Aromatherapy Associates Review.

Okay, so this month I picked up a copy of ( I think... ) Marie Claire magazine, simply because I was extremely curious about the free sample gift you received with it. That was a pack of three travel sized Aromatherapy Associates products. I've heard of Aromatherapy Associates here and there but I haven't really paid much attention or took to buying any of their products, so the fact I could now try three of there products for a mere £4ish felt like a great opportunity.



The three products I received were from the Hydrating collection which, after researching into a bit, I have found is sorely Rose scented. So unfortunately if you're not into smelling like a Turkish delight then this collection probably isn't for you. However I absolutely adore the fragrance so that was no issue for me. On the photo above with all my sexy fingers you can see how each of the products look which I do feel is important as I was quite surprised with one of them. Now I will tell you now I have extremely mixed opinions about the three products so don't expect this to be a 'this is my new holy grail' kind of review as it really is not.

Product 1: Hydrating Rose Face Mask, Moisturising and Renewing. £37 for 100ml.

Aromatherapy Associates say:
"A deeply hydrating mask to restore vital moisture to dry skin. Aloe vera and Sodium Hyalauronate, renowned for their hydrating properties, are combined with damask rose water, distilled from Bulgarian roses, in a cooling, transparent mask to bring radiance and vitality to dry complexions".

This face mask is like no other I have used before. On the sexy finger photo this is on the middle finger and as you can see is a clear substance which feels like a gel. For some reason the only face masks I have used in the past have been more of a creamy formula and so I was extremely sceptical and rather concerned about putting this on my face, however I have used this a few times now so the concept is a little less scary. In terms of it's overall purpose of being hydrating I feel this lets the range down immensely. I've given this two or three attempts now and each time I was so disappointed. When I use a face mask it is because my face is feeling particularly rubbish and I need an instant pick me up, and unfortunately I didn't get that with this in the slightest. While it is soothing to the skin whilst on the face, once I washed this off my skin felt no better for it. I still felt the dryness to my face and the soothing feeling was completely gone. Another flaw? It didn't set. Whilst this was on my face I didn't feel comfortable, I felt sticky and greasy and honestly I couldn't wait for the ten minutes to be over so I could wash it off my face. I think that the only appealing thing about this mask is that you need hardly any of it to cover the whole face, after 2/3 uses I still have well over half of the sample bottle (15ml) left to use, so while £37 is a fair bit of money it is something that will see you through a good few months and so if you like it then it is worth the money. I however will not be purchasing a full size of this and I have no desire to recommend you to do so either.

Product 2: Hydrating Triple Rose Renewing Moisturiser. £56 for 50ml.

Aromatherapy Associates say:
"A nourishing daily moisturiser combining three unique roses from Morocco, Turkey and Bulgaria to rejuvenate your skin. Anti-oxidant and anti-ageing rosehip, red aquatic algae and frankincense protect and tone your skin, whilst locking in moisture to keep your complexion looking youthful, radiant and full of vitality".

This is on the first finger of the sexy finger photo and is a more reassuring texture for what it is. Like most moisturisers this is lovely and creamy and was so much nicer to use than the mask. This moisturiser has the same soothing properties as the mask but lasts until it has sunk in to the skin. While applying this I did feel that it was a bit grainy, as if it had small sand particles in it but I can not find any explanation of this on the website and so is something that I just had to put up with not knowing why. And I did put up with the grainy feeling simply because of how amazing my skin felt afterwards. I have used this several times and at different times of the day such as in the morning when I wake up, before putting makeup on, after taking it off etc. but I found that the best time to apply this is before going to sleep. I put this on about half an hour before I'm getting in to bed as it does take a while to fully sink in and while it's doing so it does make the skin feel slightly sticky (nowhere near as sticky compared to the mask though). Half an hour is plenty of time to avoid feeling like your sticking to your pillow all night, and when you wake up in the morning it's as if the heavens have opened! When I wake up on a morning after using this I can honestly say my skin has never felt better as it feels soothed, full of moisture and silky to the touch. I also noticed a huge difference to the dryer parts of my face like my forehead and between my eyebrows where any dry flaky skin was so very nearly gone that just wasn't getting touched by other products I own. Strangely, although I have nothing but praise for this product, there is not a chance that I will repurchase this and here's why. The sample size is a 5ml bottle and while I got a good 4 or 5 uses out of it I feel as though if I bought the full size I would use it every day, meaning it would last me around 2 to 3 months. Yes that is a long time but at £56 and knowing full well I will get addicted and repurchase time and time again, it will come to around £200 a year which is something I am really not prepared to do. So I will carry on my venture of finding my perfect budget moisturiser. I would recommend you find a way to try this however especially if you suffer with dryness.

Product 3: Hydrating Renewing Rose Cleanser. £25 for 200ml.

Aromatherapy Associates Say:
"A gentle and effective cleanser to wipe away impurities and make-up for clean, glowing skin. Jojoba cleanses whilst precious damask rose works to keep skin radiant and healthy-looking, and essential oil of geranium helps balance the skin’s natural oils. Your skin is left fresh, bright and delicately fragrant".

Sexy finger 3 on the sexy finger scaling system, (I'm so funny sometimes) shows that this cleanser is a thin creamy substance, what it doesn't show however is how freaking amazing this cleanser is. The 10ml sample lasted me roughly a week using this every night to remove my make up, with some sneaky mid-day uses too. Seriously, I would re-do my make up just to use this. I am OBSESSED! I love a good cleanser and this has raised the bar so high up for me now that I'm not sure anything will ever compare to it. Again we have that beautiful soothing and refreshing, cooling feel that is so great to feel with a product like this but what blew me away with this cleanser is just how spotless it made my face feel. Even a full face of makeup disappears with such a small amount of this. I don't know how but that Jojoba stuff disintegrates make up like a mother, and it works so fast. I've found with some cleansers a good amount of time consuming facial massaging is needed but when using this I can take off all my makeup in a few minutes which is super when you're as busy as I am right now. In order to do an honest review I tried desperately to find something wrong with it and I just couldn't. I have already placed an order for the full sized product of this which compared to the other products is an absolute bargain at £25 for 200ml and I can't wait to get my hands on it! This is definitely going to become a staple piece in my skin care collection and I can tell you now will be featured in my May Favourites post. Well done Aromatherapy Associates, you little dimes!

So, here's hoping this review has inspired some of you to try out some of these products or ones that are similar. I know there are a few more things in this collection I'd like to try such as a lip balm, a couple of facial oils, a mist and an eye serum which I will try get my hands on samples of. Also their other collections look beautiful too and so worth the pennies! Do let me know your opinions if you have tried any of these products, and feel free to ask any questions if there is something you wanted to know that I didn't cover in the review. Other than that keep your eye out for an empties post coming up soon along with of course my May Favourites post.

Much love, G x

April Favourites!

Hellooo, long time no speak! As you may recall in my last post, Birthday Haul part one, I did say that I would be posting about accessories and skin care along with all the other things I bought on my birthday in a series of posts. But oh no, my internet was not going to have that now was it! For a few weeks now my home internet has just been a massive fail so my only means of being online was through my mobile which is just not a good method of blogging. So unfortunately I have decided to scratch the birthday hauls and speak about what I got in future posts. Some things you haven't seen are in this post and some you'll just have to wait for!
April was an amazing month for me and was filled with great times like my 21st and my boyfriends 25th birthdays, two weeks off work (hoorah!) and some really sweet weather. Things like this mean I get to play around with new make up and share all the things I've been loving with yourselves! So here we are, enjoy!


Ok so I really need to start with this watch. This was £12 from Asda living and since the day I got it, it has barely left my wrist. As well as being adorably cute it is also I really comfortable watch, the strap is a nice faux leather material which doesn't irritate the skin as I've found can be the case at times. I think this is gorgeous, simple and very understated. As this isn't in your face it pretty much goes with any outfit I wear. The only problem with this watch is that there are no numbers on it, and so it can be a little tricky to know the exact time. It is so worth it though, just for the cute factor.








I have also been adoring this bracelet this month. This daisy chain look bracelet is from River Island, however I can't give you a price as it was a gift from a colleague for my birthday. I think this is such a lovely little dainty thing and I have been wearing it every single day that the sun has been out. It is so perfect for spring and to be honest I think it will be staying for the summer too. I had a little look and I've seen the matching necklace. Obviously I need it, don't I?










Also Spring related is this amazing shower gel from The Body Shop. This is the Satsuma scented one and, oh dear lord, it's scented! Damn scented in fact! When you're using this it literally smells like you're washing yourself in orange juice as appealing as that is. I love this so much, it really gives you that Spring feeling. I find the whole citrus scent to be really invigorating and awakening. If I use this in the morning I go from being a groggy mess to BAM, instantly awakened! I am also extremely impressed by how long lasting this is! I have easily used this ten times now and I'm only about 1/4 of my way through it, making it so worth the money as this size bottle sits happily under £10. The only thing I could wish for with this is that once you've used it that seems to be it. Once I'm dried and dressed I can no longer smell it which is highly disappointing, but I suppose that is just proof of how much I love it! If you pick up one shower gel for the summer, make it this one, I dare you!


Another scent that hasn't left me this month is the Ted Baker perfume in 'Made In Heaven'. My best friend Danielle bought me this for Christmas and I am really getting in to it now the weathers brightening up. This perfume is a really sweet floral scent which is perfectly if you're after a real girly girl scent, however it is in no way shape or form is this overpowering like some of the sweeter scents are. I have received so many compliments when wearing this which is evident of how long lasting it is. I remember putting this on one day before work and come around 7pm one of my colleagues commented on it which put me in the best mood. I adore this so much and receiving it was also a real surprise, so thank you Danni!




I posted an Instagram picture of these three Max Factor lipsticks a few days ago that I am just completely obsessed with. These are named (Left to Right) Raisin, Pink Brandy and Rosewood. Rosewood was the first one I picked up and I did so as I had been wanting to buy Clarins' Rosewood lipstick for ages, but once finding it I hated the formula as it looked wet and messy. Then once stumbling upon this I noticed that they are exactly the same colour but this one being a lot more matte and about a third of the price. These lipsticks retail for around £8 each, but can be found on a 3 for 2 offer in a lot of places. I am so impressed with these lipsticks and I honestly regret not discovering Max Factor lipsticks previously. Raisin is quite a similar colour to rosewood but holds more of a pink/red undertone to it, whilst rosewood is more purple undertoned. Pink Brandy however is becoming a staple daily lipstick for me as it is a beautiful deep pink colour and I just love it on a sunny day matched with a light eye look. I know I will get so much use out of these and I am considering just buying the whole collection! Haha, better not!


Another new product that has wormed it's way into my monthly favourites is the Elizabeth Arden Advanced Eye-Fix Primer. This was a bargainous £10 from TK Maxx which actually may seem like a fair bit of money for the size of the bottle. However you need literally a pinhead amount of this to cover the whole eye lid. I find this is a really nice eye primer which enhances the look of eye shadow and helps make it last all day long. This also looks beautiful on its own as it is just a gorgeous beige skin toned colour. Whilst I do love this a great deal I am not sure that I would repurchase it unless I could find it for the same price, as I think the initial price of £16 - £18 is a little high for this as you can find great alternatives at much cheaper prices. Whilst I have this though I intend to make the utter most of it as it truly is a wonderful product.

I bought this cream blush from George at Asda roughly a week ago and I have worn it every single day since. This is in the colour No. 2 Coral which in the packaging looks to be a neon pink colour however once applied this becomes a beautiful naturally flushed pink colour with an extremely soft orange tint to it. It is so beautiful in the spring time and is surprisingly easy to work with. I've had nothing but trouble with cream blushes in the past but this has changed my mind set on them completely. I can now apply this quickly and effortlessly finishing with a gorgeous natural look. All I do is apply this over foundation, by using my ring finger to dot this on to my cheek and then I blend it out with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. If the look is too bright for any reason I just use my every day setting powder over the top and all is fine and dandy! This is such a nice product and is really super affordable at £3 - £4.


The final product I have to speak about is quite possibly a revolutionary product in my collection. This is the Barbara Daly Helping Hands serum. This was £3.50 from Tesco and has honestly changed my skin so much. Strangely this is not for the face, this serum is for the hands and nails. Now I suffer badly with brittle nails and I have found that massaging this onto the nails every few days is really helping. I'm noticing much less breakage and a nicer finish to my natural nails. Also as I work with cardboard my hands can become horrendously dry but this just fixes that right up! You can also use this on any other part of your body that becomes dry such as elbows and knees. This seems to be a miracle product and I urge anyone who suffers with dryness or even just wants smoother hands to head out and find this. It really is amazing!

NEW FEATURE TIME!!!
I have decided that at the end of every month I will be posting a little add on to my favourites post regarding my favourite instagrammer of the month. As I am obsessed with Instagram and connect with so many wonderful people on their I thought it's only right to recognise them on here! In the future there will be ONE favourite person per month, however to kick things off there will be THREE this month. And they are as follows!!

3) Loraforever3

This girl has a wonderful Instagram page and her photos are just magical. She is mostly nail art based and honestly some of her photos have blown me away. She is so talented that she deserves so much recognition. I am honestly so jealous of her skills at times haha. She's also a really friendly girl and I know if I have a question there she will be there to answer it as best she can!
Click on her name to go to her page!
 

2) Strawberrycheese_Cake

Oh my God what can I say about this girl! I adore Tessa's profile so much, I honestly never get bored of looking through her gorgeous photos. She has so much style and can pull of any kind of look it is crazy! She is honestly one of the most gorgeous people and she has a cat! She has a cat!!! What is not to love?! I just love seeing photo's of Trigger the cat and her cosmetic photos are just beautifullllll. She accessorises her photos will all things sparkly and gorgeous! Also she is a gem for sharing her tips and tricks and you seriously need to check out her page!


1) Juliekerrx

Quite possibly my favourite instagrammer of the month is Julie. Julie is such a sweet girl and we have had some right conversations on Instagram. She's always got something nice to say and is always keen to find out about beauty things from what I've seen. She is gorgeous and so kind mannered and I just love her photos. Some are sweet, some are random, one was a topless guy soooo yano! I highly suggest you go follow her find this second!




And that is it for my April favourites. I hope everyone had as good a month as I did, and I hope that May is just as good for you too!
Much Love, G x