Face Mask Fridays: Montagne Jeunesse Pressed Blueberries Very Berry Ultra Moisturising and Cleansing Masque

It's that time of the week again: it's Face Mask Friday! Todays review is on the Montagne Jeunesse Pressed Blueberries Very Berry Ultra Moisturising and Cleansing Masque *gasps for air* I swear, MJ's face masks have the longest of names..

Don't you hate it when there's a sticker on the product you're going to review and when you try to take it off you know it's going to ruin the packaging even more so you leave it and the perfectionist in you wants you to just GO OUT and BUY ANOTHER ONE because GAH ITS NOT PERFECT LOOKING and ASDFGHJKL;'?? *flips table*

Can I get a #bbloggerproblems up in here? xD

Ahem. Anyhoo. Onto the review..

The last MJ mask I reviewed was a bit of a disaster to be quite frank, and I was a little hesitant in trying out another one.. my poor eyes didn't want another round of that again. But I had some other masks in my stash from MJ, and having seen how everyone loves their masks so much, I thought I might as well give the brand a second chance seeing as I have some to try!

So I picked this one out of the bunch, mainly because I'm a fruit lover and have been on a bit of a blueberry and cranberry jam kick these past couple of weeks. Oh, and it said 'ultra moisturising' on the packet, and I was getting sick of the random dry patches around my nose and thought I'd remedy them at the same time (^__^)

'Bursting with the juice of pressed Blueberries and crushed Cranberries, our fruity beauty is packed with antioxidants. Nourishing Peach Kernel Oil and soothing Aloe Vera will leave your skin refreshed and cleansed.'
[source]

Let's break down the main ingredients:
♦     Blueberries - reduce redness (e.g. in rosacea), good for acne prone skin, antioxidant, anti-ageing.
♦     Cranberries - antioxidants, anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and also has brightening properties.
♦     Peach Kernel Oil - anti-ageing, antioxidant, contains Vitamin E, perfect for dry and/or sensitive skin.
♦     Aloe Vera - soothes skin, has antibacterial properties that can help reduce the appearance of acne.

All good ingredients to have in a face mask if you ask me! (^__^)

Now.. when I opened this up, I was REALLY surprised at the look of it. It looked so.. metallic?! I'd never seen anything like it. It confused me a bit O.o It smelled really nice and fruity though, just like it's description - good enough to eat!

Consistency wise, it was a lovely, soft cream that spread quite well over the face - not too thick, nor too runny. It didn't really dry fully, but I didn't really mind to be honest - I think it was because I might have put too much of it on.

After using this, my skin did feel a little softer and cleaner, but not to the extent where I was oohing and ahhing over it. I expected I would because of the whole 'ultra moisturising' part in the title. It was a little bit of a let down when I patted my skin dry and it didn't feel much different than before. *sad face*

 Aaaaand that's all I have to say about it really. Should I do a conclusion? Okay I'll do a conclusion. T__T

*clears throat*

SO IN CONCLUSION.. I'd say it was a bit of a meh product. Apart from it's fruity smell. I got about 2/3 uses out of it, which is pretty good value in my opinion, but I wouldn't buy it again because it didn't do wonders for my skin. I prefer to use things that make me go 'WOAH I am SO glad I used that!' and this I'm afraid, didn't.

You can buy these practically anywhere for a quid: Boots, Amazon, even New Look. 
Have you tried this mask? What do you think of it? 

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

Related Posts: Montagne Jeunesse Passion Peel Off Facemask, DIY Fruity Face Mask: Oily/Combination Skin, Natural Collection Rosemary & Witch Hazel Mask

May Favourites ♥

I haven't been loving much this month if I'm honest. My skin has been terrible, so I have been sticking to things that help get rid of and help cover up the state of my face..

[L-R]

1. L'oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional Anti-Redness Primer - I've had a lot of redness on my face these past two months, and this primer has been sitting in the back of my makeup drawer for ages after a friend gave it to me a while back. I like how it gets rid of the redness so I don't have to use as much foundation.

I apply this with my Real Techniques Stippling brush little by little all over the affected areas before my foundation. I find using a brush as opposed to my hands does a better job. I've read reviews about it leaving a green tinge on the face after using it, but honestly, I think that only happens when you use too much. So don't be afraid of taking the plunge if you're thinking of it^^

2. No7 Moisture Drench lipstick in Rose Blush - I've been reaching for this more often lately, if I have been wearing any lipstick at all. It's a lovely pink colour that really flatters my skin tone, and the formula is quite moisturising too (as the name suggests, haha). I like that it's pink, but not in your face pink; I like colours like that. :o) I also love the fact that it has SPF in too!

3. DIY Sugar Facial Scrub - My skin has been really flaky lately too, so I decided to go back to basics with my skincare and whipped up a batch of my sugar scrub. It's really helped.^^ If you want to try it out for yourself, you can check out my blogpost on it by clickety clacking right over here~

That's about it for this month to be honest! What have you been loving this month? 

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

Skin Wisdom Youth Protect Eye Treatment Review

If you've been reading my blog for a long time, you'd know that I don't really use eye creams much. 

I've used the Simple one (review here) before but that's about it. I've never really seen the point in it, but now that I'm not as young as I used to be, I figured I should really start looking after my face better, especially my eyes. I've always tended to neglect my eyes and looked after the rest of my face because well, for the longest time, acne prone skin had always been a higher priority for me than getting wrinkles. 

So I've begun the hunt for the perfect eye cream for me. And so far, despite this being only my second eye cream, I really, really like it! So I thought I'd share my thoughts on it (^__^)

The Skin Wisdom Youth Protect Eye Treatment is actually a Tesco own brand product. In fact, they have a whole line of skincare that is directed at three age groups - 'Youth Protect' aimed at 20-35 years, 'Ultimate Lift' for someone 35-50 years of age, and for the ones from 50-65+ years there's 'Age Delay'. I think it's really good that they've done it like that, it really helps newbies (like me) when it comes to anti-ageing skincare.

Also, you wouldn't think that it was an own brand just by looking at it would you? Supermarket own branded products always put me off a bit. Yes, I am a bit of a makeup/skincare snob.. but I'm a little less so after this find though. :D

Onto the actual product itself; I think it did a fantastic job! It comes out a little runny but I like that as it's not too thick and absorbs into the skin straight away. It kept the skin around my eyes hydrated all day, I never once felt any tightness or dryness after using this.

Also, it has a very slight scent but it's not unpleasant, and it fades away almost immediately, so nothing to worry about there! As for the brightening part, I don't really have dark circles so I can't comment on that I'm afraid.

Packaging wise, I really like the fact that it comes in a tube, because I hate dipping my fingers into pots - it always feels so unhygienic and makes me cringe no end. *shudders*

So in conclusion, when this finishes.. I will definitely be popping back into Tescos to repurchase! I highly recommend it if you're looking into a budget friendly eye cream and if you're in the 20-35 age range. It's only a fiver, and Tesco's always has some kind of offer on their skincare - I mean, I got mine for half the price :D 

Have you tried any of Tesco's skincare products? 

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

What's In My Bag: Exam Time Edition ☼

Aloha my lovelies! I've been so very busy lately; it's exam season, which is why I haven't been able to post much on my blog what with all the revision and well, exams. *adjusts her captain obvious cape and clears her throat awkwardly* 

I haven't really been testing much stuff out lately either, because I just don't have the time. So I decided to do a tag or something, but nothing caught my eye apart from the What's In My Bag tag, so here it is! 

Today's post is on what I carry around at exam time. 

[ I bought my bag from Mango, if anyone is wondering (^-^) ]

Leggo~

1. Pencil case - If you don't have one of these in your bag around exam time.. what is wrong with you?! *appalled, Hermione Granger-esque look* LOL xD 

I got mine a couple of years ago from WHSmith (^__^) I carry 2/3 black pens, 2/3 pencils, a sharpener, an eraser, a ruler, and a calculator alongside my university card. I always have this prepared so I can just pick it up without having to worry if I have everything in it!

2. Simple Kind to Eyes Eye Balm - Yeah I don't use this for my eyes anymore (click here for the review~). I've been putting this in my bag to use as a moisturiser for whenever I happen to go into the girls loo after my exam or something and see a random patch of dry skin *shudders* 

It's handy because it's small which means I don't have to lug around my normal moisturiser. Yay for saving space and using up something :D

[Clockwise from left]

3. Pad holder - Every girl has one of these lol, I don't think I need to explain why I have one..

4. Alpenliebe Espresso sweets - My friend Sarita over at A Hotchpotch Hijabi In Italy sent me a couple of packets of these a while ago, and they've been living in my bag ever since. They're good for keeping me awake (and giving me crazy coffee breath lol!). 

I tend to have one an hour or so before my exam in case I get sleepy because I have a tendency of not being able to sleep before an exam (I forgot to have one today and midway through my exam I got really drowsy.. I had only had about four hours of sleep! Gah!).

5. Brecon Carreg Mineral Water - My favourite water to buy, and I love the bottle cap thingiemabob. My friends tell me that they always associate that bottle with me because I'm always carrying it! I drink a lot of water, especially during my exam. It's good to keep hydrated, kids, especially when you need to concentrate in an exam! (^__^)

6. Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitizer - One of my best friends went to America last year and bought me a stash of lovely smelling goodies that I couldn't buy from here. I always keep one in my bag, because you never know when you're going to be on public transport and have to touch something that everyone else has been touching *barf*

7. Nivea Hydrocare lipbalm - My favourite lipbalm ever~ I've been through loads of these and there is always one in my bag if I ever need it^^

8. Coin purse - And last but not least, my dinky little coin purse. You see, I don't like to carry around my actual purse with me unless I'm going shopping, and when it's exam time I become a hermit and I only go to uni for my exam and come straight back, so I don't see much point in bringing it with me. It'd be just one more thing weighing my bag down!

So instead I bought this little cutie off of Ebay last year and I keep some spare change in it in case I need the bus or something. (^_____^) Don't you just love how small and cute it is? I'm such a sucker for cute, pretty, little things. (>.<)

So yeah that's what in my bag at the moment guys. I might do another one of this tag, because I have a couple of different bags that I use for different things. I don't know how some people use just one bag for everything, I really don't.. (O.o)

What's in your exam time bag? ☺ 

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

Chitchat - Can someone help me? (T____T)

[ To anyone who is reading this.. If you have a minute, would you mind helping me with something? It's kind of getting to me and I'd love some help from my fellow bloggers. It's kind of hard for me to talk about this because I'm so self conscious about it and I absolutely hate talking about it but I've come to a point where it's affecting me so much I'm actually willing to ask for help now. So please, if you have a moment, please read. Thankyou ♥ ]

Can someone please explain to me why, despite doing everything that needs to be done to prevent spots.. I'M STILL GETTING THEM?

I genuinely do not know why I have them. 

I cleanse, exfoliate, moisturise. I use face masks. 

I drink plenty of water, I don't have dairy (apart from a teeny bit in my tea). I eat healthily. I exercise. I even have supplements specially for my skin. 

I change my pillow case every other night, I wear hijaabs that won't irritate my skin, and I keep my hair out of my face. 

I let my skin breathe any chance I get, I never cake on the makeup and I've stopped using makeup wipes.

SO WHY AM I BREAKING OUT?

Is there anyone out there who is in the same situation as I am? Even my trusty Witch Stick can't handle my skin right now. It's getting to the point where I can't sleep properly because it's getting that painful.

I get the feeling it might be hormonal acne, because it's mainly sore bumps under and around my jaw, chin, the sides of my cheeks and forehead.

But like I said.. I eat healthily and exercise and have given up dairy (which was damn hard to do, because I bloody love my cheese!), and I've read that all these things affect hormonal acne so I don't get why my skin is breaking out like it's getting paid to do so?!

If you have any advice, any blog posts that will help me, please comment below. I'm willing to try anything right now.. it's painful and I hate it. If anyone can help me, please do. I'd appreciate it very much. ♥

February, March and April Empties ♥

Right that's it! I've had enough of it! *flings her empties box out the window* YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

As much as I love that feeling of having finished a product, I absolutely hate keeping them for a long time. It's like I get a kick out of throwing things out. I can't be the only one right? Right?!

  *tumbleweed rolls past*

Well then. Now that we've fully established that I'm a bit of a weirdo let's move on to today's topic. All the things I finally threw away *rubs her hands together in glee*

[L-R]

Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2-in-1 Face Wash & Mask - I've been using this stuff for years. It's really good for oily/combination skin, both when used as a face wash and as a mask. Will definitely repurchase this, it's one of my go to face washes for the summer, when my skin decides to become oil central (-__-)

Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes - Love these, but I've decided to stop using face wipes. it makes me lazy with my skincare and I always end up just using this to take off my makeup, brushing my teeth, then falling asleep. I know, such a bad habit. But I've stopped now, and I haven't repurchased them since I finished them :D

Witch Cleansing & Toning Wipes - These were really nice and refreshing, but like I mentioned before, not going to be repurchasing any face wipes - at least not anytime soon anyway. I'd recommend them if you were looking to try them though. If you want to read more about them you can read about it in my skincare routine here :o)

Witch Stick - I go through at least one of these every month. Clickety clack over here to read why~

The Body Shop's Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser - Something else I've been using for years. It's especially good for when my skin is feeling sensitive and acne prone and when it just hurts to touch my face with anything. Alhamdulillah I haven't been needing this as much lately, but I will be purchasing another bottle just in case I need to.

[L-R]

Garnier Skin Naturals Pure Active Spot Fighting 24hr Moisturiser - Oh my goodness you guys. If you have hormonal acne, this is the thing for you. I'd apply this at night instead of my Simple moisturiser and would wake up to any angry red bumps on my jawline reduced already. I kept at it and they practically vanished! I got this for a quid at Superdrug when they had a sale on a couple of months ago. Best quid I ever spent! It's on for £3.33 over at Boots right now (the cheapest I can find atm) so I'm going to head on down to Boots soon and buy myself another two bottles!

Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser - a staple in my skincare routine. It does the job, although sometimes I do have to apply two thin layers. I've already repurchased it - it doesn't irritate my skin, it sinks in fast and never makes my face oily. I recommend it wholeheartedly (^__^)

Eucerin Dry Skin Replenishing Face Cream - I got this sample in the post when Boots had that sign-up-if-you-want-to-try-this thing going on with Eucerin a while ago. It was really really good! I'm tempted to buy it full size, because I only needed a little of it and it would have lasted a while if my sister hadn't used it too rofl.

Garnier Skin Naturals Simply Essentials Soothing 2 in 1 Make-up Remover - Come on guys. this has been in almost all of my empties posts. Best makeup remover ever!

Garnier Simply Essentials Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover - ...this not so much. It wasn't very good at taking off my eye makeup at all. Took me forever to use this one up because I would always just end up using something else to take my makeup off instead *eyes the makeup wipes* so yeah definitely not repurchasing this..

And last but not least: Avon Make Me Smile - throwing out another one of my old Avon perfumes. It doesn't smell the same lol, I don't even know why I kept it. I need to stop holding onto stuff like this! yes it smelled lovely and citrusy and reminds me of my teenage years but I need to let go already! *throws it in the bin*

Ahhh it feels good to have gotten rid of all of that! Now to make a shopping list of the things I need to replace.. *grins happily* Hope I didn't bore you to tears. Once my exams are over, there will be no more filler posts, I promise (^__^)

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

Face Mask Fridays: Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Peel Off Mask

Guess what guys? It's Face Mask Friday, and today I've picked a budget friendly one to try - the Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Peel Off Mask to be precise. (^__^)

And at 99p a sachet it definitely falls into the budget friendly category, but then again so many other bigger name brands are around the same price too, and this one is an own brand one so.. Hmm. Let's see if it stands up against the big boys shall we?

According to the Boots website, it:

'Deep cleans and tightens pores & helps remove blackheads.'

[source]

Well they don't faff about do they? Straight and to the point! No beating around the bush. Something which I like if I'm honest - the only time I like it when companies get all poetic and babble on on the packaging is when it's on shampoo or shower gel bottles, because we all like to read something while we're sat on the loo don't we? :P LOL Don't even deny it, we all do it! Hahaha!

The packaging isn't all that to be honest, it doesn't stand out and isn't very vibrant like the Montagne Jeunnesse ones (am I the only one who has to pull out a packet or google the name for that brand? I can never for the life of me remember how to spell (or say) it!). So it's lacking in that department, but sometimes you can find the shiniest of gems in the blandest of packaging..

.. which unfortunately does not apply to this one. Sorry Boots, but this didn't really work for me. This is the second peel off face mask I've tried, the first being the Passion Peel Off Mask from MJ I reviewed back in February, and whilst this one didn't end in tears like that one, I didn't really end up smiling in joy after using the Boots one either.

I mean, it smelt alright - I've always liked the smell of Tea Tree and Witch Hazel. 

But consistency-wise, it was kind of gloopier than I thought it would be. I thought 10ml would be enough for my face but it was far too much!  I put it on my face until I thought it was enough, but then I saw that there was still a little left in my jar, which I knew I couldn't have used for a full face again so I had to layer it on top of what was already on my face before it set. :/ I don't know how to describe it apart from 'It felt icky' LOL

It took AGES to dry and even when I thought it had fully dried (talking about after half an hour here) the edges of it hadn't dried and after peeling off what I could, I had to go and wash off the random patches of gloop off my face (for example the top of my cheeks, the edge of my forehead.. and just above one eyebrow :S).

My skin didn't feel particularly 'deep cleaned' either, which kind of sucked because my skin has been feeling a bit blargh for a long time now, and I was really hoping it would work - especially after reading all the positive reviews of it on the Boots website. 

You can get it in a tube for £2.99 (50ml) or in a sachet for 99p (10ml). Maybe I should have gotten it in a sachet - I think 10ml is too much for one application for this face mask, which was probably why it didn't dry as fast and completely as it should have! Or maybe I just have a small face? (O.o) I don't know. All I know is I won't be buying it again! have you tried this? ☺

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

Related Posts: Montagne Jeunesse Passion Peel Off Facemask, DIY Fruity Face Mask: Oily/Combination Skin, Natural Collection Rosemary & Witch Hazel Mask

April Favourites ♥

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH SPRING IS HEREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

*runs through a field Bollywood movie style, her scarf flying in the wind, violins playing in the background*

Erm.. okay so I'm not quite that happy LMAO, but you get what I mean XD Seriously though, I'm so glad the sun is out now. It has finally led me to putting some colour into my life. Let me show you where..

1. The Body Shop's Body, Room & Linen Spray in Pomegranate & Raspberry - Long time readers might recognise this from my 'Five Favourites Friday: The Body Shop' post I did last year. I've been using this a lot lately, because it reminds me of summer and I just want it to hurry up and get here already! It smells gorgeous and fruity and I still have not finished it. I swear I've had it for about two years? I've no idea how this hasn't finished, I use it soooooooo much!!

2. MAC Cremesheen lipstick in Fanfare* - I won this in a blog giveaway last year and it just ended up being left in the back of my drawer because autumn had already kicked in and it didn't seem like an autumn colour to me. But now I don't really care what season it is, I wear what I feel like. (^__^) So I've been pulling his out when I feel like I want to wear a lighter colour than my usual MLBB lipsticks.

[Left: - MAC Fanfare, right - Revlon Lipbutter in Wild Watermelon]

 3. Revlon Lipbutter in Wild Watermelon - Bought this a few weeks ago and have been loving it ever since! I was a little afraid of it at first, but this is seriously the most wearable red ever. Well, from the three I've ever worn LOL. But honestly, it gives a beautiful wash of colour. I tend to wear this when my face is looking a little dead.. it really brightens up my face!

4. Florals - mainly asian clothes, but I have been wearing some floral hijaabs too. I even bought a new one the other day! :) I like this one because it's long enough to wrap around my head twice to make it opaque so you can't see my hair underneath, but also is thin enough to keep me cool at the same time (^__^)

Gosh I've been colourful this month. It's like I'm a whole different person. I didn't realise the sun could have such an affect on me. (>.<) What have you been loving lately? (^__^)

Disclaimer: Everything was bought by me by with my own money, apart from the MAC lipstick as mentioned before in the post. :D