Bourjois Bronzing Primer || Review

If you've seen my latest haul post, you will have noticed that I treated myself to the new Bourjois Bronzing Primer. This is a product that I have had my eyes on for a little while as I had heard it was a similar product as the Chanel Bonze Universal AKA Soleil Tan de Chanel, which is something that I have wanted to try for the longest of time. When Bourjois released this cheaper alternative, I was eager to try it out and after putting it to the test, I have to say I absolute love it!The Bourjoius Bronzing Primer is a must have for anyone who is wanting a beautiful glow to their skin this summer and although Bourjous state that this product is a primer, that can be used underneath your foundation, I find that it can be used in so many ways which makes this bronzing primer a must have beauty product in your makeup bag this summer. 

Let me start with packaging, as you can see from the pictures the bronzing primer comes in a little round pot that just twists off at the top. I personally think that this is the perfect size for this kind of product as it slots into my makeup bag so easily which makes it great for on the go. As for the actual product itself, the bronzing primer has a light, soft fluffy whipped texture to it, which I think looks a little like chocolate mousse. It also has a slight chocolate smell to it too which makes the product just smell heavenly  When it comes to choosing bronzing products, brands usually give you options on different types of shades to choose from. This bronzing primer on the other hand only has one standard shade on offer. On first appearance this bronzer does look fairly dark and may cause you ladies with fairer skin to turn in the opposite direction. With this being said, I do feel that it is a shade could work with a lot of skin tones as your able to pop your regular foundation over the top of this product to lighten it down - giving you a lovely flush of colour. The colour is a deep brown shade which has slight golden undertones to it and is not shimmery in anyway - In fact this bronzing primer is very matte.

When I've applied this primer to my face, I'm left with a lovely soft natural glow, with the product evening out my skin tone at the same time. Because of my natural skin tone, I would feel comfortable wearing this product on its own as it adds a really natural colour to your skin, which is great for those minimal makeup days.  I found that once I had applied my foundation you could see the effects of the bronzing primer coming though, but it was a lot more subtle than what I thought it was going to be - I found that it was just the right amount of 'golden glow' and made my skin looked pretty sun kissed, but in a natural way.

One thing that I really love about this bronzing primer is just how versatile it really is, whilst it's name suggests that this is a priming product, I equally think it works great as a stand alone bronzer and looks just as good over your makeup as it does under it. You can add the Bourjous Bronzing Primer as you would any other bronzer and apply it to the areas of your skin where the sun would naturally hit it. A personal favourite of mine is using this bronzing primer is as a contour, I find that it blends in perfectly and effortlessly into my skin and makes contouring a whole lot accurate and easier. However you decide to use this bronzer, the application process of using this so easy - The product buffs into your skin effortlessly, leaving a lovely sheer bronzed finish. You only need a little bit of product each time to get a noticeable glow, so I can see this primer lasting me for a long time.

Bourjous claim that their bronzing primer evens and matifies your skin. Whilst I completely agree that it evens out your skin tone ever so well and hides away any redness that might be there, mattify it does not! I find it to have the opposite effect as this it leaves a lovely dewy finish to your skin adding a touch of radiance and I'm not one to say no to my skin looking a whole lot healthier. I personally love this kind of finish and have been going for the fresh healthy skin look a lot this summer so this product has been working perfectly for me.

Overall I love this product, and I think its well worth a try especially if your into your bronzers and are wanting something new to try. It makes a great primer and really helps to keep your makeup in place throughout the day and it gives you a natural glow at the same time. I had never tried a cream bronzer before, but have been so impressed with this one from bourjois I can't recommend it enough.

Have you tried this bronzing primer yet? I would love to know your thoughts.

Lots of Love

Danielle xx

Organix - Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo || Review

Hi ladies, today I wanted to talk to you about a shampoo that I've added into my hair care routine recently which is the Organix Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo. As I have long hair which is is prone to getting damaged, dry and is always in desperate need of nourishment, I'm always on the hunt for new products that I can use on my locks, ones that will help to sort all my hair nightmares out.

For the last three weeks I've been using this Organix Ever Straight shampoo and I will put it out there right now, I'm still in very two minds as to whether I actually like and enjoy using this shampoo or not - The more that I use it, the more that it seams to grow on me. This is the first thing I have ever tried from the brand Organix and I will be honest and tell you that this was not something that I had spent my own money on. It was my mum who originally bought it and as it turned out that after a couple of uses, she really didn't get along with it, so passed it on to me to try (thanks mum!). So even before trying this shampoo out, I didn't have major high hopes for it - However the more I've used it, the more I like it.

The Organix Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo, is a natural and sulfate free shampoo that's been blended with some key ingredients that you know are just going to do your hair the world of good. The shampoo contains coconut oil which is known to help hair that's dry or damaged and keratin proteins which help to strengthen and soften your hair. It also contains avocado oil as well as cocoa butter which are there to help to smooth hair cuticles for frizz free and straighter looking hair, whilst adding beautiful shine at the same time. As the name suggest's 'EVER STRAIGHT' this shampoo's main purpose is to keep your hair looking frizz free and to help keep your hair straighter for a longer period of time. As my hair dries pretty straight when blow dried, having a shampoo to keep my hair looking straighter for longer doesn't really appeal to me. However, as my hair has not been in the best condition as of late I decided that this looks like it would be a great shampoo for for repairing my hair, strengthening it and making it look a lot healthier. 

The first time that I used this shampoo, I absolutely hated it and if you've ever used this shampoo before you will know exactly what I mean when I say it feels ever so weird in your hair whilst your trying to lather it up in the shower. The shampoo its self is of a really think consistency, and it takes a lot of work to massage into your hair. I like shampoos that really lather up, but sadly this one doesn't cause many soap suds to appear. Once I had thoroughly rinsed it out, it felt like there was a lot of product left in my hair still. My hair also felt so dry and thirsty and I couldn't wait to apply some conditioner to my locks - I found this really surprising seeing as the shampoo contained so many oils that are there to add moisture and soften your hair. When it came to drying and styling my hair, again I felt really displeased with the way that my hair looked and felt. Seeing as I had just cleaned my hair, it felt really dirty still as though a lot of product was still clinging to my hair. Although my hair looked a lot straighter and a bit less frizzy, I had to pin my hair right up as it just felt yuck.

However I decided to give this Organix shampoo another go just because I really wanted it to be as good as it sounds and to my delight I found it a lot better to use the second time around. I have to say that I still had the exact same experience when actually washing my hair with it, as I felt that it just wasn't cleaning my hair in the way that I wanted it too. But I managed to get past this and on the second time around I noticed a much better difference when it came to styling my hair. As soon as my hair felt a little dryer, I could see that it looked a whole lot heather, full of shine and it felt really smooth to the touch - Not to mention that my hair dried pretty straight and I only needed a quick once over with the straighteners to achieve the hairstyle I was going for that day. Again my hair felt as though it was full of product, even though I hadn't used any products in my hair since washing it. Throughout the day though, I noticed that this feeling of having product in my hair actually didn't feel as bad as it did the first time and I actually quite liked the way that it seamed to thicken my hair up. In terms of thickness, my hair is somewhere in the middle, but not quite as thick as I would like it. However using this second time around my hair felt a lot thicker, which included the tips of my hair. Anyone else with long hair will know how quick the ends of your hair can thin out due to split ends and general damage - So it was great having the ends of my hair not feel as flimsy.

Seeing as my second attempt at using this shampoo was no way near as bad as the first, I decided that it was worth keeping hold of and since then I've gone on to use it a couple more times. Again each time I use it, I seam to have this love hate relationship with it. I have to say overall my hair does feel as though it's in better condition since using this shampoo, but there's something about it that just doesn't site quite right with me and I can't put my finger on it. As I tend to wash my hair every other day, I find that when I use this, my second day hair is a lot less frizzy - However it does feel a little greasier, even with the help of dry shampoo and as a result, will always shove my hair in some sort of updo. I usually do this on second day hair anyway, so it's something that I can easily look past. 

Every time I use this, I do tend to like it just that little bit more, but I don't know if I would go as far to say I would re-purchase this once it's run out - I don't know if it's that good. One thing that this shampoo does have a lot going for it is it's gorgeous smell, think coconuts and summer holidays. Having said this, I find that it doesn't really transfer on to your hair, which is a real shame. I really think that this shampoo is worth trying out if your looking to give your hair some nourishment and to help strengthen it as any shampoo that contains keratin is going to be amazing for this. I think it would also be worth trying if your someone who has wavy or curly hair and are looking to tame your locks a little, especially if you like to straighten your curls out. Like I said my hair dries pretty much on the straight side anyway, but when I use this I barely have to touch the straighteners as there is a lot less frizz. Blow the pictures show what my hair looks like when wet and after zapping it with the hairdryer once I've used the Organix Ever Straight shampoo. As you can see there is hardly any frizz and my hair looks pretty straight - especially in the picture that shows my hair dry, nothing has been used to style it like this.

You can buy the Organix Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo from Boots, which will cost you £6.99, they also have a conditioner and a few other hair products in this 'EVER STRAIGHT' range. If you've tried this I would love to know your thoughts and see if you've experienced the same sort issues as I have with this shampoo. 

Lots of Love

GYM FOR THE WIN || Update

So if you follow me on Twitter, Instagram and of course my blog, you may be aware by now that I have been taking part in all sorts of fitness challenges and have become much more aware of what it takes to have and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Recently I've taken pat in Money Supermarkets 'GYM FOR THE WIN' campaign which you can read all about here. Today I thought I would  get an update post up for you all to let you know just how I'm getting on. For those of you who want a quick update on what I'm doing, the 'GYM FOR THE WIN' campaign is a months free trial in a local gym in your area courtesy of Money Supermarket - It's a campaign to see if us Bloggers really think gym membership fee is worth spending on every month!

So by the time this week is over I have been a member of a gym close to my home 'FITNESS4LESS' for three weeks, with only a week left of free membership to take advantage of. I have to say, initially in the beginning  getting up in the mornings to go to the gym was a right pain in the bum and it took a little while to get into some sort of routine and to get into the swing of things. For those of you who have already been following my fitness journey, will know that I prefer doing my workouts first thing in the morning as I think its the best way to start the day and plus I always feel so unmotivated by the time I've finished work. 

On week one, I shockingly only used my gym membership once - In my defense I had an exhausting week at work with little ole me working over 50 hours in just five days. However week two was a totally different story and I managed to get my butt down to the gym 5 times in the week, all of my visits being in the morning. As tired as I was each morning, I somehow managed to motivate myself and left for the gym at half 7  every time I left - which was the perfect amount of time for me to do my workout, get ready and head straight to work. I thought getting ready for work at the gym would also be a right pain in the bum too, and I was amazed to find at how much quicker I can get ready in the mornings. I realise how much I dither and potter around in the mornings in the comfort of my own home, but at the gym there was nothing to distract me. 

One thing that always put me off going to the gym and joining a gym in the first place was the thought of exercising with a load of guys (you know exactly what type of ones I mean when I say they all hang around by the weights, showing off their muscles etc etc..) and the thought of these guys having a good stare whilst your trying to keep your boobs stay put on the treadmill (a difficult task, even with the best of sports bras). Now I'm not saying all guys who go to the gym are like this, but the thought of it has always been a little off putting to say the least. Well lucky for me I found the ladies only section of my gym which leads straight from the changing room, so there really is no guys to be seen in sight whatsoever. This little bonus has really made working out and going to the gym a little dream. Not only does the ladies section of my gym have everything you need to workout, with having a set of two of everything, the times that I go in the morning the gym is EMPTY - So it's like having my own personal gym and usually I'm the only one in the ladies section.

As for week three, I'm pleased to report that I've been to the gym three times this week, with a planned trip for tomorrow making it a fourth. If these two weeks are anything to go by, I really feel that I am making the most use of my membership, enjoying going and for these reasons totally think gym membership would be worth paying out for every month. 

Now in my last post, I told you all how I was really excited to take part in some of the free classes that I get to use as part of my membership. However I've gotten so into working out, getting to grips with all the gym equipment and trying out different exercise routines for certain days that I've not been to one class yet. I'm also a massive fan of swimming and used to be called a water baby when I was little, but nope I've not even seen the swimming pool since I've been a member.  However with one week left to go for this campaign I really feel like I need to try out all the facilities my gym have to offer so I can make a honest judgement on whether I think paying out for gym membership is worth it every month - but so far I think that it is, and I can totally see myself joining up for good once this month is over. Below I've ticked the boxes to show which classes I am ready to put my name down too whilst I'm there tomorrow. The only issue that I have with the classes are that they are all after work, which is a little bit of a pain as you all know I am a morning workout kinda girl. However, I've always wanted to try Zumba and everyone has told me that I need to try at least one Spin class (although I've heard that they very painful). 

For those of you who are still wondering (as I know I've mentioned it a few times) I've decided to take up the 30 day squat and abs challenge again (read all about it here). After my holiday, I noticed a lot of my hard work had gone to waste and I really want my 'bikini body' back again. I can't recommend these challenges enough and if your wanting to see results, I urge you to give them ago. The pictures below are of my recent progress.

Overall I feel so happy with myself for going to the gym and sticking to working out - I have already noticed huge benefits of going to the gym. Before going to the gym, I was a big fan of just working out at home, which for convenience and money is a huge plus - But going to the gym makes me feel so much more motivated, especially whilst I'm there. Since going I have doubled the amount of exercise that I used to do at home and being able to use proper gym equipment is a huge plus. Yes its a little bit of extra effort to get yourself there, but once your there it feels great to workout and see great changes in your body. 

I'm planning on getting another post up once I've finished my fourth and final week at the gym, so I can let you all know if I really think signing up and paying for gym membership each month its worth it. Also, if you are wanting to know what sort of exercises I'm doing at the gym let me know as I will be more than happy to share with you all just what I'm putting my body though and what goals I've set out for myself. One of my friends from work is also a personal trainer and she has put me on a fabulous exercise routine and has been there to help me along the way - So I'll be happy to share her advice with you all.

Are you a fan of the gym? Do you think gym membership is worth it?

Lots of Love

Bourjois Haul

So yesterday on my lunch break I popped into Boots as I was in desperate need of a new foundation - There are way too many things on my beauty wish list right now that it was incredibly difficult to fight every urge in me and spend spend spend on all the wonderful beauty bits that Boots have to offer. However I managed to keep a strong head on me and told myself that I'll just go straight to the Revlon section and pick up my usual Photo Ready Foundation. But with me being me, I got easily sidetracked when  I passed the Bourjois section and saw that they had a 3 for 2 offer across all Bourjois Cosmetics and I just couldn't resist. There have been a few Bourjois bits that I've had my eye on recently, so I decided to ditch my beloved Revlon Photo Ready Foundation and try out some new goodies instead.

Recently I have been loving trying out different foundations and although I was going to play it safe and stick with what I know, I decided to pick this Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation up. I've always heard a lot of good things about the healthy mix foundation, but can't remember for the life of me how well the serum version of the foundation was reviewed out there on the bloggosphere. However with it being a serum and having a gel like formula, I thought that this would be a lot more lightweight than the foundation, which is just what I'm looking for. Especially with all this super hot heat we've been having - I've found that less is definitely more in terms of makeup. I am super excited to try this one out though, especially with it's claims for giving you 16 hours of radiance-boosting and an even revived complexion. I don't know if I'm getting my hopes up too high about this foundation, but I have a feeling that its going to be a good one for me and I'll be sure to let you all know how I get along with a follow up review once I really get a feel for the product.

With everything that Bourjous had to offer me on this 3 for 2 deal, this BB Bronzing Cream of theirs has to be my most risky purchase as I have never ever been a fan of BB Creams and I am yet to find one that I think is worth the money - so much so that I stopped wasting my money on them a long time ago as they just ended up sitting there in my makeup drawer. However this BB cream is a bronzing one which really intrigued me and I thought that it would be a perfect way to get a lovely dewy glow without wearing too much makeup. I'm finding at the weekends I'm hardly wearing any makeup at all, but I don't feel brave enough to leave the house bare faced - so I thought that this might be a good balance between the two and perfect again for all this heat. I have to say when I swatched it in Boots the finish looks absolutely lovely and I loved it's bronze finish. Let's hope this BB can finally convert me.

Out of all the items I picked up, this Bronzing Primer has to be the one I was most excited to pick up and the beauty item that I've had my eye on for a little while. I am a big fan of bronzers and I've had quite my fair share of them. I'm already a huge fan of the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer, with it being a holy grail item for me - so I have a feeling that I'm going to love this bronzing primer. Recently I've been speaking to fellow beauty bloggers in the blogger chats asking about this product and I was told that I needed to pick one up pronto as it was a must have beauty product for this summer. I've heard that this bronzing primer is a dupe product for the famous Soleil Tan De Chanel, which is something that I've been wanting to try for the longest of time - which makes trying out this product even more exciting. Be sure to look out for a review on this one :)

So not only do us beauty babes love a good old 3 for 2 offer, a freebie on top is always going to be a good bonus! Bourjois/Boots were kindly offering a free pair of Bourjois sunglasses on top of the existing offer!! A-MA-ZING These sunnies came in a pretty polka dot case and in my opinion are a fantastic freebie that ties in very nicely with my new bronzing products. Bourjois do know how to treat us ladies, don't they? So if you are after lusting after any Bourjois cosmetics at the moment, now is the perfect time to pop into Boots.

Have you tried any of these Bourjois products recently? What are your thoughts?

Lots of Love

BRONZE ME BEAUTIFUL || Gradual Tanning Moisturiser

Hi ladies, today I want to talk to you about all things tan related, as some of you might be aware, especially if you follow me on Instagram that I am quiet the serial fake tanner. I have been tanning since my teens and till this day I am still slapping on the fake stuff. Seeing as I have been tanning for quite some time now I think it's fair to say that I have tried and tested a whole range of tanning lotions, potions, wipes so on  and so on. Shockingly though, I've never done one single review on my blog on a tanning product or shared with any of you some of my tanning secrets, so over the weekend I gave myself a right telling off and came up with the idea to start a little series here on Miss Sunshine & Sparkle called 'BRONZE ME BEAUTIFUL' - Every time you see a post starting with this title expect to see some talk on some of my most loved tanning products, why they work for me and more importantly how they will work for you! Today I thought I would start off with one of my favourite ways to fake it and that's by using gradual tanning moisturisers. 

Dover Summer Glow Nourishing Lotion has to be one of my favourite gradual tanning moisturisers and probably one that I have been using the longest. What I really love about the Dove Summer Glow is that it gives your skin a lovely summer glow and depending on how often you apply it, you can achieve a deep golden tan in just a week. This gradual tanner is a great way to have more control over your tan as you can apply it once or twice a week for tan that's a lot more subtle and gives you the look as though you've been out in the sun for a few hours. However if you were to apply this four to five times a week you would end up with a lovely deep tan that gives you that perfect golden glow. I love the colour pay out of this tan as I find it doesn't sway towards orange shades and gives you a tan that looks pretty natural. I always use the shade 'normal to dark skin' but if you are a little worried about this being a little too dark for you, you can also pick one up in the shade 'light to medium skin'. What's really nice about the Dove Summer Glow is that it's such a lovely smelling moisturiser and doesn't have that typical fake tan smell - Well not until it really starts developing on your skin many hours after it's initial application. However when you first squeeze this out the bottle you get an almost fruity smell which reminds me a little of peaches and apricots, which makes using it very pleasant. The actual moistuiser itself is a delight to use as its quite creamy and absorbs pretty quickly into your skin. Although this moisturiser doesn't take a lot to actually work into your skin, it can leave you feeling pretty sticky afterwards - so you definitely don't want to be putting your clothes straight on right after use. I try to apply this at bed time, so I wake up looking beautifully bronzed. The only downside is that it can leave you feeling a little sticky afterwards, but I am yet to find a gradual tanner that doesn't do this.

As a lot of you may know I absolutely love the original Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula, so it goes without saying that my holy grail and most favourite gradual fake tanner is the Palmer's Natural Bronze Body Lotion. If your really looking to get a deep, beautiful natural tan this summer with a holiday bronzed look, then this is the gradual tanner for you! I love the colour payout of the Natural Bronze body lotion as I find that the tan develops into a shade which I naturally go too when I have been out sunbathing, catching a real tan - which makes it the perfect gradual tanner for me. As far as I'm aware the Palmer's Natural Bronze only comes in one shade and they make the product for all skin tones. Like with the Dove Summer Glow, if you were to only use this once or twice a week, you would find that you have a lovely subtle glow - However I do find that this one from Palmer's is darker than the one from Dove, so those of you with fairer skin and are worried about tanning may want to work their way up to using the Palmer's Natural Glow. Not only do I love the rich tan colour that the Natural Glow gives you, I also love how amazing this is as a moistursier and if your also a fan of Palmer's Cocoa Butter you will know exactly what I mean when I say that it has that wonderful Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula to it. It even smells just like the original Palmer's Cocoa Butter which I just find dreamy and I love the smell of this on my skin. However, because this is a gradual tanner again I find that after many hours after its initial application you can start to smell that typical fake tan smell a little.  I also find that the Palmer's Natural Bronze is the best gradual tanner to use if your wanting to maintain any tan, real or fake and I have been using this non stop since coming back off my holiday and I still have a beautiful golden glow.

I personally think gradual tanners are one of the best ways to fake tan. I find that you have so much more control over your tan and by choosing how often you want to apply it, you can determine what sort of shade you want your tan to be. It can always be a little scary trying out a new fake tan for the first time and having that fear that you might look like an orangutan once the tan develops, but gradual tanners take all this fear away. Not only are they a great way to build up a tan, but they have to be such a fuss free way to build up a lovely natural bronzed looking tan - application really is as easy as applying any other moisturiser and you can incorporate it into your beauty routine pretty easily. Another big plus is not having to scrub your hands, and then scrub your hands some more after you've applied your gradual tan - a quick wash with some soap and water will ensure that you don't have evidence for the whole world to see that you've been applying fake tan. If you do wash your hands pretty quickly after application, you don't need to use a tanning mitt when using a gradual tanner, which again makes this a super fuss free way to tan. I also find that gradual tanners are the best type of tanners to use for this time of year, especially with the gorgeous weather we have been having here over the past few weeks. If you have been sunbathing and have managed to catch a bit of a natural golden glow, maintain and top that tan up with a gradual tanner to ensure your natural tan will last longer - Not only will it keep your tan looking flawless, but you will also be hydrating and nourishing your skin at the same time because the gradual tanner is also a moisturiser.

If your are looking to try a new gradual tanner I really can't recommend the Dove Summer Glow and the Palmer's Natural Bronze enough, I love both of them equally and I'm always alternating between the two of them. Although being the fake tan fanatic that I am, I'm always looking to try new products, so I would love to know your recommendations for gradual tanners. 

Be sure to keep your eyes open for the next 'BRONZE ME BEAUTIFUL' post and if there is any type of fake tan that you are wanting me to review, then just let me know as you can guarantee I probably would have tried it.

What's your favourite way to tan?

Lots of Love

NSpa || Beauty Ritual Products

I'm sure I'm in agreement with many of you beauty lovers when I say nothing beats a good old pamper session - So when the lovely people over at NSpa got in touch with me, asking if I would like to try and test out a few samples from their special beauty blogger bags, I jumped at the chance and said yes (obviously). 

For those of you who don't know too much about the brand, NSpa are company who bring you luxurious body and facial skincare products that are spa quality but at affordable high street prices. Not only are each and every one of their products set out to give you a bit of indulgence in the comfort of your own home, but the NSpa ranges have been brought to us by experts at the UK's No. 1 day spa, Nirvana Spa. I absolutely love spa days, but with prices being so high these are few and far in-between. Of course, there are a lot of spa inspired products that you can get your mitts on these days, but NSpa have a range that covers every single on of your beauty needs and having tried and tested all the goodies in my blogger bag, I can report back that they are delightful treats to use for those nights you need a bit of a pamper.

Within my beauty blogger bag I was lucky enough to receive three generous samples of some of NSpa's Beauty Ritual Range, which are products for facial skincare. As you will notice from the pictures above, each bottle is numbered one to three, with No.1 being your cleanse, No.2 being exfoliate and No.3 your treat. Nspa also have a step 4, which is to finish off with a moisturising. 

Melting Cleansing Gel

When it comes to cleanser I will be completely honest when I say I've not still not found my holy grail product, although I've still not tried the Liz Earle cleanse and polish, which I have extremely high hopes for. Generally I use a cleanser and once its used up I'll browse around in shops till I find a new one to try - Very rarely do I go back to one that I've tried before, mainly because I have sensitive skin, especially around my eye area. It can be really hard to find one that does the job I want without causing irritation around this delicate area. I have to say I have been so impressed with this Melting Cleansing Gel from NSpa as its so gentle on my skin and no irritation occurs whatsoever when I use this. The gel is packed with Ginseng and Vitamin E, which are proven to help moisturise your skin It also contains Grapeseed and Essential Oils  to help to hydrate your skin and regenerate skin cells. Not only does it contain all these amazing ingredients, but it can also be used for all skin types including sensitive skin - which is just perfect for me. 

When using this cleanser as part of my nightly beauty regime, I found that it didn't really lather up and as the name of the cleanser suggests, it almost melts away when massaging it into your skin. What I really noticed when using this cleanser is how amazing it smells - think of slightly fruity scents combined with a spa smelling products. Since using this gel, I've found that my skin is definitely agreeing to it - I've not had any breakouts and my skin looks and feels a lot more healthier. I also have combination skin and it hasn't made my skin feel any oilier around those pesky T-Zones than what it usually is. The only downside to this product I've found is that it doesn't do the best job at removing makeup, even though this is one of its claims. I always use a micellar solution to remove the majority of my makeup anyway, but I do struggle to get the last stubborn bits off with this cleanser - Other than that I can't fault it and I feel that I want to carry on using this once this sample size has come to an end.

Hot Cloth Polish

I do love using a hot cloth polish in my beauty routine and I really approve of this one from NSpa. I find that it compliments the Melting Cleanser ever so well and the two of these products make a great duo. It has a similar scent to the Melting Cleansing Gel and it does wonders at giving your skin a gentle exfoliate  Although this is an exfoliating product, I find it gentle enough to use each night and after each use my skin looks and feels amazing. Not only is it an indulgent product to use, but it gives my skin a lovely glow afterwards and for this reason alone I love it. The hot cloth polish contains cocoa butter which makes the product really rich in its formula and it definitely feels like a spa product, rather than you average facial skincare product. Again this product can be used for people with sensitive skin and I've had no irritation occur when using it at all. 

Illuminating Beauty Serum

When Nspa describe the Illuminating Beauty Serum as a treat for your skin, they are not kidding! Out of all three products this has to be the most exciting and pleasing to the eye out of all of them. This illuminating serum gives your skin an amazing healthy glow and feels wonderful on your skin. The serum is packed with the tiniest flecks of gold shimmer, which you can see as soon as the product has been dispensed. However, once blended in the shimmer disappears (so your not looking like a disco ball) giving you a gorgeous glow and kind of gives the illusion that you've been on a detox. I tend to use this serum at night time, so I wake up looking a little more fresh when I wake up and again in the morning underneath my moisturiser for a morning pick me up. I love how fast drying the serum is and it makes a great base for putting on your makeup - I don't know if its the serum or just me, but it makes my makeup look so much better. NSpa say that you can use this anytime of the day and even pop it over your makeup, I'm yet to try this - But seeing as the product is fast drying, I can see it giving you an amazing pick me up throughout the day (someone please remind me to pop this in my handbag in the morning!). Overall I love this serum and with it's illuminating shimmers it really does make it so different to any other serum I've tried - I can't recommend it enough.

Overall I am so impressed by this little selection of skincare goodies from NSpa. Although I've only talked about three products from their Beauty Ritual Range, NSpa offer a total of twelve different products in this range so there is something to suit everyone's skincare needs - If you would like to see what NSpa products are available you can find them all on the link here. As I said at the beginning of this post, NSpa are a brand which offer amazing spa inspired products at fabulous prices. Some of the products from Beauty Ritual range start from as little as £3.00, which is amazing value, so there really is no excuse not to take some time out and have a pamper. NSpa are available exclusively to Asda, so next time your doing your food shopping be sure to have a look down their beauty isle - Which is something I know that majority of you all do anyway! Sadly I don't have an Asda near me, but next time I make my way into one, I will be taking a look at the NSpa range and popping a few products straight into my trolley no doubt. 

Have you tried anything from NSpa? What's your favourite products from their Beauty Rituals Range?

Lot's of Love

Aussie Beach Mate Shampoo & 3 Minute Miracle || Review

Hi beauties! How are we all? I hope you've all been enjoying this glorious weather, I don't know about you, but its been so nice to be able to sit in the garden and having a bit of chill time outside. Gosh it was so hot at the weekend we even popped the paddling pool out to cool down and I've not stepped foot in one of those since I was a teen. 

As much as bathing in the sun is lush with a big fat capital 'L', the sun can really cause some troublesome hair disasters. Since coming back from holiday and enduring the hot sunny days we've had since, I've found that my hair has taken a right old beating from the sun - It really pains me to say that it's possibly been in one of the worst conditions its ever been in my life, which really turns pops an upside down smile on my face in the mornings. My hair has felt ever so dry and brittle at the ends, so for a good few weeks now I've done nothing but put all sorts of lotions and potions on my hair to try and bring some life back into it and to add some much needed moisture. On my usual shopping trip to Boots, I had a look down the aisle's filled with hair products on the search for something new that could give my locks a bit of a boost. Now as you know I am a huge huge huge fan of Aussie hair products and I couldn't stop smiling when I saw these products from Aussie's Beach Mate range and I popped them straight into my basket. Seeing as I have never seen or heard of the Beach Mate range before I'm guessing they are new to Aussie, as I really don't think I would have missed them before now.

The Aussie Beach Mate range is made and designed for hair that has had a little too much sun and with its rich ingredients of Australian Balm Mint and Australian Macadamia Nut Oil , it will help to revive hair that has been dried out and frazzled. The Beach Mate Shampoo informs us on the bottle, that is has the same formula as Aussie's Miracle Moist shampoo, however I think the scent is a little different and the Beach Mate shampoo seams to be a little more intense when it comes to putting some much needed life back into your hair. I love how the shampoo contains macadamia nut oil as we all know in the world of beauty, that stuff really is your hairs best friend - So for me it's amazing to be using a shampoo that contains it. 

As for the Beach Mate 3 Minute Miracle, it contains Australian Balm Mint which helps to make your hair super silky soft - trust me when I say it does. I've been using these two products every time I've washed my hair over the last three weeks (along side with other hair treatments - my daily dose of Moroccan Oil is always a must) and I have to say I've noticed a big difference in my hair. I can honestly say my hair feels in better condition now than what it was before I left on my holiday. Not only is it soft to the touch, but my hair has just gone incredibly shiny and I think it's this shine which makes it look healthy as well as feel healthy. The shampoo lathers up in no time at all and once you've rinsed out the 3MM you can feel an immediate change in the way your hair feels whilst your in the shower. I am so pleased that I picked these two products up as I really think it has helped with saving my hair.

As with all Aussie products, these two smell just amazing and will fill your shower up with smells that just make you go 'mmmm' and what's even better is that the smells transfer onto your locks too and you get a good whiff of them when you swish your hair. I would give it ago at describing what they smell like, but I'm useless when it comes to describing scents and there is nothing stopping you from putting your nose to the test on your next trip to Boots.

Overall I can't recommended these products enough, they really are a must for this time of year. If your hair has been feeling a little dry, or was in a similar state to mine then you can't go wrong with this duo from Aussie. Not only do they work wonders, but they are also pretty cheap in terms of pricing for a good shampoo and conditioner and Boots are forever having offers the Aussie range.

Have you tried these? What are your thoughts? Also if you have any hair saving tips from the heat be sure to let me know :)

Love

Gym For The Win || Introduction

Hi ladies! If you've been following my blog for a little while you may know that over the last couple of months I have been getting into fitness and the whole 'healthy living' style of life and have been quite motivated about it all. Before I left for my hols I did a few posts on how I was aiming to get bikini body ready, if you would like a re-cap on my little fitness journey you can read all about it here and here. I've been back in the UK for two weeks now and I'm pleased to share with you all that I'm still keeping up with my little fitness routines and it took no time at all for me to get back into the swing of things.

If you have read my previous posts or follow me on Twitter (@sunshinesprkle) you will know that other than my cheer training, all the exercises I've done have been in the comfort of my own home. I must admit though, I have considered joining a gym for the longest of time - However working full time, running a blog, cheerleading and trying to have a social life already takes up a big chunk of my time as well as all the added exercise I've been doing too. For me, I always thought forking out for gym membership wouldn't be worth it as I would never have or make the time to get my little booty down there to work out! As much as the thought of joining a gym appealed to me, I pretty much thought it would be a waste of my money. 

Well lucky for me the lovely guys over at MoneySupermarket.com got in touch with me along with some other bloggers asking if I would like to get involved and take part in their 'Gym For The Win' campaign. Gym for the win is a campaign is a campaign to see if gym membership is really worth the expense. Over the next month I shall be trying out a local gym to me, where Money Supermarket have kindly offered to pay for my membership. This way I can report back to you guys and let you know how I fitted the gym into my already busy lifestyle and if to see if I think its worth paying out for every month. 

I know that there are a lot of people who like me who have always debated about whether or not to join the gym and one thing that always comes to the forefront of everyone's mind is the costing of membership. When looking at the gyms in my local area I found that a lot of them varied in price, with some being just way too expensive. However I did manage to find some good deals and chose a gym that was middle of the road in terms of cost. I chose a gym called Fitness4Less and my monthly membership cost me £35.00 - However it would have been cheaper if I had chosen an annual monthly membership. That aside, I was pretty impressed with what was included with my membership fee when I signed up at the weekend. The gym has a swimming pool and a wide range of classes on offer at times that I know I will be able to fit in and around work. 

As part of the campaign I'm going to update you all weekly on my blog to let you know how I'm getting along and record for you all how many times I actually make the trip down there. I will follow up with a conclusion at the end of the month to let you all know if I think paying out for membership is really worth it. In terms of fitness goals, I have to say I don't have a major one that comes to mind - other than to keep toning up! I will be honest, I don't have a clue about how to use any of the gym equipment or any idea on which exercises I should be doing to tone up in the areas that I want. A gym induction is included in my membership, but I'm going to have to wait a little while before I can book one in, so if any of you have any tips or can put forward any exercise routines I can do on my trips down there, it would be greatly appreciated. I have to admit the thought of using all the gym equipment doesn't really appeal to me all that much - Whenever I thought about joining the gym before it's always been the classes that have made me want to join, so I know once I've found my feet a little I will be getting stuck right in with those.

Overall I'm pretty excited about this campaign and I'm quite looking forward to see what all the fuss is about surrounding gyms. Believe it or not I used to work on the reception of a gym for two years whilst I was at uni, but shockingly never took advantage of the free membership I got. Therefore training at a gym is will be very new to me so be sure to keep checking back weekly to see how I get on and of course I will be sure to report on my progress for you all. From the feedback from my last fitness posts I know that there are quite a few of you who are getting into fitness too and have probably been debating joining a gym as much as I have. Well the good news is Money Supermarket are still looking for bloggers to take part in the 'Gym For The Win' campaign and if this is something you feel that you would like to get involved with you can find all the details here. Be sure to let me know if your signed up to the campaign too, that way we can get in shape together! 

If your a dedicated gym goer then please let me share with me your gym and exercise secrets and any healthy eating tips you may have or if your a gym newbie like myself then be sure to let me know how your getting on. I'll be sure to let you know how I get on after week one :)

Lot's of Love