Monthly favourites: August

Woo hoo, the end of the first month of running this blog. Time to update my favourites - there may not be a post like this every month but this month there have been plenty of new things I've been loving and using/wearing/listening to all the time. I genuinely look forward to the end of a month/start of a new one purely for favourites videos/blog posts.

Also - I feel I need to mention the new theme. It's still being edited/I'll fiddle more in the weekend when I have time but I'm liking it a lot so far! I wanted something a bit more personal so I purchased one off Etsy.

Right - on with the favourites. 

• Frank body scrub - this one is a no brainer, especially if you've been on my blog any other time this month. Vegan, cruelty free, perfectly scrubby. Frank smells amazing, gives you glowing skin and is gentle enough to use on your face. If you're interested in more info I have another post about it here. Frank is definitely going to be a regular part of my body/skin care routine. 
• NARS Radiant Tinted Moisturiser - SPF is becoming more of a priority for me, especially now I've found a few products with SPF that my skin actually agrees with. This moisturiser kills two birds with one stone - good coverage and sun protection. For a low maintenance look in the summer this will be my go to..even more so than it is now.  
• NARS creamy concealer - this plus the radiant tinted moisturiser...well, if I ever have a relationship as good as these two do I'll be a happy camper. Amazing coverage, especially under the eyes Feels weightless and non-sticky. Can't go wrong with this one. 
• Harraw! lip balm - I use Hurraw dawn till dusk, it keeps your lips in tip top condition with a range of flavours/scents. I especially love the Moon Balm and the SPF version. 
• Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence. I love Lana anyway but her latest CD is especially amazing. I listened to it twice all the way through whilst driving home late at night and can safely say there are several new favourites on this CD. My top picks are Cruel World, Sad Girl and Brooklyn Baby. 
• Chrysolite Opal earrings from ChicCrystalBijoux . These stunning little earrings are made by a very talented jeweler in Sydney. I found her shop on Etsy and had been meaning to buy these for a while. They're a beautiful colour, perfect fit and add a little bit of sparkle without being over the top. I've got my eye on a few other pieces by her already. I took a closer picture too as the one above doesn't do them justice.

Love seeing what other people put in their favourites too - I often end up trying new products based on other people's recommendations from them. That's all for this month - there's a few new things I have my eye on/am currently trying out so we'll see how they fare come the end of September! 

Claire x

The Night In

Every now and then (usually once a week...) I like to have a "night in" where I make myself feel all nice and fresh and put some extra effort into my skin and hair.

I thought I'd share some of my favourite products/methods that I use when I actually do this.

For a start, I take all my makeup off, using my usual cleansing products from my evening skincare routine. Following this, I warm up my skin with a face cloth to open my pores and remove any remaining cleanser left. Then I apply a face mask - I've really been liking the Trilogy Mineral Radiance facemask, I got a sample of it with a purchase from Healthpost and it's lasted really well. It's hydrating, cleansing but not too harsh. It's suitable regardless of what your skin is up to really. If you want to see more have a look at the description Trilogy has here. If you know me at all you know I love Trilogy (the packing alone is beautiful - something much nicer about the texture and weight of glass rather than plastic).

I leave this on for at least ten minutes - this mask takes a long time to dry which gives you more time to relax, watch youtube videos or read a magazine like I like to do.

Following this, I jump into the shower. I usually leave my face mask on for a bit after this - I like the steam to warm my skin up again before I rinse the mask and always think heat benefits any mask you're using. While Trilogy works its magic I wash my hair - I alternate between a purple shampoo to maintain my sun lightened hair over winter and this lovely SLS free one from Kevin Murphy. It smells like jasmine flowers, cleanses your hair rather than stripping it and is very gentle on your scalp (and hands if you get dermatitis like me).

I rinse off my mask and shampoo then go in for a hydrating conditioner - I use this product every time I condition but once a week I like to leave it on for extra time. I've been using the L'Oreal Absolut Repair for some time now and although I'm not really a big fan of L'Oreal I must say this is something they really got right. It makes your hair very shiny and tangle free. I slather a finger-tip full on my hair from ear-length down focusing mainly on the ends as they're most prone to damage.

Next, I turn the water down to pretty much a dribble and bring Frank to the party. I've made a few posts mentioning Frank already you can read the most recent here. I scrub my legs, bum and back to combat cellulite and dermatitis. I try and stay out of the water while Frank and my conditioner work to get the best possible results. In winter this can be a little cold but I think the end effect is worth it even if you only leave it for a minute or two.

Once I'm too cold to bear it anymore I turn the water back up and rinse off my conditioner and Frank. This is the perfect time to shave legs as Frank leaves a nice residue on your skin that means you don't need any soap or shaving lotion.

After I finally turn the shower off I pat my skin dry and apply a body lotion on my legs, although Frank is pretty hydrating my skin can get quite dry in certain places so I like to use Karma Kream from Lush as a top up. The orange smell of this lotion along with the coffee and orange of Frank is a lovely combination.

Next, my face gets slathered with several drops of rosehip and my night cream. Once that's settled I put some Sebamed on any pesky spots that have popped up, this gel works wonders at getting rid of redness and also seems to prevent spots from scarring so much too.

Best time to do this is when you've got freshly washed sheets - nothing like having freshly washed hair, smooth legs and clean sheets at the end of a long week.

Claire x

Oh, Frank

Having been using Frank for a few weeks now I think it's about time I do a follow up review from my first impressions post which can be found here. Sadly I don't have any new photos or before/afters as my laptop is rapidly dying and I can't easily upload to the desk top computer booo.

Put simply, Frank is about as addictive to use during your night-time shower as drinking your coffee is first thing in the morning.

Used regularly (I frank'd every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) my skin responded really well. It's tempting to do it more because it smells so amazing but for me, I think this was about right.

The "frankeffect" is somewhat miraculous. I am a convert to say the least. My skin looks glowy after - which for me is wonderful when I'm mid-winter with zero percent tan whatsoever. It's like the glow you get after you've been on holiday minus the expensive air flights and accomodation. The redness on my face is reduced, my skin is smooth, moisturised, buffed but not oily or "overdone."

On top of this the best thing was it helped get rid of blemishes and dermatitis simultaneously. Anyone with dermatitis will know finding something that helps diminish it's effects is worth it's weight in gold. My hands were less red, less dry and didn't crack as much.

All in all, Frank is addictive, and as soon as my original Frank gets low I will most definitely be buying the coconut and cacao varieties too. I love getting things in the post and even the packing Frank comes in is beautiful. He ticks all the right boxes, cruelty free, vegan and preservative free.

Again, to order you can get Frank shipped to a shower near you from here and if you're interested you can see some amazing before and afters of the #frankeffect here.

On an unrelated note my blog may be undergoing a bit of a transformation in the next week or so with a new theme. Very excited.

Claire x

Just in...

...Frank Body scrub. 

I love getting things in the post and was so excited to get my little brown paper bag with an apricot coloured Frank label this morning. Isn't he and his packaging lovely?! This is the first "proper" post from me, I'll be aiming for a new blog post every Thursday and Sunday - this weekend I'll be writing my little hands off so I have plenty up my sleeve in case I get busy. Without further ado here is my first "first impression" on my new blog. (Eeek, excited).

I've just tried Frank for the first time, he promises to smooth skin, help eczema, acne and cellulite. Given that it's very reasonably priced, vegan and preservative free I was more than keen to give it a try. Aside from that I'm currently breaking out like mad and am willing to try anything once for the sake of my skin (acne in your 20s...arghh). I bought it on Friday afternoon and he's made it to my letterbox in just under a week. (Yes I did just refer to Frank as a he - more on that next...)

The marketing Frank uses is a part of the draw for me - I can't even begin to explain how so I'll let you see for yourself here. I'm actually slightly in love with this product/marketing already.

To use him you just need to wet your skin, use a few little handfuls of Frank and rub all over. A little really does go a long way - something I was surprised at as typically sugar/salt based scrubs I've used before I've found don't seem to cover a lot and often dissolve very easily, not the case with Frank. I focussed on the bits that needed most attention - i.e. my legs, elbows, back and buns of steel (ho ho). It's recommended you leave it on for a few minutes 5 - 10 ideally but given it's the middle of winter I only managed about 4 before I turned the shower back on (big cold wuss). The novelty of smelling like coffee and oranges as well as actually looking quite brown (albeit covered with coffee grounds...) was also quite enjoyable...!

I was skeptical about how amazing it could really be, I'd heard rave reviews of it making your skin feel like silk after just one use. I can tell you for sure - it's true. My skin hasn't felt so smooth in...well I can't remember how long. You're also lightly moisturised without feeling oily or greasy. I even patted/rubbed the excess on my face and my skin all over felt amazing. I put my usual rosehip oil on my face straight after and my skin slurped it right up.

The plusses of Frank I noticed initially are it's super scrubby (which I love), not drying or too abrasive - the grains are small enough to buff rather than scratch or scrape your skin. It leaves your skin moisturised without being oily and smells delightful (I got the original Frank for those interested). I can't wait to use it again. I'll do a follow up post in a few weeks when I've had time to use it some more!