My Top Beauty Amazon Finds

At one point, Amazon was the website you’d go on to order the latest Kindle books, affordable phone cases, or dozens of Yankee Candles for half their price tag. Never would I imagine it would be one of the places I rummage through to find the best beauty bargains.

I am a long time fan of Amazon (especially Prime, oh thank goodness for Prime) and have been since 2011, where I would purchase second hand copies of the classic, Wuthering Heights and The Bell Jar for school.

Have you ever thought to browse Amazon for beauty products? Because of their beauty selection, I have discovered new products that I swear by and religiously repurchase for a less price.

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Here are a few of my favourite beauty finds from Amazon that I would recommend:

Etude House Beauty Face Blur (link)

I originally saw this product recommended under the Korean skincare section, it is highly rated for giving you that 'blurred' makeup finish whilst minimizing your pores, which I am here for. I was a bit apprehensive at first, with this being a more of a creamy texture and a brand I am unfamiliar with, but I’d go as far as to say this is one of the best, inexpensive primers I have ever tried. Whenever I use this primer, my makeup will last much longer without the need of touching up. I also find it doesn't break my skin out or bank account, which is why I have repurchased this and kept it in my makeup routine.

Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm

Sticking with the Korean skincare, Tony Moly is one of my favourite skincare brands to buy on Amazon. This product is a self-heating, blackhead removal treatment, designed to mimic the cleansing action of steam. This unique mask is perfect for giving your skin that extra moisture as well as help surface any pesky blackheads. I love using this mask; it almost feels like you are in a spa having a facial with the self-heating effect as it's so relaxing.

Moroccan Oil (link)

When Moroccan Oil was first hyped about on social media it was so hard to get a hold of, however, luckily Amazon was on the ball. I have loved/used this hair oil for years, I think it's fair to say, as I have mentioned numerous times about it on my blog. I always reach for this hair oil in the summer, especially if I want to achieve healthy-looking beach waves. This oil helps keep my hair in good condition, which I think you need especially in the summer. It also gives my hair a gorgeous shine which looks amazing with beach waves on a sunny holiday. Definitely my favourite oil for keeping my hair in amazing condition and something I'd recommend to anyone with damaged hair.

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream (link)

This cream is amazing and can be used for everything: chapped lips, dry knees, elbows, hands and even brows. I pop this on just before bed all over my lips and let the 8-hour magic happen. I also like carrying this in my bag with me to use before the gym to keep my lips hydrated throughout. I highly recommend this multi-use product and I am yet to come across a better balm for dry lips.

Ren Clearcalm Replenishing Gel (link)

This stuff is great if you suffer with blemishes or imperfections. I use this quite regularly as a moisturiser, before I apply my makeup if I know I'm going to be on my feet all day. This really helps with calming down the appearance of blemishes, as well as reducing the redness. I have purchased numerous bottles of this stuff since I first bought it off Amazon and can honestly say it has worked wonders on my skin.

Rose Quartz Face Roller (link)

Face rollers are amazing for helping with reducing puffiness, increasing blood flow and flushing out bad toxins in your skin. I purchased mine off Amazon for a much less of a price and although I can't compare it to an expensive one, it does exactly what it said it does. I keep mine in the fridge and use it whenever my skin is in need of some extra TLC. I can honestly say these are amazing and something I will continue to use to keep my skin in the best condition as possible.

What is your No1 beauty find off Amazon??

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A Skincare Detox

New Year, rubbish skin?

I think I speak for most when I say January is a lethargic month that just needs to hurry up and end. So, you've already broken your New Year resolutions, the Christmas decorations are tucked back in the attic, the days are short and dark, oh, and all the good Quality Streets are gone. 

Could this month get any worse? Oh, yeah, your skin is taking a hit from all those shortbread biscuits you’ve had over the Christmas – well, at least mine has.

As much as I hate, that Christmas is over, my skin has been in need of some extra-TLC. So I have decided to ditch the chocolate and use this month to give my skin a bit of a detox that it very much craves.

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Here are my top tips on giving your face a skincare detox:

Facial Steaming - once a week

I can't put into words how much I love steaming my face, it's such a simple but fundamental step to include in your routine that really benefits your skin. It cleanses your pores, eliminates toxins, it allows your skin to be more receptive to other treatments, it enhances circulation and many other amazing benefits. I have been using this technique every Sunday evening and can definitely see a difference in my skin, especially when it comes to applying products afterwards, my skin is much more receptive towards products and the overall appearance of my skin has improved so much. Plus using a steamer is great for relaxing and winding down, especially if you are feeling stressed!

Double Cleansing - Daily

For some time, double cleansing just seemed like an unnecessary, time-consuming step to my skincare routine that I didn't really need. It's only within the past year I have incorporated this into my daily routine that I can see what everybody is talking about. On a day-to-day basis, I go in with the Dermalogica Pre Cleansing Oil to remove the bulk of my makeup, followed with either Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser if my skin is having a good day or Dermalogica Clay Cleanser if my skin is in dire need of something more targeted towards my spots/redness. I tend to only double cleanse if I have been wearing makeup all day, otherwise I will just use one cleanser. But using two, has definitely helped with keeping my skin in good condition and reduced gaining pesky spots after wearing makeup all day.

Face Masks - Twice a week

I personally love a good face mask, I actually sometimes will use a mask just after I have steamed my skin as part of a good pamper evening. I tend to use face masks targeted towards my skin type (oily, spot-prone), so any face masks with salicylic acid or have a clay-like texture, I am here for. A personal favourite at the moment, is the Blue Clay mask by Herbivore, this is a spot treatment mask formulated to help reduce existing spots while detoxifying the skin. I try to use a face mask twice a week to help treat any pesky breakouts or redness my skin tends to get, which definitely has helped with my complexion.

Face Sprays - Every evening

I don't know if this is a subconscious thing, but, spraying my face with a facial spray after a shower really helps my skin's overall appearance. I recently invested in a beauty fridge (more on that in another post!), so I keep all my face sprays in there and once I've jumped out of the shower or bath, I like to spray either the Herbivore Rose Hibiscus or Mario Badescu Spray with aloe cucumber and green tea. Both of which have reduced inflammatory ingredients in, which is why I like to use them to help calm down any redness and keep my skin feeling hydrated.

Facial Jade Roller - Every other day

Face rollers are great for helping with under eye circles, puffiness on the skin, wrinkles and helping absorb products more easily into the skin. The internet has described these little beauty tools as 'food for the skin'. I keep my roller in the fridge for extra de-puffiness, but these are great for your skin and have so many benefits to them. I like to use mine just when I'm watching Netflix or something for 10 minutes as it requires minimal effort and really helps with any puffiness my face has. Plus, I am not getting any younger, so if something as simple as this is going to help with wrinkles - I am totally on board!

What is your ultimate detox tip for your skin??

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What I've Watched On Netflix Recently

If you've been reading my blog for a while now you most likely will know of my crazy addiction to writing about beauty, travel, food and obliging how-to-guides. If we put all of that on hiatus, another much-loved hobby I enjoy getting into a deep discussion about is documentaries, true-crime, serial killers and the occasional thriller - I promise I am normal, I just like twisted, sinister things to watch. 

Please say I'm not alone??

Anyway's I am going off topic, as usual, I decided this year to start talking more about what I have been watching/reading recently on my little blog as it is something I enjoy talking about I'd say, 60% of the time. It means I now no longer have to bore my friends and poor boyfriend with my fascinations and long conversations.

So to kick this off I decided to share What I've Watched On Netflix Recently because there has been a fair few series I have binged over the New Year and I decided to rate them out of 10.

01.  YOU

What would you do for love? Bookstore manager Joe meets graduate student and aspiring writer Beck at his bookstore and falls in love at first sight. Joe becomes obsessed with her and stops at nothing in getting rid of the obstacles that keep her from loving him.

Long story short I loved this series, I think I binged watched it within a few days and could not stop recommending it to friends. It's very twisted and creepy, but also incredibly entertaining, a lot of 'on the edge your seat' moments. They have confirmed a series 2 as well!

9/10 (would have been 10 if Beck invested in curtains)

02.  FYRE - The Greatest Party That Never Happened

Behind the scenes documentary on the infamous unravelling of the Fyre Music Festival, created by millionaire Billy McFarland. Fyre was promoted as a luxury music festival on a private island in the Bahamas featuring supermodels, A-List artists and posh amenities...or so they thought.

I went through so many emotions when I watched this documentary, at first I didn't think I would enjoy it, but when the story unravelled I was hooked. It's a well researched and descriptive documentary that's interesting to see how so many smart people can get pulled into an egomaniac situation.

8/10

03.  Black Mirror Bandersnatch

A young programmer begins to question reality as he adapts a sprawling fantasy novel into a video game soon face a mind-mangling challenge. You control what happens next.

I loved the concept of being able to control how the plot unravels for the protagonist, but for me, it didn't work. I like to 'Netflix & Chill' so to speak, not Netflix & constantly press choices to decide the characters' fate. It felt more like a story-telling game than a Netflix episode and it did become irritating having to rewatch certain clips if your choices weren't correct.

6/10 (Loved the concept, but wasn't for me)

04. Abducted in Plain Sight

On October 17, 1974, 12-year-old Jan Broberg was kidnapped by her next-door neighbour and parents' best friend. This is a documentary about the true story of the Brobergs and what happens to their 12-year-old daughter.

I love documentaries that stick in your mind for a long time and Abducted in Plain Sight definitely does just that. This was so unlike any other cases I have watched before and it was incredibly twisted and irritating as hell. If you haven't heard about this I suggest you look it up before you do so as it's disturbing to watch.

8/10 (Uncomfortable to watch at times, but explained really well)

05. Conversations with A Killer: The Ted Bundy's Tapes

A four-part series documentary of one of the notorious serial killers; Ted Bundy. Convicted of killing over 30 women before being caught in 1978. Audio and archival footage of Bundy whilst on death row to provide the unique perspective of hearing the killer analyse his own life and motives

I personally loved this docu-series and the way it was put together, being able to get into the mindset of Bundy and watch how he manipulated so many people and delayed his death sentence. I found him fascinating to watch and it opened my eyes to how a killer could even be your charming, handsome neighbour. I mean, I hope it's not but you catch my drift...

10/10

Have you watched any of the above??

5 Great Bedtime Habits

Now I'm not going to lie, when I wake up in the morning I sure as hell do not look like Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30, who rocks up to work in just a night-dress and some dainty heels. Girl envy right here. However, I do think incorporating some sort of night time routine into your life can definitely benefit you in the morning.

There is still hope for me yet to wake up looking like Jennifer.

Here are some things I do before I go to bed that really help benefit me in the morning and stop me from feeling like a walking zombie in need of blood coffee.

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♥ Turn Off Laptop
Getting into the habit of coming away from your desk an hour or 2 before bed definitely impacts on the way you sleep. I've gotten into the routine of reading before bed, which probably still isn't as effective, but my mind is relaxed and isn't worrying about things. I find doing this allows me to fall asleep a lot faster.

♥ Drink Herbal Tea
I've been drinking a cup of herbal tea or hot lemon water for a good few years now and can honestly say it's made a difference in my overall health. I always feel less sluggish, relaxed and cleansed when I drink either of these. I don't know if it's a myth, but having a hot drink an hour or so before bed definitely sets the mood before you go to sleep.

♥ Evening Skincare
Once I have removed all of my makeup and cleansed my skin, I like to pop my Origins Make A Difference Night Cream onto my skin, yes I said night cream, followed by some sort of treatment depending on my skin that day - 9 times out of 10 is a zit-zapper treatment because I have the skin of a teenager. Having a skincare routine in the evening really helps to feel relaxed and ready for bed. Who'd of thought I'd have night cream though??

♥ Prepping
If I know I have a busy day ahead of me I will meal prep (who am I kidding it's usually soup), get clothes ironed and laid out and pack my bag the night before, that way my brain is able to relax when I am in bed and in the morning I am not rushing around like a headless chicken and forgetting something.

♥ Winding Down
There are a couple more minuscule things I like to do before I go to bed that do have I'd say an impact. One of which is to spray my bed with a sleeping spray or use the LUSH Sleepy Body Lotion, I mean it just puts me to sleep even moisturizing my body it's such a chore in itself. I also like to reduce the brightness on my phone so my eyes aren't concentrating so hard on whatever it is I am looking at.
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Do you have any bedtime habits??

A Cosy Valentines Night in

I could have sworn Christmas was yesterday and I was eating my way through a tub of Quality Streets whilst watching a classic festive film. Time really does run away from you. January was a blip. Now here we are in February - chapter 2 out of 12 and Valentine's Day is literally only days away, which means cutesy heart-shaped chocolate will be on offer a day later - silver linings and all that.

I've never really been that into Valentine's Day personally, my boyfriend and I usually buy each other a cheesy pun-related card and cook some sort of concoction involving spaghetti and meatballs and re-enact the iconic Lady & the Tramp scene. I'm kidding, although spaghetti is involved - in a none intimate sort of way.

Valentine's Day is supposedly a day of love so whether you are single or just fancy a cosy night in, having some 'me time' is an important thing to do every now and then, so why not do it on Valentine's Day?

I have put together a little light-hearted post on how to create the perfect galantines night in and have a night of relaxation. P's buy a bath tray from Amazon; it has literally changed my life and increased me to drink in the bath, oops.

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♥ Step 1: Set the scene

First things first you got to prepare the bath, so light some candles and sprinkle them all around your bathroom and then dim the light. You then want to pop some sort of bath product in the tub, I like to add some bubbles and some Himalayan bath salts and create a bath-cocktail. You could even go the extra mile and buy a boat and be Chandler from Friends.

♥ Step 2: Grab the goods

So now your bath is ready you then want to grab some skin pampering treats, so a face mask, body scrubs, cleansers etc. When I want to treat my skin I like to use the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser to start off with, as it's so soft and kind to my skin. I then pop on some of the Herbivore Blue Clay Face Mask - perfect for oily spot prone skin. I also like to bring some other essentials like a cup of herbal tea or pink gin if I really want to push the boat out. At the moment, I am enjoying reading in the bath - it's my therapy. The book I am enjoying at the moment is Ice Cream for Breakfast by Laura Jane Williams, which is such a witty, humorous and inspiring book that is so easy to dip in and out of.

My top 5 favourite pamper treatments ATM:
1. Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser
2. Herbivore Blue Clay Face Mask
3. Dermalogica Clay Cleanser
4. Origins Clear Improvements Mask
5. The Body Shop Strawberry Body Scrub

♥ Step 3: One hour later...

As I previously mentioned time does run away from me, perhaps my excessively long baths are the reason? Anyway's, once fully pampered and cleansed I then go onto either cooking or ordering something yummy to eat. If I really want to treat myself I will order a Chinese or a Wagamama's *thank you Deliveroo for delivering this into my life*. Or I will cook something really tasty, but 9 times out of 10 if I want to treat myself it's usually takeout.

♥ Step 4: Netflix & Chill

So you're in your cosy pyjamas and stuffed with food, now's the time to do you. Whatever it is you enjoy doing to relax whether that's watching a good Netflix series, in my case; it's been a not-so-relaxing True Crime series. Read a book, play a game, whatever it is try and spend more time in-the-moment and less time on your phone scrolling Instagram. Phones are so distracting nowadays, I've spoken about this in my How To Digital Detox post here if you are interested.

My Top 5 Things To Watch on Netflix ATM:
1. YOU
2. Conversation With A Killer The Ted Bundy's Tapes
3. American Horror Story
4. Abducted in Plain Site
5. Bird Box

♥ Step 5: Get an early night

I find it so bizarre that 10 years ago I would be staying up past midnight, trying to make the most of time, whereas now I am usually in bed around 10 and asleep by 11 at the latest. Oh, how things have changed. I love my bed and I love early nights, I am one of these people who if I don't get 8 or more hours sleep I will probably be running on coffee and attitude for the next day. Not to sound like your doctor, but sleep is so important it helps reset your brain and relaxes your body, which is what you need to complete a cosy Valentines or any sort of pampering evening night in.

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What are your Valentines/Galantines plans??