All Round Good Guys: Green tea ☺

Naturally rich in antioxidants, green tea helps to protect our bodies from free radicals - naturally occurring particles in the body that are associated with an increased risk of major diseases. 

Being exposed on a daily basis to pollution, smoke, and excess sunlight leads to an increase in the amount of free radicals in our blood, and the potent antioxidants found in green tea help to combat these, promoting good health and saving us from those pesky free radicals that keep going after our DNA, which leads to cancer, blocked arteries and blood clots!

Green tea has also been known for its ability to prevent bad breath and tooth decay.

It can help reduce tension headaches (something which I can definitely vouch for).

It helps burn fat, stabilize high cholesterol levels, control blood sugar levels, thus preventing diabetes and strokes. 

It helps boost your immune system, prevents and reduces acne (TRUTH!), it even has an ingredient (Catechine) which helps destroy bacteria which causes food poisoning in the stomach!

So.. anyone want a nice hot cup of Twinings? 

Disclaimer: All products were bought with my own money unless stated otherwise. All opinions are my own.

Five Favourites Friday: The Body Shop ♥

The Body Shop. Just the name makes me feel at home. 

From the moment I walked into my local one as a teen, I knew that I'd be spending a lot of my time (and money) there. I mean, it smelt divine. I loved the colours, and the fact that they had different ranges for different skin types. They even had things to make your room smell as good as the shop itself!

The sales assistants were lovely, and I've never felt pressured into buying anything, and have always been given helpful advice - no matter which store I went to, be it my rather small, local one, or one of the larger ones in certain shopping centres (^__^)

Let's get on with it then, shall we? ☺

Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover

This, ladies and gentlemen, is definitely true to it's name. Priced at £8 for a 250ml bottle, it is the most gentle eye make-up remover I have ever come across. Perfect for sensitive skin; it barely has any scent, doesn't irritate or sting the eyelids, and removes every last particle of make-up, even the most stubborn mascara.

Pomegranate & Raspberry Body, Room and Linen Spritz

This. Smells. GORGEOUS. It literally makes my mouth water. The raspberry smell is stronger than the pomegranate though.. not that I'm complaining. I spray this on myself, my bed covers, the curtains, the carpet.. I won't lie I am kind of obsessed with this smell! ♥
This cost me £6 and I've had it for over a year now, and I still have approximately 80ml left of the 100ml I got of it, I'd say. Bargain.

Vitamin E Face Mist

Multifunctional, and smells absolutely lovely. I love the smell of rose water. I use this when I need a light moisturiser, and also to refresh myself when my face is feeling a bit hot. Sometimes, halfway through the day I get some dry, patchy areas on my face - this is perfect for getting rid of it.

Another use is a make-up setting spray. I've tried the Urban Decay 'All Nighter Long Lasting Make-Up Setting Spray' and I swear this does the same job but at a fraction of the price - £7 as opposed to the £19 for the UD. 

The only downside I'd say is that when my eyelids are feeling a bit sore, I try not to use this, as it does make them sting.

Born Lippy Passionberry Lip Balm

I remember smelling this in the store and just standing there, lost in its smell. The smell reminds me of the purple Starburst! Consistency-wise, it is nothing like Vaseline, it's kind of sticky, but very hydrating. When I use this before bed, my lips are so soft in the morning that I barely need to use any again for a couple of hours.

Papaya Body Butter for normal skin

Want to know how much I love this? I have four backups of this. Yep. You read right. FOUR. Mainly because they've discontinued it. :-(

I may not have ever eaten a papaya before, but every time I open this.. I feel like I could eat it up with a spoon! >.< 

If I couldn't buy any perfumes, body butters, or body sprays for the rest of my life, I would be content with just this. Seriously. Not only does it smell absolutely positively gorgeous, but it's a pretty good moisturiser too. Not too greasy, not too light. PERFECTION.

I'm sure you've seen a bit of a theme going on by now.. I'm addicted to fruity, yummy smelling, mouth watering scents!

I know. I need help. Teehee. (^__^)

What's your favourite Body Shop product? ☻


Disclaimer: All products were bought with my own money unless stated otherwise. All opinions are my own.

Modestly Stylish: Orange. ☻

Orange. ☺ by themaryfairy 

H&M dress: £15 ♦ Wallis chino pants: £29.50 ♦ Wet Seal cork wedge heels: £22.56 

♦ ALDO straw tote: £40 ♦ Urbanexcess.com Retro sunglasses: £4.95

Ever since H&M's Spring/Summer Catalogue arrived through the letterbox one rather rare, sunny morning here in the usually wet and dreary part of the world I like to call home, I've been dreaming of blistering heat and bright blue skies - not to mention a hankering for that bright orange dress!

Is there anything that's got you dreaming of summer lately? ☺ 

Current Skincare Routine: For Oily/Combination Skin

Hi. I'm Mary. And I've suffered from horrible skin problems for over 8 years. I've tried a million things in a row, and I've finally found a skincare routine that works - thank the Lord! 

Now my skin, as you can tell from the title of this post, is oily/combination. It used to be really oily once upon a time, but over the years it has become less oily around the cheeks and I am now left with just a very oily t-zone.

When my skin is feeling particularly oily:

Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash by The Body Shop

Tea tree oil - the wonder from down under as I like to call it - originates from Australia, and has been used for centuries for healing. It treats acne, wounds/cuts, burns, even dandruff! It is anti-fungal, antiviral, and antiseptic making it an excellent treatment for acne, as one of the main causes of acne is bacteria typically found on our skin that used the sebum (oil) on our skin as a nutrient for growth.

After I use this face wash using my S&G Mini Mitt, the oil on my skin is greatly reduced, and the little tightness I feel in my skin is gone after I moisturise. I can say that this, hand on heart, has definitely helped my skin become clearer over the years. I may try other cleansers but I will always fall back on this - it is that good!

Dark Angels by Lush

When my t-zone is feeling a bit more oily than usual, I take a little bit of Dark Angels in my palm (about a pea sized amount), add some water to form a paste, and put it across my forehead, nose, and chin. I then wait a couple of minutes before washing it off. This really gets rid of the oiliness! A recent purchase; and to be quite franks, I don't know how I've lived without it!

And when my skin is feeling a tad on the dry side..

Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser by The Body Shop

I use a little of this on my trusty Mini Mitt, giving extra attention to the dry patches on my cheeks. Once I've patted my skin dry, I use a lighter moisturiser - but only out of habit, because you don't really need to after this, as it does not leave the skin tight like the Tea Tree Oil cleanser does.

Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes from Boots

Although it's not a cleanser, I thought I'd give this an honorary mention. 

We all get lazy sometimes, and when we do we reach for something quick and simple - facial wipes. Now, I've tried a few different make-up remover wipes but none have ever come CLOSE to these! 

My eyes are kind of sensitive, and if I used anything even slightly rough (Nivea wipes.. I'm looking at you!), my eyelids become sore and red and they hurt like mad! 

But these? Never once have my eyes been hurt by them, even when I'm wearing the most stubborn of mascara on my top AND bottom lashes. Nope, not once. Although I don't use them much because I don't get lazy with my skin a lot to be honest, but when I do I've always come back to these babies. 

They really are true to their name!

Anyway, that's enough babble for one post! Do let me know if anyone has any questions about anything :-)

Disclaimer: All products were bought with my own money unless stated otherwise. All opinions are my own.

Lush Love: Mint Julips Edition ♥

Ahh Lush. Let me count the ways I love thee.. (..okay maybe not I may be here all night..)

From the moment I walked past their shop and caught a whiff of the beautiful cacophony of aromas of the sweet smelling wonders within, I knew it was love at first sniff - and here we are a year later, and I'm still smitten.

To be honest, I've always been a sucker for a good smell. Be it food or perfume, if it makes my mouth water just from the smell, you better believe I'm going to get my hands on it!

So when I saw this at the counter while I was paying for my soaps, this little gem caught my eye - and it also caught the shop assistant's eye that it had caught my eye.

'Ooh, thinking about getting the lip scrub? I love that one..'  she said, as she pointed at ''Mint Julips'. 

I opened up the tester and took a whiff. It smelt gorgeous - so gorgeous in fact that I wanted to gobble it up - but I resisted, and bought it instead.

When I got home and tried it, I was amazed - AMAZED - by the results. Never had my lips been so smooth and dead-skin free. I used the tiniest of amounts; more than half a pea sized amount would be too much.

Using my freshly clean and dry index finger, I rubbed it into my lips and licked it off. My lips were so smooth that my lip balm glided on like a dream. 

I'd recommend this to anyone and everyone - especially to those whose lips can get quite chapped and dry. The castor sugar is rough enough to rid the lips of flaky skin, but soft enough to not irritate your lips. Also, the jojoba oil will help to keep your lips moisturised but not too greasy! Perfect.

The lip scrubs retail for £4.95 for 25g, and (apart from 'Mint Julips') there are other flavours too - 'Bubblegum' and 'Sweet Lips' - so something for everyone!

What's your favourite Lush product? ☺

P.S. Follow my blog with Bloglovin!

Disclaimer: All products were bought with my own money unless stated otherwise. All opinions are my own.