company and all of their ingredients and packaging and products are grown and manufactured in France.

They offer a small range of skincare and body care products, ranging from body moisturisers, to facial self tanners, facial moisturisers and masks. The product I received was the yummy sounding Sucre Frappe, or in English the Sweet Frappe Face Mask and Scrub.

Designed for all skin types, this two in one product is designed to deep cleanse and exfoliate the skin. The manufacturers claim that this product will improve the skin tone and appearance of the pores, whilst at the same time leaving the skin moisturised and radiant.

This product contains 99.8% natural ingredients, 94% of which, are organic. Did you know for something to be classified as organic, only 10% of the product needs to be organic? That seems like such a small amount for me and it's definitely made me think a bit more about the concept when I'm looking at cosmetic labelling. I guess in this case though, with such a high percentage, it really shows Pulpe de Vie's commitment to using organic ingredients.

All of the ingredients in this product are easy to find both on the full sized packaging and online. This scrub and mask contains organic grapefruit oil, cucumber extract, apricot kernels, and acacia honey. It also contains vegetable glycerin, organic and fair trade sunflower oil, and emulsifiers which come from sugar.

Source 

Sounds pretty natural to me but what is it and what does it do? Well the product itself is a sort of sticky amber coloured gel, with is crammed full of tiny pieces of apricot kernel. Appearance wise it reminds me a little bit of Origins Never A Dull Moment, only slightly less scented and a bit less gritty. It has a very subtle, sweet, fruity scent and thankfully for me it doesn't smell of honey. All you do is massage the product into clean, dry skin, avoiding the delicate eye and lip areas, and your hairline unless you want your hair to be full of apricot kernels!  Despite the stickiness it is pretty easy to massage into the skin - scary pictures time!

You then leave it for about 5 minutes to let the majority of the ingredients do their thing. The mask doesn't really set but some of the gel does seem to thicken slightly. Then using a small amount of warm water, you just rub your face gently in circular motions. The consistency then turns from a gel into a creamy, milky particle packed exfoliator. The scent of the grapefruit oil also appear to be intensified with the addition of the water.

Then using a face cloth, soaked in warm water, you just wash away the remnants of the product. The apricot kernels are numerous, as you can probably see from this picture so it can take a little while to get it off, just persevere, and be gentle.

After rinsing my skin looked a little bit pink but it did actually feel really clean and smooth, as if I'd had a nice facial :)

I actually really liked the two samples that I tried but I have to say I'm not the hugest fan of using things like apricot kernels on my face. Try as manufactures might they still tend to feel a bit scratchy on the skin. Pulpe de Vie suggest that you apply a little bit of water to the skin when your first applying it if you have a sensitive skin, but if you have skin that's easily sensitised I would probably avoid this product and pretty much any other kernel containing. manual exfoliator on the market.

It's really hard to review a skin care product in just two uses though and whilst this left my skin feeling nice and soft, it didn't have the wow factor which would make me spend £19.50 on the full sized tube. That said the two sachets that I had contained 5ml of products each so a 75ml tube would go a long way, so if your a fan of this type of product and your after something natural and predominately organic, this could be a worthwhile investment. Unfortunately I dont think that this is an investment I will be making, but I will definitely consider trying some of the other products from Pulpe de Vie in the future.

Pulpe De Vie "Sucre Frappe" Sweet Frappe Mask And Face Scrub retails at £19.50 for a 75ml tube and ia available from Absolutely Divine in the UK. They also have a very nice, website of their own which alas for me is in French. Some browsers have a translate feature on them though which I would highly recommend using because the website gives you a lot of additional information both on the brand and on the product line.

Are you a fan of facial scrubs? Leave me a comment and let me know your favourite x

(*PR 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

Debenhams Extras

In all my excitement yesterday I forgot to post about the rest of the goodies I got with my Debenhams Alice palette - whoops - As well as the palette I purchased a bottle of Mavala Scientifique nail strengthener - I still have some OPI Nail Envy to use and some other things but I have heard good things about this so I thought I'd get a bottle to try out if everything else I'm using fails - I'm about half way through operation nail growth for this month and I have to say I'm so, so - I have actually broke two nails on my left hand - one right the way down so it really hurts - but I am trying to keep up with all the cuticle work and so on so you never know - I'll report back around March 7th.
As well as the two things I purchased Debenhams were also kind enough to enclose some free samples - the most exciting one was a 10 day supply of id Bare Minerals Foundation in Medium Beige which happens to be my summer shade, and the cutest although not necessarily the most useful baby kabuki brush :) I also got some Gucci Flora perfume samples and about 8 DKNY Pure sample sheets which are currently adorning my radiators and giving off a lovely smell x