500 products of summer (almost!) part 2: everything

I really couldn't nail a theme for the products I selected for this post. I wanted to do the 5 senses until I realised tasting and hearing beauty products wasn't really as possible as I thought it would be. I also then realised i had originally decided to only do 2 posts so had to cram everything in - Now the 500 products of summer posts will be a 4 parter of colours, everything, nail art and protection. Hope you are as excited as I am!

Summer for my face...

will be hopefully as exciting as summer gets for a face. I have a lot of products I use for my face, I try to keep them pretty regular so not to disturb the PH balance or get a reaction to new products but I do love to try new things! (Hence why we are all here today). I have added a few new and exciting products to my face routine such as oils, day creams and masks but I picked these products as they were specific to my summer needs.

In the summer my face gets quite red and warm - meaning it sweats! - so I have to protect my make up. I try not to wear a lot in the summer but when you have work and then parties and birthdays and dinners and nights out planned you can't not put on a bit of tutti. To make sure my make up sets and stays where it is I have started using UR Cheeky Freeze Frame, which is a makeup setting spray. I never knew these existed until a few months ago, I used to use hair spray to set my make up as I am sure most of us do - but I can only imagine that that is terrible for your skin. This spray is light and non sticky (unlike Asda's own extreme hold hairspray) and actually does the trick of keeping my foundation and eyeshadow pretty perfect for longer!

To wipe away the end of the day make up we all love so much I have started using these Vitamin E by Superdrug Facial Cleansing Wipes - I LOVE these wipes due to my ever talked about appreciation of Vitamin E with all it's healing qualities, and the fact they smell gorgeous. I have taken a step away from my long routing, these are much easier and quicker for cleansing after a long day at work.

Shiny & sleek strands 

Once I have a hair cut my hair will be in perfect condition for now I have to take extra care of my dry ends and dull colour, i am dying for a trim (it's only been 7 months eek). To keep my hair perfect this summer I will use a lot of sleeking and shining and taming products alternatively, depending on how my hair feels. It's an ad hoc kinda deal. My current favourite product for my hair is Color Wow's Pop & Lock, which is perfect for summer - it is a just-in-time addition to my dressing table. This crystallite shellac is different to your regular hair serums as they would normally sit on hair, where as this non sticky shellac sinks in and protects the hair from toxins while blocking out toxic bits and bobs (we don't need technical terms here!). It makes your hair shiny and sleek like you have just stepped out the hairdressers. I use it pre-blow dry on wet hair and give myself a salon style blow dry for the best results, but you can put it on dry hair and dry it through roughly with a brush too if you prefer.

Skin that is ready for the sunshine...

No matter how pale. Aside from the obvious protection (which I will elaborate on in my next 500 products post) my skin has to have extra special treatment during the summer. Starting with cleansing, in the summer I use a creamy and milky shower gel as apposed to my usual clear fruity ones because my skin can get quite dry when it it dries after a shower I have to give it as much moisture as I can, this summer I have got (the same as last year!) Soap & Glory Clean On Me Creamy Shower Gel. It has a lovely orange scent to keep me fresh and summery smelling and a creamy and silky texture and built in body lotion that leaves my skin feeling utterly gorgeous.

After I have showered with this in shower gel I still need to moisturise to lock in the nourishment, here I will be using Nip + Fab Yoga Blend Body Lotion with yummy and scrummy lavender, coconut and rose. It's really lightweight so perfect for summer, and I tend to shower in the evening in the summer so it's unwinding and de-stressing lavender scent will help me wind down after an exciting day in the sun!

My skin can dry out over night too in the summer annoyingly so I can loose some of that lovely silkiness from my evening lotion, so to wake me up for my day and keep my skin refreshed and nourished I will use Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Gel. This fragrant gel sins into the skin so quickly and wasn't at all as thick and gloopy as I first expected, it's so easy to apply and soothes the skin as well as evening out my skin tone and texture (sounds lovely doesn't it?)

Don't let those cuticles dry out

I have to keep on top of mositurising my hands in the summer, but I always manage to get dry and flaky cuticles (not pretty when you take so many pictures of your nails). I will be using the wonderful Sally Hansen Gel Cuticle Remover, it has a built in pusher tip so you don't need all the tools of the trade to keep your cuticles perfect. it is so easy to use - it makes manicures easy and keeps my cuticles looking very pretty.

Hairless legs

Avoiding waxing my own legs after waxing my friends I turn to the second best thing in hair removal. Veet hair removal cream is miraculous, it gets rid of all the hairs so quickly. I put it on before my shower as I have still not mastered the in-shower hair removal cream routine (it just comes off, or I am stood there like a naked melon in the shower for 10 minutes with no way of timing myself - i don't get it). So, on it goes before I ditz around playing on my phone, making a hot hot coffee for after my shower or whatever pleases you then bish bash bosh silkiest legs I've ever had!


So there we have it, part two. What is on your summer products list?

how to shower for dummies

Time to talk about how I wash myself - an obvious topic you all are dying to know about, I know. 

After a long 13 hour day out of the house there is nothing better than a hot meal followed by a hot shower. After a deep heavy sleep sometimes it's totally necessary to get up an extra 20 minutes early to wake your tired eyes up with a shower.

I love a good shower (I also love baths but I savour those hours with my book and a glass of wine for when I'm in the comfort of my family bathroom surrounded by mums candles and dads incense) and it is all about the products you use in there, are you actually washing yourself or just having a rinse? a body shower or a full hair-wash and leg-shave kinda shower? Either way my staple shower products at the moment consist of the below:

Haircare - Tresemme Salon Silk Shampoo & Conditioner

I start my shower by washing my hair - as most of you probably do - and I have always had good results with Tresemme. I have used every brand under the sun from Nicky Clarke and Color Wow to Herbal Essences and L'Oreal and I always come back to Salon Silk by Tresemee for some reason, it costs as much as Herbal Essences (another trusty hair brand I find) and normally I go for the huge bottles that last me forever. I have for the past year however used Lush shampoo bars and because it's not as easy for me to trek to my local Lush I have resorted in the past month to grabbing Tresemee again in Boots on my monthly store trips for work. Not to complain about Tresemee but the Lush bars last SO long I prefer them - they seem expensive for what you think they are at first, I wasn't 100% convinced - but they last about 3 months for me whereas a bottle of shampoo for almost the same price lasts 1 tops. Saying that I'm back on Tresemme and I love it :) My favourite bottled haircare.

Exfoliation - I love... Strawberries & Cream Exfoliating Shower Smoothie

This stuff smells like milkshake and sweeties - an obvious number one necessity when I'm picking out my body products. I've taken recently to completing my exfoliate, cleanse & moisturise routine on my body as well as my face. I want perfect soft skin for when I start my fake tan for summer regime (which will start soon) and for my month in a bikini in Thailand. So I've started the routine early determined to get myself smooth and buffed everywhere - this is working so far as this exfoliator is so perfect for me. It isn't harsh so it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin and it is just harsh enough to do a good job of buffing away dead skin. Perfect also for scrubbing away dirty night old instant tan!

Cleanse - De-Stress Body Wash by Aromatherapy Associates

I don;t always exfoliate in the shower but I always use this body wash - after a day at work where I am just about ready to collapse I love this (combined occassionally when I'm feeling really stressed and exhausted with the De-Stress Mind Bath & Shower Oil) to inhale in with the steam of my shower. It relaxes me so much and feels like magic unknotting all my knots, mind & body. I don't know an awful lot about Aromatherapy but I know I now love it. This particular scent is quite strong at first if you are not used to Aromatherapy but you get used to it after a couple of uses and you will find that you can't not have it in your shower. I tell you, I know I'm going to have to get more for my final year of uni!

Moisturise - Vitamin E In-Shower Moisturiser by Superdrug

Always use this - if I exfoliate or not. I reviewed it here against the Nivea verison with Cocoa Butter and it has actually become my favourite of the two. It's much less greasy and I can't deny I love the fact it's rich in Vitamin E (common knowledge this is my favourite beauty ingredient!)

So there you have it - you can now shower the Abi way (I hope it goes well for you all! ;) )

oiling up for summer

do not be fooled by my witty title - I am not here to talk about sun oil's, or applying vegetable oil on the beach, no no, I am white as the snow and unfortunately I am destined to stay that way. So these oils are the ones you may enjoy, like I do, and feel necessary in the run up to summer. Getting you all prepped and ready to show your hair, skin and nails :)

as you can see my new found brand is Aromatherapy Associates. Lush made to measure oils for every occasion seem to be my new love. It started in all honesty with the De-Stress Body Wash (not featured in this post as it is one of Aromatherapy's non-oily products!) that grew on me quicker than I expected, and their miracle in a bottle - Intensive Skin Treatment Oil. This oil is made to rejuvenate and repair the skin, perfect for scars/mishaps in the skin that you are unhappy with. I apply a few drops to my stretch-marks and operation scars and on my tattoo post-shower twice a week and I've seen results already. Needless to say I am in love, it also smells absolutely divine and is all natural and non-chemically aromatherapeutic goodness. And guess what is in it? - the one and only vitamin E, who'da thought?! (me hehe)

My next find in the Aromatherapy Associates collection of oils is the bath & shower oils. Pick which you think you need and soak yourself in a pool of wonderful aroma's and perfect harmony - or something like that. I have a few sample pots I got free when I treated my mother to their De-Stress Mind Bath & Shower Oil (which is her new found love) and I've also got the Essential Bath & Shower Oil set of mini bottles that I'm actually yet to crack open! - This is purely because I am so in love with the De-Stress Wash and am scared to layer my aroma's in case I overwhelm myself. I never would have thought I would like scents like these, I am a strawberry fluffy fruity pinky wonderful creamy kinda girl. Always going for your coconuts, vanilla's and berry bursts. But I may be becoming a woman and venturing into brave aromatherapy scents with these new shower oils. (I only use the shower so I rub on my arms and chest and tummy so the steam smells lovely and my skin feels just as). I have used the Support Lavender & Peppermint and Support Breathe oils so far, Breathe being my favourite - it is so decongesting and fresh! I am venturing into the Revive Morning tomorrow, hoping it will stop me feeling like death on my journey to work and think after my busy week at work I'll be needing the De-Stress Mind OR Deep Relax. I'm so excited! (And will be reviewing each one in a Bath & Shower Oil post once I've used them all).

The last Aromatherapy Associates product on my slippery list of oils is the Nourishing Face Oil. Not something I would usually go for to be honest, and the smell isn't something I would like but given that I am a new woman and all - I am really liking this product. I have combined skin, I get a really oily nose and this oil seems to help balance that out - nourishing and hydrating my dry skin patches and neutralising my oily patches. I have to say the strong smell of this product does frighten me when putting it on my face but I brave it because it works and it ain't as bad as you think it's gunna be, it's actually quite nice. 

Aromatherapy Associates is a rather expensive brand - but trust me. It is worth it if you want to splash out, whether on yourself or on a friend/family member. they will appreciate it and so will you.

Steering away from aromatherapy and into hairtherapy - Again I wouldn't normally think to get oil for my hair, afraid of how greasy it might get, but this is lovely and if you are worried about greasiness too - don't be! no matter how prone to grease your hair is. This One Gets You Silky Smooth Light Hair Oil, really does get you silky smooth, Just put it on the ends to avoid greasiness and get rid of the horrible dry look of split ends and grown out hair (my problem - I am growing my hair so reluctant to cut it! ipso facto .. dry, split ends!) and voila, shiny luscious smooth hair :) without having to soak it in conditioner or a hair treatment. Easy peasy.

Here we go - nails - Avon Nail Experts Strong Results. I rub this on my nails before my base coat when my nails are feeling particularly battered and bruised from all the polish I use. It's really light and not greasy, but isn't really like a polish at all so I class it as an oil. If you polish your nails as much as me I suggest you use this as well as a strengthening base coat.

I know Aromatherapy Associates took up a lot of room there - but they inspired the post AND deserve the credit as the products are just that good.

Which oils do you use?

PS any spelling mistakes I apologise for - I am tres tres tired. And remember all the names of the products link to where you can get them! - and follow me on twitter and instagram :D @curiousitybty

time saving in shower miracles

today I am reviewing two in shower moisturisers - one belonging to a well trusted brand and with one of the best smelling & softening ingredients ever and another own brand product with the skin healing & recovering ingredient i adore.

the first is Nivea In Shower Moisturiser with Cocoa Butter, £3.55

as soon as I saw the advert many months ago for Nivea's in shower moisturiser I was taken. I knew I had to give it a go - I always have to moisturise my skin and I often don't out of laziness. If I shower before a night out I always do my legs and forget about my arms, that do itch a lot. If I shower in the morning before work I just don't have time to do my whole beauty regime so I cut it way down to your basic shampoo and conditioning. Annoyingly, these are my favourite times to shower - so when this product was in a 3 for 2 offer in Boots I jumped at the chance.

not only are the results brilliant - I only have to moisturise my face post shower now! - it contains cocoa butter, which I'm sure has more benefits than just smelling fantastic. Given that my family are fans of Palmers Cocoa Butter I basically swear by the stuff, (looking up technical jargon now...), just as I thought - it is thought to have benefits such as reducing stretch marks and treating sensitive skin kindly. Two things I cannot live without in my moisturiser. 

the only downsides to this product is when I put it on it seems to disappear so quickly I have to dollop a load more on to really get it all over my skin, it also feels rather greasy at first (obviously acting a lot like a conditioner, you are supposed to wash it away) but I'm not 100% keen on that feeling.

the second is Superdrug's Vitamin E In Shower Moisturiser, £2.99

well well well.. who knew? Superdrug's vitamin E range has rave reviews as far as I can see, and if you read my blog on the regular you will know that I adore anything with vitamin E. Like I have said many times it is the best healing ingredient of all healing ingredients. Beating cocoa butter with a barge pole and laughing in it's face kinda good. I only know this fact and swear by it, because my lovely auntie is a masseuse, so when I was having issues with my hips and arse growing to three times the size, and as a result of such, having major stretchmarks, she suggested I get a product with vitamin E in it and massage it into my stretch marks every night. I did and they went from nasty purple to white so quickly (I still do anything to get rid of them as they are still visible and the worst things ever).

this product in particular does split when you start to apply it, but it smells clean and fresh and has many proven to be great benefits from its wonderful ingredients. 

I can't decide which I prefer between the two - I have been switching between them for weeks to decide and I can't for the life of me. All I can say is - buy one (whether the slightly cheaper option or the trusted branded one I dont care). But if you know what's good for you, you will try one. And there are more out there! I've spotted one by Olay somewhere before, I'm sure there are more.

Happy hunting :) & Remember the names of the products will link you to where you can buy them.

howard's beauty stash

my little best friend, chloe howard is one of the most beaut ladies i know, so it is only natural that when I went to her house I completely raided her make-up and beauty stash! She called me nosey, I say I'm curious..

Once she showed me all her fave products I thought it only fair that I dedicate a post to her as planned... Showing off every single beauty secret and guilty pleasures she has in her stash! And here are her reasons for loving each and every one of them...

chloe cleanses...

Chlo's got many favourite products as you can see, she is like me. And so she has a lot of cleansing products, just like me she knows how important cleansing is for your skin and also your hair. 

On her hair she uses the Lush It's Raining Men Honey Rich Shower Gel for Body and Hair, which is like nothing I have ever smelt. It's definitely lush. Chloe loves this gel as a shampoo because the ingredients such as ginger and honey are naturally sourced from the rainforest and so it's all pure goodness unlike he previous shampoo's. 

Then she uses Herbal Essences Rainforest Flowers Shimmering Colour Conditioner because she finds with this conditioner you only need a small dollop to get your hair lovely and soft and is cheap enough for her student budget. 

Even though the Lush shower gel is for hair AND body, Chloe loves to the vegan appropriate Original Sources Lime Shower Gel because it feels nice on the skin (and again it's naturally sourced and packed full of limes).

Vitamin E Gentle Facial Wash from The Body Shop is Chloe's go to face wash because it is lovely and gentle on her pale and sensitive skin, and its really good for when she doesn't need or want any rough exfoliation. It also smells really nice and has the all important Vitamin E in it, healing any scars or blemishes and improving the skins tone.

Clean & Clear Exfoliating Oil Free Daily Wash  is perfect for Chloe's stash because you only need a little bit to exfoliate your face and know it's doing it's job. It's not too harsh and has no oil's in so you don;t end up with and oily complexion.

chloe moisturises...

There is one moisturiser that works miracles for Chloe's skin, it's Dove Nourishing Intensive Moisturising Cream. It seems that any issues or bad skin days Chloe has can be cured by putting this on and the next morning she wakes up a new woman. She says it makes her skin really greasy which worried her, but this probably means it draws out all the good oils in her skin to help moisturise and heal and dry skin or blemishes she has. Sounds bloody perfect if you ask me!

In the same line as her favourite Vitamin E Facial Wash is the Moisture Cream and Nourishing Night Cream. Loving them for their Vitamin E qualities, treating her skin to a little healing vitamin love.

And for her little hands, a woman by my own heart, with the Soap & Glory Hand Food. I love this for the marshmallowy fragrance. Chloe loves it because it's the best hand food she has ever had. And more relevantly, it's non-greasy unlike other hand creams.

chloe powders...

A secret wonder in Chloe's amazing stash of beauty goodies that totally took me by surprise (and I have to say I am going to invest) is the Lush Silky Underwear Dusting Powder. you heard right, powder for your knickers to make them silky and smell amazing even after you have washed them. Chloe pours it all over her knick knacks so they are super soft and pretty smelling, (and they slip off easily!)

For the rest of her body to keep it super soft she uses Johnson's Baby Powder (who doesn't love some talc!).

chloe treats herself, she tans, masks and oils...

To get a lovely natural build up tan Chloe uses the Sugar Baby Glow & Beyond Natural Tinted Self Tan Gloss that she annoyingly bought in Australia! But the link will take you to a place you can get it online ;) She likes this tan in particular because it is a really natural colour and tops most tans she has used (she has good experience with fake tans as she is a pale gal like me). It is really easy to apply, no streaks and you can apply before a shower and still have a lovely naturally looking tan afterwards! (Chloe recommends applying the night before a night out and showering the next day to stop yourself looking like your faking it!).

When having a pamper night we all love certain face masks. Chloe has a particular favourite that is the Strawberry Souffle Moisturising & Purifying Masque. Strawberry & Whipped cream fragrance and meant to soften and nourish your skin Chloe loves how her skin feels after 15 minutes in this bad boy!

Another Johsnon's baby product Chloe loves for treating her skin is the Johnson's Baby Oil with Camomile. Camomile is a lovely ingredient that has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory capabilities and this oil also locks in double the moisture. Chloe loves it because it's the perfect post shaving product to get the silkiest smoothest stems.

So there it is, the top picks of Chloe Howard's beauty stash! Next post will be my mums left overs and products she has sworn by since I can remember. (plus tips I learnt from her)

Bah bye :)

@curiousitybty - feel free to follow me on instagram or twitter the more the much more merrier! :)