Aromatherapy Associates Deep Cleanse Face Wash Review

As you may well know, I am a big fan of a good face wash. I'm not massive on having a skincare routine that consists of 6 stages, who has the time for that?! I prefer having three, remover (typically micellar water), an everyday face wash, and a good moisturiser. I will use various masks and eye creams once or twice a week, but those three stages are my typical everyday skincare routine. I'm not saying that this is the best way, I just can't seem to find the time, and most nights definitely wouldn't have the energy to do anymore. We had this Aromatherapy Associates Deep Cleanse Face Wash turn up at work, and after reading reviews I decided to pinch it for myself and see what everybody was raving about. As you may well know I have fairly sensitive skin, it often stings when I use specific products, I come out with rashes fairly easily, too much or too little of specific ingredients can leave my skin dry and flakey or event the opposite, oily and spotty. 

I've used this product for the past week and can already see its influence on my skin. In previous months I've used the likes of Bliss, Soap and Glory, and bareMinerals for my daily face wash, most of which tend to leave my skin super dry, and I end up having to lap on the moisturiser straight after my shower because of how harsh they have been on my skin. This product must have the perfect balance of ingredients, as it leaves my skin smooth, spotless and brighter, with absolutely no signs of flaky skin and dryness! You can feel the foamy texture of the soap cleaning your pores instantly, and although I love a good bit of exfoliation this is softer and probably healthier for my skin every day. I only have one complaint about the product, and that's the smell. I'm quite fussy with the smell of beauty products, and this is usually where I'll end up complaining. Lavender, bitter orange, tea tree, ylang ylang and flower oil are not the best mixture of scents! I'd much prefer 1 or 2 rather than 5 or 6, but that is a personal preference. All-in-all, this is a fab product and does its job, but at £24 a pop I won't be buying it again, maybe if they release one with a simpler smell! 

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Review

I've been meaning to review this product for a while, you can't escape it, its absolutely everywhere on Instagram. It's every bloggers go-to, so I thought it was about time I saw what all the fuss was about. At a pretty expensive price (£10) I was hoping for good things! 

As some of you may know from my previous reviews and posts, I tend to steer clear of makeup wipes as I have very sensitive skin and they often sting my eyes and face. At the moment I tend to stick with Garnier's Sensitive Skin Micellar Water, A product that I have also reviewed and is one of the only products that I repeatedly buy month-in and month-out, so Bioderma has a lot to live up to! Picking up the product in the chemist I found myself thinking 'its the same product for double the price. Why am I buying this?!', but hey I fell into the instagram trap. If other bloggers love it then so must I... right? 

After using this product for two weeks I can say that It is definitely a good makeup remover that treats sensitive skin with care. Dare I say it, it may even be just as good as Garnier's masterpiece that is their Micellar Water, but there is one thing that is better, and some people may say justifies the doubled price... the strength of the remover. You only need a few drops of this micelle solution to remover a full face of makeup! I find myself squirting ample amounts of Garnier's solution on a cotton wool pad before taking off my face, but this only needs one or two drops and you're done! In conclusion, you may say that although this product is £10, that it will last just as long if not two-three weeks longer than it's competitors, and is worth the price. It's weighing up the options and whether you can justify spending £10 on a makeup remover. For myself, I will be buying this product when I want to treat myself, but for when I'm budgeting and looking to save money, I'll be sticking to Garnier. 

Hope you've enjoyed this review! 

K.x

Binging On A Budget: My Top Cheap And Cheerful London Restaurants

It's January, and lets be honest we are all trying to not even think about the hole in our pocket that December's antics has caused! But, despite having little money, January is also one of the most depressing months of the year, and for this reason I believe we should treat ourselves. So I've put together a small list of my favourite places in London to binge on a budget (with a few extras that I am dying to try out soon). Hope you guys enjoy and this helps you save an extra few dollar this Jan! 

Chicken Liquor

If you're looking for some finger lickin' chicken, then this is the place! Chicken Liquor, owned and run by the massively famous Meat Liquor, is a small restaurant in Brixton. We tried the Korean Wings and the Chicken Shop Boneless Bites, my favourites would have to have been the wings, which is probably because I prefer that type of meat. For sides, we ordered the Hippie Fries... OMG these were a party in my mouth, absolutely scrumptious. We also ordered the Hot Mess, which was a lovely spicy addition. I usually avoid blue cheese because of its pungent taste, but the dish wasn't overwhelmed by it and definitely hit the spot. 

Bang Bang Vietnamese

After much deliberation over what restaurant to try at Boxpark Croydon, we tried Bang Bang Vietnamese, and it was an absolute treat! I'm really into my Asian food, spices are my thing, so this was the perfect choice for our meal. The food was exceptional. I chose the Pho Bo Gau: A Classic Vietnamese Soup with Beef Brisket, and my friend went for the Pho Tom, which is the same but with king prawns. As you can see below each of us got plenty, and it was the perfect amount of spice for my taste buds, which is a big bonus as I usually have to add extra chili sauce. I believe both of these dishes were around the £8 mark, an absolute steal!

Milk

A cafe that I fell in love with the moment I walked in (or maybe the day before when I was looking at the menu). They have fun and exciting dishes which put a spin on old classics, with their hangover sauce, burnt butter hollandaise, and woodfired sourdough, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. It's definitely a place for those hipsters seeking the best brunch spot. I bought my food, smoothie, and coffee for a mere £12. Here's a fun fact, the most used hashtag in Balham is #brunch, so get over there and enjoy!

Franco Manca

I'm pretty sure that by now most people have heard of Franco Manca, but I was first introduced to these heavenly sourdough pizzas just over a year ago as they catered for my auntie and uncles wedding! They were absolutely delicious, no wonder sourdough brick oven pizzas are now a massive craze, and I'm pretty sure these were the guys that triggered it. They have multiple stores where you can try their classics, and guess what? All of their pizzas are under £7... BARGAIN! 

Here are a few that I'm desperate to try out within the next few months...

Padella

A pasta bar serving hand-rolled pasta with sauces and fillings inspired from the owners trips to Italy, and just look at those prices! 

BAO

I think I'm one of the only bloggers left who hasn't tried out BAO. They serve up delicious BAOs, steamed buns, and a range of Taiwanese dishes. It's right up my street, and only around £4 per BAO!

 

Brother Marcus

Okay, so this one may have initially sparked because I indeed have the owners brother... Marcus on Facebook and in fact used to go to school with their other brother, but I have also looked up the reviews and this place is supposed to be the next big place for brunch... and who doesn't love brunch?!

Crackers Christmas Presents 2016!

Happy 2017 everyone! I would like to say a big thank you to all of you who follow the blog, and although it has been a bit quiet lately in terms of posts, 2017 is going to be a good year and I will be pushing myself to write more and more content for you guys. To start the year off I thought I'd do a quick round-up of some of the amazing prezzies I received over the Christmas period, most of which will be having a follow-up review post, so keep your eyes peeled if you are interested in a specific product!

Benefit's 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar is always a good'n, my Mum has bought it for me for the past two years, and it never disappoints. This year's Girl O'clock Rock had some amazing products (and one very annoying tune every time you opened the box!), all of which were minis, perfect for travel and keeping in your handbag. The POREfessional, They're Real! Mascara, Benetint, Posietint, They're Real! Remover, It's Potent! Eye Cream, Lollibalm, Hoola, Dandelion, BADgal Lash, High Beam and Lollitint, all amazing products that make a regular appearance in my makeup bag. 

For my graduation last June I received this Crosley Record Player, an item that I knew I could keep and cherish for years to come, as well as building a collection of some ultimate vinyl classics. Pulp Fiction is a pretty awesome film, but I have always said that it's the music that brings it to life. I was lucky enough to receive the motion picture soundtrack, and I've been playing it non-stop since! 

I have been in desperate need of some new makeup brushes for a while and after being given an Amazon voucher for Chrimbo I set out to find the best brushes available. I looked at several reviews claiming that these ABODY brushes are as good as MAC or Sephora, and were only a fraction of the price! They are also a very cute baby blue colour which makes a difference to my standard black and silver. I've been using them for the past week and can honestly say that the foundation, angled powder, and straight powder brushes work like a dream, I can't wait to try out all the rest and keep you guys updated. 

• This Dainty Edge Hollow Oval Ring from Wolf & Badger hasn't come off my finger since I was given it! I may have given a few hints, but who can blame a girl! I am absolutely smitten with this gift and won't be taking it off any time soon.
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Last but not least is Charlotte Tilbury's Full Fat Lashes, given to me by my sister. I have previously tried the likes of Benefit, Lancome, Clinique, Rimmel, Dior, and Maybelline, and this has to be up there with my top two; BADgal and Clinique. It is a light mascara that builds with each layer, yet never clumps or gives your eyes that horrible sticky look. This is a definite keeper which I will be buying again. 

I hope you have enjoyed seeing some of my Christmas Goodies. Happy New Year all! 

Love,

K.