I've got mail // The Blogger's Snail Mail

I was so happy to get home from work as I'm looking forward to the Bank Holiday,but receiving this lovely gift and note from Vicki at EllieBearBabi (go and follow her, she's awesome) made it even greater! I've been chatting to her over on Twitter as part of The Blogger's Snail Mail which was set up by Gemma over at Lipstick & Lashes.Basically,we got to know someone and their blog,and at the end of it we could send a note or letter and a gift for no more than £5.This budget really helped us to get creative! Luckily my snail mail pal is very crafty and I wasn't disappointed with it's lovely presentation.

The first thing I noticed was the beautiful Butterfly wrapping, and look at all the goodies that are inside! This definitely inspires me to take more effort to wrap up presents prettily.The cute note was a lovely personal touch too,thank you Vicki for all of your kinds words.By the way,I wish I had that handwriting,I can't write in straight lines on blank paper (many school notebooks were thrown away!)

I love the design from the back of the card,it's very fitting seeing as it comes from a very creative person.In my head,I'm a 1950's housewife who is really good at sewing, so this appeals to my nature.

Let's have a quick peek at what's inside shall we?

I always like to have a mirror in my handbag as I'm prone to getting stuff stuck in my teeth (hello spinach) and this is so cute! Vintage pin up design and a heart shape.What more could I want?

 This looks really interesting! SPF is one of the things I look for in a moisturiser, but I've never seen this before (maybe it's a Northern Irish thing?) I love Nivea products and I've heard so many great things about BB creams,especially with the Summer coming up when it's nicer to wear less make up.

This sheer pink lipstick is by a company called NYPM and I'm really excited to try a different brand.I don't have many pink shades,so I will be branching out a bit which is always good.It will make a nice change from my usual red or purple toned lip colours.

I do like to add a little bit of colour to my cheeks,but I prefer a subtle rosy glow over an Aunt Sally (Google it) look. I've heard that this tint is a good dupe for Benefit's version too,so fingers crossed! As for the nail varnish well it couldn't be more perfect.I love sparkles and I've already sung the praises of Jess nail polishes here.I'm creating a bit of a nail polish collection (let's hope they don't take over my house)

I've had so much fun chatting and writing my letter,it just goes to show how far good words and friendly gestures can go! I wish people wrote letters more as it always feels much more personal and special to receive your very own handwritten note in the post.Thank you Vicki for taking the time to create this lovely package,it definitely brightened my day!

Do you ever write letters? I think I might start (it's an excuse to buy pretty stationary.)

Beauty // Shower essentials

I'm definitely a creature of habit and I love my morning routine.There's nothing better than feeling fresh and ready for the day, and I've found these products always help me start the morning on the right foot.I use these religiously and I will be making sure that I repurchase them again.

Sanctuary Spa Body Scrub (£5.50 from Boots)

I've been loving Sanctuary products since I received a gift box for Christmas,they're really affordable yet they have that luxurious look.This scrub is really gentle and doesn't leave my skin irritated or red.I suffer with Keratosis Pilaris,which is rough and bumpy skin on my upper arms and this really helps combat that and keep my skin smooth.It's perfect to use in the morning because it's got a gorgeous citrus scent that is really wakes me up!

Radox Moisture Soak (£1 from Poundland)

I do love a nice bubble bath.A few candles and the water at just the right temperature (boiling hot) and I'm happy.The downside of having regular hot baths is it can leave my skin feeling dried out,luckily this bubble bath really helps to put the moisture back in.It creates loads of comforting bubbles and fills the room with a sweet and inviting fragrance.You really don't need much either,I've had this for a good few months!

Nivea Harmony Time Shower Cream (£1 from Poundland)

This smells absolutely gorgeous! It's almost perfume like and leaves my skin smelling faintly of rose petals and sweet almonds.The formulation is very creamy so it would be brilliant for people who suffer with dry,tight skin (like me.) 

Gilette Venus Razor (£7.99 from Boots)

I don't use these everyday (I alternate it with cheaper razors) as I think that  Venus razors and the new blades can get pretty pricey,but I love the results.I can get a close smooth shave and it doesn't drag across my skin and cut it up like some other razors have done.Armpits can be notoriously hard to get completely shaved because of the awkward shape,but I find that these leave no fuzz behind.There are normally quite a lot of offers and deals on Venus products so I'd keep an eye open to see if they go down in price. 

I'm always keeping my eye out for new products,but I always go back to these.I'm not a fan of fussy or complicated bottles (I'm very clumsy) but these do the job!

What products are you loving at the moment?

Poundland bargains // Derma V10 Anti Wrinkle moisturising cream review

I always get so confused with all of the technical mumbo jumbo when it comes to skincare.I don't know what "peptides" are or what hyaluronic acid does for my skin, I just want a face cream that  is simple and affordable.Of course,I went to Poundland and I found this little beauty.I'm not the sort of person to spend £30 on one product,so I was hoping this would be a perfect budget alternative.

The first thing that caught my eye was the packaging.I like how fuss free it is and it looks quite luxurious for a cheaper product. 50ml is a generous amount,and it's suitable for all skin types so it shouldn't irritate any problem areas.I've seen Q10 mentioned on other anti wrinkle products and apparently that is because it rich in antioxidants,which are great for maintaining healthy skin .Aloe Vera is very good at calming redness and Carnitine helps boost anti aging properties.It all sounds very professional! 

This is a new pot,but I've been using this for around 3 months and I'm really happy with the results.It has a lovely consistency and is thick enough that it leaves my skin feeling moisturised without that greasy feeling.Also,a little goes a long way,I only use about a 10p sized blob to cover my whole face.I can't comment on it's anti wrinkle effect as I don't have any yet (maybe that's why!) but it creates a wonderful smooth base for my make up and it does everything a face cream should do.It smell gorgeous too,it reminds me of a mix between fresh laundry and soap.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for simple skincare that works.If you're spending quite a lot in that area,this would be an effective alternative.My pot lasted 3 months using it every day so I only spend £4 on face creams per year,less than one pot of higher end product.

What skin cream are you using at the moment?

Bucket list // 30 before 30

Things have been going really well recently,I've been feeling much more well in myself and I've been thinking of what things I want to achieve in the future! I've seen other blogs do "bucket lists" where they write down what they want to complete in their lives and I think they're a great way to keep focused.I decided to do a 30 achievements by 30 list.This gives me a whole 7 years to see how many I can tick off.I couldn't decide as I have so many,but I narrowed it down to my "must dos"

1. Swim with Dolphins
2. Donate my hair to charity
3. Visit London
4. Get a mortgage (easier said than done!)
5. Have a flat/house decorated exactly how I want it (I love cosy homes with plenty of throws and cushions.)
6. Help feed and bathe Elephants (I wanted to ride one but after researching it seems unethical.)
7. Start a family
8. Stay recovered from Anorexia
9. Have a pet (preferably a pug if Sam would agree!)
10. Visit America 
11. Stay in 5 (or more) hostels
12. Cook a three course meal from scratch
13. Keep up with blogging
14. Take a dance class with my husband
15. Be in an audience for a TV show
16. Try to reduce/control my anxiety
17. Stay up all night to watch the sunrise somewhere pretty
18. Visit Bora Bora and stay in a over water hut
19. Have a good skin routine (I want to stay looking young!)
20. Go Ice Skating with Sam
21. Pay more attention to staying hydrated (I get horrible headaches)
22. Visit Italy (Rome or Venice!)
23. Wear classic clothes not trends
24. Water-ski
25. Hot air balloon ride
26. Donate food to food bank/homeless charity
27. See Pandas at Edinburgh Zoo
28. Visit the other countries in Great Britain 
29. Expand my cooking knowledge (I'm good at my favourites but I want to cook some "dinner party" type food.
30. Work on becoming more optimistic

So there is my list! I tried to include a good mixture of long and short term achievements,as well as ones that don't cost the Earth.I'm going to create a page with these on so that I can be reminded and write posts about them as I go.

What's on your bucket list?

    

Summer skin // Scholl Instant Hard Skin Remover review

Every year as Summer approaches I start looking for gadgets and gizmos to help remove the dry and cracked skin from my feet.I think I've bought every kind of cream promising soft smooth skin and I didn't have much success with the Ped Egg either! It felt like I was rubbing a cheese grater over my feet,and it was just as helpful too.I was browsing Bloglovin' as I often do,and I noticed that Leah over at Just me,Leah was reviewing this and her results gave me some hope! I really want to wear more sandals this year,so I popped over to Amazon and picked one up.

Scholl Instant Hard Skin Remover £8.50 from here

Apparently 98% of people agree that they saw visible improvements and I like those odds! I decided to soak my feet first so that my skin was softened and it would (hopefully) be easier to use.

The first thing that I found that it was really easy to hold which meant that I could get loads of dead skin off.It felt really therapeutic! All you do is rub the circles which contain specially angled blades backwards and forwards over the area,and the skin will be removed.After using this,I noticed a massive difference in how my feet felt and the areas were much less painful and red.To get the most out of the experience rubbed in some heel cream and put on some thick socks so that it could soak in.

      CCS Swedish Foot Heel Balm £5.56 from here

This stuff is amazing! It nourishes my skin and definitely reduces the time I need to spend on my feet.This would be lovely for anyone who is on their feet a lot.It's more than I'd normally pay for a foot cream,but seeing as Summer is coming up,my skin needs the attention.

I'd definitely recommend getting the Scholl Instant Hard Skin remover if you suffer from painful dry skin and calluses! It only took about 10 minutes to use so it's easy to use if you're rushing around.Unfortunately,if you're Diabetic you won't be able to use this product.

Do you have any tips of soft feet?

Ebay bargains // Korean pearl face mask review

I am forever on Ebay and I'm always after something new to freshen up my beauty routine,that's why I was so happy to come across these.I picked them up for £2.99 from this seller from South Korea.It took a little while to get here,but I expected that and I was impressed that the delivery was free!What attracted me as well  was the beautiful packaging and the wide range of masks they offer from Snail to Bee Venom,interesting! I chose the Pearl Essence which claims to "brighten and illuminate,and was beloved by Cleopatra".Well if it's good enough for her,then I should expect great results.

Each package contains one sheet which you place over your face and leave for 15 to 20 minutes.I was worried that it wouldn't have any understandable instructions but it did come with a handy guide.(I later found out it does have very basic English instructions at the bottom!)

Upon opening the packet I noticed a very fresh and clean smell which wasn't too overpowering.The sheet was saturated in the product,which makes this pretty good value for what you get.I gently placed it on my freshly washed face and went to relax for 20 minutes.During this time it didn't drip once which makes these sheet masks great for a quick freshen up without all the mess.Also,I didn't feel any irritation on my sensitive skin.Once the time was up I removed the mask and rubbed it onto my skin,to ensure that my skin had soaked up all of the pearl essence.I went to look in the mirror to see how it fared.

This was the final result! I suffer with uneven skin tone and I'm pleased to say this has really helped to combat that.My skin feels much smoother and it was definitely a relaxing and fun experience.I also found it did help slightly reduce my pores! Bonus.I would recommend these to anybody who loves to put on face masks at home (don't forget the cucumbers on the eyes!) and wants a cheaper and effective alternative to the spa.

Have you bought any beauty products from Ebay? Did you like them?