What did I think of Elemis?

If you read my blog then you'd be aware of the fact that I was sent two lovely gifts from Jennie at Elemis - the softly softly daily moisturiser and the peachy perfect gentle face wash. 

I've been using them for nearly a month now, (21 days to be precise) and I am loving the results. I was very skeptical about the moisturiser because I suffer from unbelievably dry skin so I thought, after using a heavy duty moisturiser that this little one wouldn't come close. I was pleasantly surprised. Obviously it wasn't going to match up to the heavy duty moisturiser but how well it did was very pleasing. 

I used the moisturiser every morning in my everyday make up routine and also when I got out of my bedtime shower as I don't have a nightly moisturiser at the moment. (I know, I know. Bad Devon) It made my face really smooth and it didn't feel dry or tight. It tried to combat my extremely dry areas and I'm impressed by that. It made them a little softer and manageable. The only con I found was that, for someone who never ever gets acne, five or six spots appeared on my forehead and cheeks after using this product regularly. It could be a coincidence or it could be that my face just wasn't accepting this product. They've since cleared up!

The face wash was used every single time I had a shower. I loved using this. It's definitely a product I will repurchase. It made my skin feel fresh and alive and awakened. It didn't interfere with my sensitive patches or dry skin and I believe it is the product that helped clear these sudden acne. It foams gently and I don;t know how to sing it's praises more. 

I am definitely repurchasing the face wash! I think the moisturiser is another one I would try again but I am forever on the hunt for something that will finally cure my bad skin. 

Until next time.. 

Do you have a skin condition that makes it really dry? 

What product do you recommend? 

xx

September Favourites!

So, instead of doing a September favourites on YouTube I thought I would write a blog post. I'm so busy at my new work placement to film right now, so every Tuesday is going to be video day and every other day is blogger day!

So let's get started!

1. Payot Benefice Soleil Tan Accelerating Serum - £18.50

This serum is lovely, I apply it a few weeks prior to holidays. It doesn't add tan to your face, but it helps speed up your natural tan developing. I love the natural colour it brings out on my face and neck. Definitely try it!

2. Jessica Colour & Care Set - £8.45

I brought this set on a whim. It's a lovely nude/pearl coloured nail varnish, and Jessica is a really good brand for me. It also comes with a small pot of cuticle cream. I brought this a little because some of the proceeds goes to Breast Cancer Awareness but I've thoroughly enjoyed these products together. I've only be wearing this for a week but I love it.

3. SpaRitual Nail Lacquers - Survivor - £9.75

This is another lovely pink nail varnish. This one has glitter effect in it and I love using it for an accent nail, especially paired with the above nail varnish. 

4. The Vintage Cosmetic Company Eyelash Curler - £4.99

This is quite a simple favourite and it's a eyelash curler. I've used a couple others before, a simple cosmo one and a heated one my cousin lent me. This one is really efficient  it produces a nice curl. I use it twice, once at the base and once at the tip to produce a lovely curl.

5. BeautySoClean Cosmetic Sanitiser Mist - £9.50

This little spray is designed to clean make up products such as pressed powders, eye shadows and other such products. I use this as oil can be transferred from my face to the brush and back into the palettes and also I use powders on other people's face as well so it just keeps it bacteria free. 

6. Olay Daily Facials Lathering Cloths - Sensitive - £4.25

These are my go to make up removing wipes now. I used to use Simple but since finding these I am converted. You run it under warm water, rub it together and it lathers up and you can use that to clean your face. Absolute genius. 

7. Tara Smith Working Curls Shampoo and Conditioner - £10.00 together

I know, I know. I have straight hair. My hair is prone to frizz up and this curl defining set helps smooth out my frizz and keep it tame!

8. ASOS Legging Shorts in Shimmer Effect - £12.00

I have been using these whilst I work out, they're funky, cute and fun. They also keep me cool.

9. Walkers Salt & Vinegar Crisps. -£1.68 (6) ASDA

Yes, I know these have been around for yonks but I go off them and then crave them again. I love how your lips tingle whilst eating them!

10. ALBUM - If You Wait - London Grammar

11. SINGLES 

Ben Pearce - What I Might Do

Avicii - You Make Me

xx

Reflective Friday.

I'm writing about something a little different today. 

I'm writing about something that niggles me every single day that I leave my home. 

Dangerous Driving. 

Now, some people may have clicked off of this page after that, and that's fine. If they, or you don't want to read it then that's the choice you have made. Everyday we get hounded about dangerous driving, driving whilst on the phone, driving under the influence etc. It's on the news, in the paper, on the telly and even, sometimes, personal experience. 

I was in a car accident when I was a couple years old, my parents were driving back from Taunton, (a town in Somerset where we live, it's the nearest shopping location to us with Topshop and River Island etc.) to home. A car pulled out of a road straight in front of them and hit the front wing of their car. The driver never looked, they just drove out. Coincidentally my best friend was in the same sort of accident in our home village when she was a baby too. 

I can't remember a time I didn't want to be a Police Officer. It was all I wanted. The picture on the right is of me and a cousin. I am about two years old, and I'm on the right. That police bike was everything to me. This must have been when the need to be in the emergency services began. Ever since then, I loved it. Everything about it. Police Halloween costumes. Police programs. Meeting them at every single fare and show we went too. On my birthday one year my parents took me to the Bristol Police Dog and Horse Academy. I sat on a Police horse called Monty and it triggered my need to join the Mounted Police. I've recently migrated to wanting to join the Traffic Cops and that's where this blog post sort of comes into it all. I have recently been on a 'Ride Along' where I shadow a police officer for a 12 hour shift, and I learnt a lot. 

On my Facebook home page I see a lot of bragging, arguments and pictures of broken cars, and drag races. The sheer amount of people that support these, (I say it because 99% of the time in my case it is...) boys with their dangerous driving. People's comments of 'GTA inspired 'lol' and taunts of how others could have pulled it off better are disgusting. Not one person ever speaks up about the immaturity and danger of this sport. Local boys use a straight piece of road about fifteen minutes drive from my house for a drag race every now and again. I cannot believe it. Today a boy put a picture of his car today, very obviously it had been rolled in a crash. The fact he even put it onto Facebook is a way of him showing what he has 'achieved'. I showed my dad the picture (an ex-fireman) and through his experience he could tell me how this may have happened.. a corner at too high a speed. 

Speed limits are put in place for a reason. 

Remember that advert... 

'Hit me at 40 and there's an 80% chance I'll die. Hit me at 30 and there's an 80% I'll live.'

Watch this speeding Ad from THINK!

Daily Hair Care

Since your hair is actually dead, you can't do much to improve it on a cellular level, but you can damage and destroy it, so it's important to take proper care of it everyday. 

How Frequently Should You Wash Your Hair?

  Some professionals say that you should only wash your hair once a week, whilst others swear you should shampoo on a daily basis. My routine is more, 'less is more'. The follicles in our scalps produce sebum. This the oil that makes your hair greasy. This is down at varying rates. If you wash your hair everyday, you strip this oil from your scalp, causing your follicles to produce sebum at a greater rate to compensate. You can change that, though, and coach your follicles to produce less oil, by gradually washing your hair less frequently. Going from washing your hair everyday, to every other day to every third day, etc. This is great news for those of us who like to style our hair. Because doing a full styling routine everyday less often makes your hair healthier. If you have long hair, the night before you're planning to skip a wash, sleep with your hair in a loose plait, as this avoids bed hair. 
   For those times when you want to make your blowout last for an extra day. there's always dry shampoo. But use is sparingly - no more than a couple times a week. If you find that you're trying to extend time between shampoos with too much dry shampoo, then it'll end up that you'll wash your hair more often. It's important not to let sebum build up on your scalp. Like with your skin, pores on your head can become blocked and clogged, which can result in things such as hair loss. You don't want to over wash it, but you need to make sure that it's clean and healthy. 

A Little Elemis Bundle!

So, the lovely Jennie at Elemis has sent me two products for me to try and review. I am so excited by this as I have used a couple of their products before I was so impressed by them that I just had to experience some of their FreshSkin range.

   The fresh skin range is targeted at the 'in between age group', from teens to twenties. It's aimed at girls that haven't got a serious skin care regime and this is a brilliant line for them to start out with. 

   I have been sent the softly softly daily moisturiser and the peachy perfect gentle face wash. Both look, and smell incredible. 

This is the softly softly daily moisturiser, it comes in some cute packaging and it's a perfect palm size bottle. On opening it smells of lavender and floral. It's got Chamomile, Geranium, Rosehip Seed Oil, Seaweed Extract and Sweet Almond oil. I can't wait to try this out. 










This is the peachy perfect gentle face wash. It's in packaging which means you really can see when you're in need of a repurchase. It's got Lemon, Elder flower and Chicory extract. It seems a really fresh product that will wake up my skin in the mornings. 

I'll be reviewing these products on my YouTube channel very soon so stay tuned!

xx

Hair Care

I've always been very shy with my hair. I've never had it any outlandish colours, any extreme cuts or lengths. It's pretty much stayed mousey to dark brown, straight, shoulder length. Just with the occasional different fringe style. Your hair can be such an amazing fashion accessory. If you're going out for a fun dinner with your friends in a bold dress, why not add volume and curls to give it that bouncy look. For something more formal, try a polished look. There's so much fun to be had with your hair when it comes to styling. I love how any look in temporary. You're just one wash and blow dry away from the blank canvas look again. So have fun!

   But before the fun can start, it's best to learn a little about what hair actually is and how to make sure you're taking good care of it. Hair covers every square inch of your body - except from the palm of your hands, the soles of your feet and your lips. Although in some places it's hard to even see! Strands of hair are actually composed of dead cells, which is funny because all of the hair products try and get you to make your hair healthy. The only part of your hair that is alive is the follicle, the bulb implanted in the scalp, which is what you can see if you accidentally tug a strand of hair out. The follicle is responsible for producing oil, for generating the melanin that gives hair it's colour and they flex to produce goosebumps.

   For the most part, your hair is what it is. Sure you can straighten it, perm it, colour it and get it into a general submission, but your head of hair is yours for a reason. It's something you've inherited. Just as it can be futile to rail against the shape of your body, your hair probably looks best when it's your natural colour and shape. You can maximise this with the right cut and technique. This part of the blog is all about proper hair care, plus I'll give you some tips for when you're at the hair dressers so you have as minimal bad hair cuts as possible.

Just an update.

Gosh I'm tried! I have pushed myself into writing you guys a blog post. This one's freehand straight online though, so apologies on my behalf. I normally plan and write a draft into word first!

   I've been a little bit 'AWOL' recently  (I had to look up the spelling for this and I never knew it was an army saying!) And by doing this, I've just realised I've posted two blogs without definitions on the end. Doh! I'll fix that up tomorrow sometime. 

   Why have I been away you might ask? I'm trying to set up a Youtube account. It's all very complicated now with Google+ and I've got the hang of it. I've set up the account, made myself some cover art but I have yet to record any videos. I'm trying to find a decent camera without breaking the bank. I was all set to use my mum's Nikon D50(?) but it doesn't have video record.. will try the other half's Nikon but I don't think that does either. So at the moment I am stuck with my mum's video camera, but the quality isn't brilliant. I'm getting there. The lighting is another issue. I may have that solved first. 

   I've subscribed to my favorite beauty guru's in the meantime though.

-Beautybaby44

-Zoella

-Dollybowbow

-beautycrush

-eletricstrawberry48

 -makeupbymandy24

-TaynaBurr

and some others but this is all off the top of my head. 

   That's it for now, I'll link you to my youtube but it's not much use. My account name is 'Devon Kelly'

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC_SFLV2ViBKFKsGTNnpAA/feed

xx