Garnier Ambre Solaire Dry Mist SPF 30...

When it comes to purchasing a sun protection product, I don't tend to buy the same one again and again, I tend to just go for whatever I find on offer at the time that has an SPF of 30. This has all changed now that I've discovered the Garnier Ambre Solaire Dry Mist SPF 30.

When I go on holiday and even when there's a bit of sun (if we ever get any!) in the UK, I never tan. I might go a bit red where I've accidentally not protected myself properly, but my skin never turns brown, it just goes back white. I've tried tanning accelerator products of all kinds, but nothing ever works. We went to Spain in June and I decided to fake tan beforehand as I wanted to at least look a little bit bronzed. However, I still obviously needed to be protected from the sun!

Applying sun protection can feel like a chore to me. Don't get me wrong, I am fully aware it is essential and I wouldn't not do it, it's just not necessarily something I enjoy doing several times a day especially whilst on holiday. Sometimes I find that the standard creams are too thick and don't sink into the skin well enough, so you feel gross and things stick to you during the day and you end up getting back to your hotel and just diving into the shower because you feel grimy. Just me?!

I feel that the Garnier Ambre Solaire Dry Mist SPF 30 deserves a place on my blog for several reasons. Using this product was actually enjoyable, as enjoyable as applying sun protection can be. You simply shake it until you can hear the ball inside of the can, then spray onto all areas of your body in a well ventilated place. I do recommend making sure you do this because me and Si applied ours in our hotel room on the first day of our holiday, with the balcony doors open, but I swear I swallowed half of it :/, so from then on we went on the balcony to do it, which was much better.

The product sinks in really quickly, leaving you with smooth skin that feels like you haven't got an extra layer of something on it. The mist isn't greasy or sticky, it feels really light on the skin and I noticed if I sprayed it too close that a white residue would appear, which I then rubbed in. I don't know if you HAVE to do this, but after I'd finished spraying my whole body, I just went over and rubbed everything in, just to ensure I'd covered all parts of me. Clothes can be put on straight away with this mist and none of my clothes ended up with the yellow marks usually linked with a sun protection product. I also applied the mist during the day with clothes on and again my clothes weren't affected in any way.

I didn't get burned one bit during the holiday! The only thing I will do next time we go away is buy two. I just got the one for me and Si to use and two days before the end of the holiday we'd run out and just ended up using our mom's sun protection to save us from having to buy a new one for two days, plus I wanted to repurchase the mist one and I couldn't find it :/.

It sounds ridiculous, but I'm so glad that I've found a sun protection product that I can and will repurchase again and again :), it makes it so much easier as I was always wondering which one to go for previously.

Have you tried the Garnier Ambre Solaire Dry Mist Protection? I got mine from Superdrug.

Which sun protection products do you rate?

Thanks so much for reading!
Images courtesy of Superdrug and Pinterest.

MUA Love Heart Range...

Picture courtesy of Imagekind.

Those of you that are fans of MUA (sold at Superdrug and online) will probably know that they have launched a new 'Love Heart' range, consisting of 6 gorgeous pastel colour nail polishes and 5 luscious lip balms that are available throughout February 2012.

What's not to love? A bargain make-up brand, lush pastel shades perfect to prepare for Spring and Love Heart sweets - which were a favourite of mine as a kid and I am still partial to the odd packet even now!

I had the chance to sample a couple of the lip balms, which was nice to be honest as my local Superdrug never seem to be up to date with most of the ranges of make-up - they still only have the original £1 line from MUA!

I got to sample 'Hot Lips' and 'Great Lips' but there are three other colours/shades available in the collection. I adore the Love Heart message names on them, so sweet!

Pictures (apart from the swatches) courtesy of MUA.

The samples I have received provide a sheer wash of colour without being too much and feel really moisturising on the lips. The same as with most lip balms, if you eat or drink the balm tends to come off, but because the colour is fairly sheer it is easy to just slick some more on, without worrying too much about applying it perfectly (so the colour doesn't end up everywhere) or having to use a lip brush (although I know some people prefer to do this instead of using the fingers).

The nail polishes remind me of the Nails Inc polishes in terms of their shape. They also have Love Heart message names :-).

Picture courtesy of Superdrug PR.

(L-R LOVE U 24/7, U R FAB, I WANT YOU, U ROK, U & I, I <3 U)

All nail polishes and lip balms from the range are £2. Absolute bargain! You know how with some make-up ranges you want to buy the whole range but can't really justify doing it because of the price? Well, with this range you don't have to feel guilty because the whole range is only going to cost you £22!

As I have sampled some of the lip balms and they are 10g each, I can tell that they are going to last a long time! I can imagine the nail polishes will aswell.

Like I said, the range is being sold in Superdrug (I can't see the range on the Superdrug website at the moment, so you may have to pop into your local Superdrug store) and online during February 2012. I am not sure whether they are still going to be available after this time, so if you are lucky enough to have them in your local Superdrug (if you don't want to purchase online), I would recommend going to snap up some or all of the range! Guaranteed to brighten up any make-up bag or collection!

What are your favourite items from the range?

Are you lucky enough to have the range in your local Superdrug?

Much Love,

Gem XxOo

Disclaimer: As stated above, I received two of the lip balms as samples to try out. My opinions are and always will be 100% honest. See disclaimer tab for more information.

Superdrug's LASH False Eyelashes...

You might already be aware that this Summer, Superdrug bought out their very own range of handmade false eyelashes called LASH. There are 8 different lash types in their range. So whether you are looking for a natural look, something to add volume to your own lashes or something more eye-catching, you are sure to find something you'll love! Each pack of false eyelashes contains a glue and has a picture on the front of a model wearing the specific lashes in that pack. They are also suitable for contact lens wearers-which I am, so that's a bonus! I had the opportunity to try out some of their range and see how they work for me. As someone who doesn't ordinarily wear false eyelashes, I enjoyed playing around with these lashes and changing my eyelash look from natural to voluminous.

                                           Picture courtesy of Superdrug PR.

I thought I would share these photographs with you, so you can see the finished look of each of the lashes I got to sample and see if they are something you would like :-).

These are the Natural - Edition 12 lashes. Probably my least favourite of the ones I got to sample. Although they do feel extremely natural, I don't like how sparse the lashes are. Even my natural lashes aren't this sparse. I also noticed with these ones that the lash line has a white strip (where as the other samples I have don't). I laid off the black eyeliner with these ones so you can see what I mean (the white bits by the lash line is the white strip). It is easily coverable with lots of black eyeliner :-). I think these lashes are ideal for daytime wear.

These are the Volume - Edition 21 lashes. You can see how much wider they make your eyes look. I love how they are more voluminous at the ends and are already so curled fresh from the box :-). Such gorgeous lashes for a glamorous night out!

These are the Intense Volume - Edition 31 lashes. These are very similar to the Volume - Edition 21 lashes, but these ones seem to be voluminous all round, rather than more at the ends. Again, in my opinion, these lashes are suited more for a glam party or night out rather than daytime wear.

These are the Double Volume - Edition 40 lashes and my favourite ones! I love how they are deep black in colour, so really make the eyes stand out. They also provide just the right amount of volume to be able to pull these off during the daytime, but are also suitable for a night time look. Very versatile!

They are so easy to apply and these are the application instructions on the reverse of each pack:

1. Lashes should be applied once make up is completed.
2. Carefully remove the lashes from the tray using a pair of tweezers and check the fit against your eye. If the lashes are too wide, trim from the outside edge to achieve the perfect fit.
3. Holding the lash with tweezers (or Superdrug's LASH applicator (£2.99)), apply a small amount of adhesive to the entire lash band, paying special attention to the ends. Wait 30 seconds for the adhesive to become tacky. Do not apply adhesive directly to the eyelid.
4. Position the lash slightly above your natural lash line and press gently along the entire lash band to fix in place. Hold the two ends for a few more seconds to fully secure. The adhesive will dry clear after a few minutes.
5. Once dry, lashes can be curled for a more pronounced look.

Removal Instructions:

1. To remove, gently peel the lash away from the outer edges.
2. Always remove before sleeping.

The lashes are really easy to apply and shouldn't feel uncomfortable. If they do, re-apply them. Here is a YouTube video from Superdrug, showing you how to apply their false lashes perfectly.

Like all own brand beauty items, Superdrug's lashes are BUAV approved (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection), so customers can feel good as well as look good.

The lashes range from £4.49-£5.49 and are exclusive to Superdrug. You can purchase the lashes in-store or online here.


Have any of you tried any of Superdrug's LASH false eyelashes?

Which ones do you prefer?

Thanks so much for reading my post-please follow, like and comment :-).

Much Love Gem XxOo

You can find me on YouTube here.

You can find me on Twitter here.

Disclaimer: I was sent the Superdrug lashes for review purposes. All opinions are my own and 100% honest.

Pictures: All pictures unless otherwise stated are my own. If you wish to use them please credit my name by them-Gemma Tranter.

The Only Way is Batiste...

I used to be guilty of washing my hair pretty much every single day. I hated my hair looking greasy, lank and flat and I loved the fresh, bouncy just washed look - who doesn't?! When I was first introduced to Dry Shampoo - about two years ago, it was Batiste and I haven't looked back since.

I have spotted a lot of other Dry Shampoo's in stores like Superdrug and Boots, including Tresemme and own store brands. Some are even cheaper than Batiste but I always go back to Batiste and can honestly say I haven't bought or sampled any other brands of Dry Shampoo.

Batiste works perfectly for me. I love how they have so many different variations and scents including: Tropical, Boho, Fresh, Blush, Diva and many more, which you can see here. I also love how they have different sizes including: travel (50ml), regular (200ml) and large (400ml).

This is Batiste Dry Shampoo's Unique Selling Point:

'Batiste Dry Shampoo banishes oily roots, giving dull, lifeless hair the makeover it needs without any water. A quick burst revitalises hair, adding body and texture and leaving it feeling clean and fresh. No need to worry about skipping a shampoo'.

There used to be many a mornings where I used to be late for things because if I hadn't had time the previous evening to wash my hair, I HAD to wash it in the morning. I didn't like going out with my hair looking horrible - finding Batiste was like a life saver and saved me sooo much time! Now I leave it at least a day in-between washes and sometimes even two, as I know I have Batiste to spray on to leave my hair looking, clean, fresh and bouncy...perfect!

I have tried many scents myself, those being: Boho (sweet, spirited scent), Diva (spicy, sensual scent), Original (clean, light scent), Tropical (coconut, exotic scent), XXL Volume (sweet, perfume scent), A Hint of Colour in Dark or Deep Brown (sweet scent) and Blush (floral, delicate scent). I tried out the hint of colour one for my hair type (Dark Brown) the once and it was great as it matched my hair colour but it doesn't stop me from buying any of the other non-colour types. To be honest it doesn't really matter to me, even though they are white in colour, as long as you spray it at the right distance and massage/brush it in, it is fine and looks great :-). I have never had a problem with the non-colour ones or with anyone saying that my hair looked white.

It is advised to use Batiste Dry Shampoo by doing the following: Shake the can vigorously and spray into your roots (just lift or section hair off and spray different parts of your hair), keeping the nozzle 30cm from your hair (this is important because if you spray it nearer your hair it will be a lot whiter and will be harder and take longer to massage in). Massage the Dry Shampoo into your hair using your fingertips, brush your hair and style as usual :-). Batiste have a video showing you how to do this and you can view it here. 

The most recent ones I have used are the 200ml Boho (£2.99), 200ml Tropical (£2.99) and the travel size 50ml Tropical (£1.55-which is great for travelling but also for popping in your bag for when you are out and about and your hair needs a quick re-fresh).

The Boho Dry Shampoo is a sweet fragrance with a citrusy vibe and perfect for festivals (as all Batiste Dry Shampoo's are). The Tropical Dry Shampoo has a lovely coconut smell and reminds me of holidays!

I have also tried one of the new Batiste Dry Shampoo's recently, this being the 200ml XXL Volume (£3.99). I was interested to try this because to be honest I think that the other scents provide your hair with a little volume (which I love), so I was keen to see how much volume this one gave.

 The XXL Volume Dry Shampoo has a sweet, perfume scent and does provide a lot of volume! You can really see the difference and you almost have to tame it down a little as it really does plump up your hair. It is an amazing product. The other scents do provide volume, but maybe not as much.

This is what the Batiste Dry Shampoo looks like when sprayed (apart from the hint of colour ones):

The product has a light, powder feel. It isn't sticky at all and doesn't weigh down your hair or make it feel gross or like it is full of product, it just makes your hair feel a little fuller/thicker and more so the more you use it over the day(s). As long as you stick to the 30cm distance before you spray it, it will look fab. It will affect how it looks and feels if you spray it any closer.

I tend to buy my Batiste Dry Shampoo from Boots or Superdrug, but there are many other stores that sell the product. You can view them all here.

The prices I have put against the most recent ones I have used (above) are the RRP prices, but different stores have different prices and offers - so you might want to shop around to get a good deal :-).

If I do more reviews on new Batiste Dry Shampoo's or new sizes I will do a before and after shot so you can see the difference the product makes :-).

Do any of you lovelies love Batiste as much as me?

Or do any of you swear by any other brands of Dry Shampoo?

I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks so much for reading my post-please follow, like and comment :-).

Much Love Gem XxOo

You can find me on YouTube here.

You can find me on Twitter here.

Disclaimer: I have been sent the pictured products to review but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Pictures: All pictures unless otherwise stated are my own. If you wish to use them please credit my name by them-Gemma Tranter.