The 'Not So Glam' Review: Sure Maximum Protection

As the title suggests, this isn't the most glamorous of subjects.. anti-perspirant. Regardless, we all wear it (or at least most of us probably do!) and it's even more important in this recent heatwave we've been having here in England. I'm going to be completely honest here and admit that I struggle with sweating. I'll fill you in with my 'story'.. I know, I know, it's gross, but actually it isn't - it's a completely natural reaction that our bodies do in an attempt to cool us down (I have this on great authority from Dr Dawn on This Morning). I still don't want to sweat though! For years I have struggled to find a deodorant that makes me feel confident all day, and I'm forever reapplying and checking myself. Sometimes I'll find one I like, but after a few months of use my body seems to become immune and it stops working again. I know that clean sweat doesn't smell, but often I'll have a shower in the morning, apply some deodorant straight away and only a couple of hours later I feel it doesn't smell as nice as it did at application! It's so frustrating, because I know I'm clean! Sometimes it depends on the type of top I'm wearing, which is equally frustrating! On the same This Morning episode, Dr Dawn suggested that sometimes scented shower gels and deodorants can actually interfere with the pH of your skin and that can cause the smell, even though you've showered. So at the moment I am trialling washing my armpits with a pH neutral shower gel to see if that helps (I will keep you posted).

I suppose I should get on with the review of the product: Sure Women Maximum Protection in 'Everyday Fresh' | £5.00. I thought I would pick this up as it promises 48 hour protection and an anti-wetness formula. It's a cream consistency, that you twist up through the little holes and apply to your armpits. The instructions tell you to apply it at night, before bed, to let it work while you sleep, then again as necessary. While I don't feel that the protection lasts 48 hours (do these things ever?!), I am impressed with the anti-wetness formula. I feel like I'm definitely dryer than usual. Most of all however, it smells really nice all day. It's a really fresh smell, which I always favour, and I don't feel like my sweat (ew) seeps its way through as it normally would. To avoid my body becoming resistant to this one, I'm going to swap about a bit, using a spray deodorant sometimes and maybe a different scent from this range. I've been using this for a few weeks now and I am impressed.

Now that I feel you are probably very familiar with my armpit region (sorry about that, possible T.M.I?), I will leave it there! I know it's not a topic many people like to talk about, but if you're anything like me hopefully this might show you that there is light at the end of the sweaty tunnel!

Do you have any recommendations for me to try? I would love to hear your suggestions!

The Body Shop Bits

These are not new products. In fact, I have had them for a good few months now.. probably even nearing on a year! To be completely honest, I forgot that I had even planned a post on them! Now that I have had a good long while to try them out however, I thought I would be able to review them even better! Let's get on with the reviews!

Indian Night Jasmine Fragrance | £7.50 | The Body Shop
I love this fragrance! I'm not going to try and describe it, all I can come up with is: it's gorgeous! TBS describe it as a 'seductive, feminine blend of floral and oriental accords', I'll leave it to them! It's so nice to wear during the day, and because it's a mist, you can give a thorough spritz all over yourself - and your clothes! It's a shame it's in a glass bottle, because I would love to carry it around in my bag with me to freshen up! They have a whole range in this scent and I have the shower gel which is equally as beautiful! I think my next purchase might be the body lotion and the EDP. I'll keep you posted..

Tea Tree Pore Minimiser | £7.50 | The Body Shop
I bought this simply because Corrie from Dizzybrunette3 recommended it for her oily skin. If I'm being honest, I can't tell if this primer actually does much for my skin. It's supposed to be used as a base under makeup to stop the oils breaking through, but in the last few months or so I feel as though my oiliness has calmed down so much! I can't be certain why, but I think it must be my skincare - or maybe just age? (Is it even possible to grow out of oily skin?!) But anyway, it is a lovely product, as with all tea tree products it feels good on the skin and I like to think it's doing something. I use it quite sparingly and not every time I apply my makeup, so this little pot has lasted me ages! I would say it's definitely worth a try if you have acne prone/ oily skin because it feels like a lovely layer under makeup, and for £7.50 it's not going to break the bank! Just apply a small amount to the T-zone and you're away!

Strawberry Shower Gel | £4 | The Body Shop
The smell of this.. words cannot describe. If you love the smell of strawberry sweets, you will love this! I always use a scrunchie (not sure what they're actually called, but that's what I call them!) and this lathers up beautifully. The smell doesn't seem to hang around for very long, but I don't expect miracles! I think if I bought the matching strawberry body butter it would probably lock in the smell! I use this on and off, but I have a little left and it is lovely. Next, I want to get the passion fruit one because I already have the body butter and OMG that is b-e-a-utiful! It always seems to be on sale too so I might just have to have a "browse" sometime soon..

So there's a short and sweet round up of some of TBS bits I've been using lately. It doesn't cover my favourite products by any stretch of the imagination (I think I love everything from that shop!!) but they're great all the same. What have you been buying from TBS recently? Do you have any holy grail products from there that I should be buying?! Comment below please!

Glossybox January 2014 'Back to Basics'

Last month's box was labelled 'Back to Basics' and to be completely honest, I was rather unimpressed. They really meant it when they said 'basics' and I was left feeling disappointed when I ripped off the lid of this month's installment. I have made the executive decision to cancel my membership after the Valentine's special box in February because I really just don't use the samples! Let's get onto a breakdown of the contents..

The Vintage Cosmetic Company Floral Slanted Tweezers
These were probably the thing I was most excited about when I opened the box. I love the floral design and the handy little pouch they come in- so twee! I have used once and, although I have thick, stubborn eyebrows, my Models Own tweezers I use at the moment are much better. I'm going to give them another go and see how I get on, but I wasn't blown away by their plucking power!

Yu-Be Moisturising Skin Cream
I've read quite a few blog posts on this cream, and they all seem very positive so I'm interested to try this out. I don't usually suffer with dry skin so I haven't opened these yet, but I'm sure once the snow hits (if it ever does) I will be popping these in my handbag for any dry skin emergencies. Rather randomly, this box included two teeny 3g samples, so if I don't like the product I'll probably give the second one to a friend!

Balance Me Super Toning Body Wash
This body wash is rather intriguing, because I haven't seen one that claims to 'tone' the skin before. I have some little bumps on my arms that I have had for years, so I'm interested to see if the 'smoothing and toning' aspects of this help to improve that in any way. It has quite a strong scent, and I think that's due to the lavender oil(?). Lavender isn't a scent I would usually go for, but I'm willing to give it a go! As with Balance Me products, this is 99% natural origin.

Vaseline Essential Moisture Lotion
This was by far the dullest and least favorite item of the bunch! Vaseline is hardly a glamorous product and I am really not a fan of their classic scent. It is a handy travel size, but with my mini body butters from Soap & Glory and The Body Shop, I really doubt I will be using this at all. I'll give it a go, but as I said, the scent puts me off! As I don't suffer with really dry skin, it doesn't seem like it will be suited to be regardless of the scent. I really wish this was a hair or makeup item instead! I think the fact that it's so cheap to buy full-size is also rather off-putting.

Anatomicals Puffy the Eye Bag Slayer Wake-Up Under Eye Patches
I'm intrigued by this one, I must admit! As with all Anatomicals products, I love the play on words and witty description on the back. Always sure to make me chuckle. I do suffer with dark shadows under my eyes, but it's not down to lack of sleep (as a student I get a lot of that), but rather just a pigmentation in my skin. At 20, I don't feel I need these for wrinkles or fine lines (just yet), but I am definitely willing to give them a go! They are surprisingly a lot less expensive to purchase full-size, at just £6 for a pack of 3 on ASOS.


So there we go, my round up of January 2014's Glossybox. As I said, there was nothing, for me, to get excited about in this box, but I'm sure I'll be able to put most of them to good use. Don't let this put you off the Glossybox in general though, because it really is a lucky dip! Did you get the same as me this month? Do you agree that it was a little 'meh' this month? Let me know below!

Glossybox August 2013 'High-flyers'

Apologies for my rather delayed post on last month's Glossybox. I realise it is now in fact September, but at least I can provide a more detailed review of some of the items! August's installment was a High-flyers edition, aiming to bring us products from different countries around the world. The aim was to provide us Glossybox girls with mini products suitable to take away on holiday. Unfortunately, my holiday is just a distant memory now, as it was way way back in July, *sob* but nevertheless, I was loving this month's box!

The box contained the following products:



Óceane Makeup Remover pen (Brazil)
This pen basically works like a cotton bud soaked in eye makeup remover, but with a more precise nib. It's a cool concept, but I'm inclined to think it's a little gimmicky. I haven't actually tried it out yet, but I definitely will do when I next do a detailed/smokey eye. It comes with 3 replacement nibs which it very handy. Although I'm sure I'll like this when I get round to using it, I don't think  I would purchase it when it becomes available in the UK, because, as I said, I could just use a cotton bud! 

Juicy Couture 'Viva La Juicy Noir' (USA)
I loooooove this scent! It's describe as being 'sultry' and a 'party' scent, but I must admit I do like a strong scent that you can smell all day/night long. I can't describe the smell myself - it's an impossible task - but they define it as 'succulent ripe berry notes and gourmand accents' with a 'juicy touch of honeysuckle and a sultry hint of sandalwood'. It all becomes so clear now, doesn't it (??!) That aside, I am seriously considering adding this to my Christmas list this year, but at around £63 for 100ml, maybe a smaller bottle will suffice. I am rather tempted by the rollerball version for £9.50 - would be perfect to pop into a clutch on a night out!

Eucerin Aquaphor Soothing Skin Balm (USA)
This is admittedly a little less glamorous then some of the other products, but regardless, I think this is a great item to include! It's a mult-purpose balm that helps to soothe even the most sensitive of skin. Again, I haven't tried it out yet as my skin hasn't been at all dry or sensitive, but I will be definitely be keeping it close by if those problems arise! My boyfriend suffers with eczema quite badly & can only use very gentle but hydrating products such as e45. I've just (as I'm writing this) popped a little of this product on a tiny problem area, so thought I could use him as my guinea pig to really put it to the test. So far, the verdict is "It feels good" so we will continue using it & see how it performs! I'll keep you updated..

Jelly Pong Pong 2-in-1 Eyeliner & Shadow (UK)
Another Jelly Pong Pong product here from Glossybox! This is a thick eye pencil that doubles up as an eyeshadow too, when smudged out. I like the concept of this, but it's a sort of green/grey shade, so I'm not sure it's going to be as big a hit as say, a brown or bronze would be. That being said, I'm determined to have a go & hopefully will post a makeup look using it. It retails at £10.50 for full size from the Jelly Pong Pong website and I must say, although I'm happy to have received it & looking forward to having a play with it, I very much doubt I would repurchase it. There are plenty of similar products for less - including the likes from Rimmel and Collection.

Here's the product as a liner and blended out on the back of my hand - looks sort of khaki coloured.

Emite Eyelash Curler (Sweden)

I would have to say I've saved my best til last here! I got particularly excited by these curlers when I found out they cost roughly £20! I am still yet to try the Shu Uemera cult curlers, but one day - when I can justify the splurge - I just might! But for now, these will do me nicely. They create a nice curl and feel firm yet springy to grip. They have also included 3 spare rubber tips (not sure what they're called?!) so they should last me a while! I had never heard of this brand before, probably because it's based in Sweden, but I'm interested to possibly look at more made by them.

So there we have it, a round up of August's High-flyers Glossybox. Let's see if I can publish this a bit earlier next month! I'm eagerly awaiting my next box - I hope it doesn't disappoint!

Garnier Moisture Match 'Shine Be Gone' Review

I was on the hunt for a new moituriser, but wasn't quite ready to make the plunge & get an 'expensive' one. I saw the adverts for these a few months back & was rather intrigued to try them out, as they claimed to have a different formula for every skin type. The range consists of: Goodbye Dry (dry/very dry skin), Protect and Glow (normal skin), Start Afresh (normal/dry skin), Wake Me Up (dull skin) & Shine Be Gone (combination/oily skin). As I have very greasy/shiny skin, particularly on my T-zone, I opted for the Shine Be Gone formula. 

I do agree that the formula is lighter than moisturisers aimed at dry skin, and although I wouldn't say it makes me any more oily, nor would I claim it helps to reduce my oily skin. The cream feels really light and fresh when I apply it to my skin, but I wish it were more mattifying! Once I've applied my makeup, it usually won't last much more than a couple of hours max before I need to powder my nose and forehead. Even with the aid of a setting powder and fixing spray does very little in my fight against the dreaded shine. But ho-hum, I hold on for the day when I find the product that stops my oily skin breaking through, but until then I will try to be strong. 

I don't want to 'diss' this product too much, but Garnier claim that this cream 'mattifies to help reduce shine and leaves your skin looking more unified'. I'm afraid this claim, for me in particular, fell short of its promises. I will continue to use it as I don't hate it, but a repurchase is not likely. I think I need to bite the bullet and invest in a better quality *cough- more expensive* moisturiser next time. All I know is, it needs to mattify this face of mine!

If you have any recommendations for a good moisturiser for oily skin, please leave a comment below & let me know - I'd be happy to try it out!

Michael Bublé concert 04/07/13

Yesterday I went to the O2 arena in London to see the one & only Michael Bublé in concert! It was the most amazing Christmas present from my lovely boyfriend (thank you Curtis!) and the date finally came around! 

As expected, the show was incredible! Bublé was supported by the band Naturally 7 & they themselves were amazing- I would've happily seen them in concert!! I managed to film some of the show on my camcorder, but unfortunately only had my iPhone with me to take still pics. Somehow the crappy quality simply doesn't sum up that man's beauty..! All in all, we had a fantastic night & even though we were very high up (woaah, don't look down!) the concert was perfect!! I doubt I'll be able to upload my bit of amateur footage from the night, due to copyright reasons, but take my word for it.. The night was incredible! His voice is perfect.. Even live (a rarity for some acts!) and he finished the performance with some singing without a microphone! To the 20,000 people that filled the O2 arena. A-MA-ZING! 

I'm going to sign off now because I'm running out of adjectives that match 'amazing' and 'incredible'. Here are a few (poor quality) snaps from our day out.. 

The boy and I on the train with our tickets all excited! 

Arriving at the O2.. Such an incredible site! 

In the Nissan Innovation Station having a play with all the gadgets & things!

The graphic I created in the Nissan centre.. Here's me chilling with my skyline! Hehe

Us in our seats awaiting Bublé! (Note the grainy wonder that is the iPhone's front camera)

And finally, a view from our seats.. Pretty crazy to think all these people were here for one man! And he didn't disappoint. 

I hope you enjoyed this lifestyle piece, I hope to do more of these sort of post in the future, although hopefully with a better quality camera (which happens to be arriving in the post today.. Eeeek!!)

-Katie xx