Spring Saviour - Soap & Glory Hand Care

Spring is finally upon us! There's so many great things about spring and right about now you will probably be planning for your spring clean, and a fresh start for the warmer weather.

It's the perfect opportunity to turn your bedroom upside down, clear out any unwanted goods and have a good old scrub to welcome in the new season.

We absolutely love cleaning (no really, we are a bit OCD), but we aren't a fan of how much it ruins our hands. Exposure to cleaning products can leave your hands feeling dry, flakey and in need of some good old TLC, and we have the perfect solution.

If like us, you moisturise your hands everyday, only to have them feeling dry again within a few hours then you need to purchase this! 

Endless Glove (£6.50) is the best hand mask that money can buy and works for up to 12 hours after application. Apply it before bed, and sleep with the gloves on, and you will  wake up with what feels like a new set of hands.

 However if you do not have this product do not fear, as the good old Soap & Glory Hand Food (£5.50) works just perfectly. Both the products are rich, and intense in the damage repair that they do to your hands. 

As for the gloves, Em got these in a Soap & Glory gift set for Christmas last year, and we cannot seem to find them for sale separately. This does not matter at all, as the type of gloves you need are available everywhere. M&S offer manicure gloves for just £4 here and they will do the job just perfectly. 

There really is nothing worse than having dry hands, so make sure you take some time to treat them this spring. A mask is the perfect solution for intensive repair, and the Soap & Glory products are definite winners in doing so. 

Time to stop moaning about those dry hands and give them a good pamper!

Spring Wishlist

The sun is shinning and the dark, cosy knits are starting to get pushed to the back of the wardrobe. In come the florals, pastels and the flowy tops ready for the warmer weather that is about to be upon us. 

We love Spring, but we do not love our budget (where there's a love, there's a moan!). With our bills due, and our loan rapidly running out, we've found ourselves lusting over some Spring essentials that we absolutely cannot afford (why we do it to yourselves, we will never know). 

River Island - Tote Bag (£50) 

There is nothing better than Spring neutrals. This bag is huge, is the perfect balance of two tones and contains black handles so that it goes with absolutely everything! Why oh why is it £50!? It's beautiful, and compliments the warm weather perfectly. We know there are far cheaper options available, but this one is such a staple, and would be timeless so come on it must be worth it? 

New Look - White Leather Ankle Strap (£34.99)

We both have never really got involved in the white shoe trend. We don't like the big clumpy white shoes that are in fashion, no idea why, we just can't see ourselves wearing them. These on the other hand are subtle, and sophisticated whilst successfully fitting the white trend. They are understated, and fit our style much better than many others on the market. Our only problem is how much we would ruin them. They are a nice idea, but who could keep these clean after one too many drinks!? 

Accessorize - Floral Burst Satin Vest Set (£24)

We are obsessed with PJs. Seriously we can't get our pyjama draws closed, and yet we still find ourselves buying more on a weekly basis. We've never really thought of ourselves as girlie girls, but our pyjama collection really does say otherwise. Kirst has an obsession with matching, and this set is perfect for that. It's satin, and floral making it perfect for a comfy (but pretty) sleep as the weather gets warmer. 

Cath Kidston - Cake Stand (£36) 

We admit we are bit old before our time. We couldn't even count the amount of time we've wasted walking around homeware stores dreaming of our future home. Spring is the absolute perfect time for baking, and while we don't really get round to doing much of it at uni we still like to lust over kitchenware. This cake stand from Cath Kidston is the perfect stand for Easter treats, and could easily brighten any home. 

Dune - Natallie Embellished Flat Sandals (£69)

We are definitely the type to buy sandals and chuck them out after the season is over. We usually spend £10-£20 and ruin them within a few weeks of wearing them. They are not really something we put a large amount of thought into, despite them being a Spring/Summer essential. These from Dune are gorgeous! The detail is summery, but isn't too much. Definitely couldn't ruin these and chuck them away for the price though! 

H&M Bikini Set (£21)

We are both obsessed with this style of bikini, and it was the only type we wore on holiday last year. It suits our body shape (by that we mean lack of boobs), and is versatile with the removable straps. We've had lots of H&M bikini's in the past and they fit well, and lasts from all the chlorine. The floral pattern makes it perfect for round the pool, and would look so so nice with a tan (oh if only we could afford a holiday!). 

Mac - Please Me Lipstick (£26)

Colder weather calls for the deep, dark lipstick shades but warmer weather calls for warmer colours. We do need to be more adventurous in our lipstick shades, as we tend to stick to safer colours, but this one just seems perfect for Spring. It's bright enough for your lips to stand out, but soft enough to compliment the bold florals you are likely to be wearing. 

New Look - Lilac Scallop Hem Cami (£12.99)

Sunshine means pastels. While this top is pretty plain (some might even go as far as boring), there's something about it being in lilac. It doesn't stand out at all, but at the same time is unique and pretty effective for such a simple top. Definitely something that should be in your wardrobe that could easily be paired with other pastels. 

Missguided - Lace Halterneck Drawstring Playsuit (£35)

We're not sure whether this item of clothing itself, or the desire to be able to pull something like this off is what we are wishing for here. The combination of white and floral pattern make this absolutely perfect for summer. It could be worn on so many occasions, and has that simple but stylish look. Something that you could throw on, and still look like you've made heaps of effort (the best kind of outfit!). 

O.P.I  Hawaiian Orchid (£11.50) 

In keeping with the neutral Spring theme this shade is definitely the one. It's a pastel but it's bright enough to stand out. Often when we buy pink nail varnish it looks lovely in the bottle, and then goes sort of 'see through' when it's applied. This one makes a statement, but is light enough for Spring and pairing with those bold statement tops. 

We know we're daydreamers, but if we had everything we wanted then what on earth would we have to moan about!? 

Budget vs High End - Who's The Winner?

As students we are always looking to swap expensive goods for cheaper versions that are just as good, if not better. Often we find winners, and end up saving some pennies (yay for one less thing to moan about), but other times we find ourselves feeling it necessary to splash an extra bit of cash.

We've rounded up some products to compare, to find out where budget buys are best, and when a bit of money is needed.

First up...

Johnson's Baby Shampoo (£3) Vs Wilko's Own Baby Shampoo (£1)

Using baby shampoo in itself is the cheaper option when cleaning Make Up brushes, but it can be made as cheap as £1. There is absolutely no difference between these products, but if you pay the brand you pay triple the price! 

Winner - Budget

Sleek Brow Kit (£8.50) Vs Benefit Brow Zings (£24.50)

Ok ok we know what the caption says, Benefit wins 'best selling' but is it really the best? Maybe if you have the money to spare but when you are watching the pennies it's not necessary. The Sleek kit comes with the same tools, and does exactly the same job for way under half the price!

Winner - Budget

Olay Essentials Complete Care Day Cream (£5) Vs Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser (£20) 

Now this one depends on how much your skin relies on being moisturised, but as much as we want to tell you to put your purse away Liz Earle really doesn't compare. If you've read our blog post () you'll know how much we adore this product, and through being users of both these products, while the budget will do, it doesn't live up to the big bucks. 

Winner - High End

Talcum Powder (99p) Vs Batiste Dry Shampoo (£2.99)

Talcum powder has been used as a cheaper alternative to greasy hair for years, to the point where many other brands (such as Lush) have offered dry shampoos based on the same texture. It works for getting rid of grease, but you really do have to be careful with going out looking like a witch with white hair. If like many of us the problem with not washing your hair is not just grease, but also flat, limp hair that won't be styled you might need something more. Yes it's triple the price, but Batiste works at eliminating grease, and giving your hair some extra oomph that usually only comes from a good wash. 

Winner - High End

Rimmel London Kate Lipstick (£5.99) Vs Mac Lipstick (£15.50) 

Mac lipsticks are the absolute in-trend in the beauty world, and have been for quite some time. Our problem? We are in-decisive and can't commit to spending £15 on a lipstick that we will probably change our mind on after a few uses. The Kate Moss collection eliminates this problem, and allows us to buy three shades for the price of one Mac colour. In terms of the lipstick themselves the quality of Mac's do not justify the price, so you really don't need to pay for the brand. A girl can never have too many lipsticks, so buy Rimmel and have more for less. 

Winner - Budget

Primark Heeled Chelsea Boot (£15) Vs River Island Heeled Chelsea Boot (£50) 

One thing to bare in mind when budget shopping is not which is nicer. Obviously if you gave us a choice we would pick the River Island boots, but a) are they worth the price? b) will the Primark ones do? And the answers are a) no b) yes. There's the assumption with Primark that the quality is not as good, but this is not true at all. We both have Primark boots that have lasted far longer than our pricier alternatives, and even if they don't last for £15 you cannot really complain. Price doesn't always equate to quality, and so often we forget this when we are shopping. 

Winner - Budget 

We wish we could tell you that budget products are always best, but then what would we have to moan about? It's a case of picking and choosing when products are worth the spend, and swallowing your pride when they are not. 

February Favourites

After the stress of January we were hoping for a nice quiet February (occasionally we are optimistic), but within the first week we knew this wasn't going to happen. We were set into an instant panic with assignment briefings and placement interviews, and as control freaks our minds instantly went into overdrive.

Although we could easily come up with plenty of moans regarding the month, we thought it might be slightly more enjoyable for you to read our favourites instead.

So...

Favourite Discovery:

Vimto is the best mixer! With all the stress we've needed a drink (or five) and after becoming completely bored of all other mixers we've discovered one that makes our drinks half bearable. 

Favourite Food: 

Even looking at this picture again we are dribbling. 7 Bone (in Bournemouth & Southampton) officially sells the best burgers on the South Coast. One beef, one chicken, chips, mac & cheese bites (seriously, deep fried cheese and pasta, does it get much better?) plus a side of mac & cheese (we may be petite, but boy can we eat). We didn't want the last mouthful to end, and have no doubts that this will be our go to place when the burger cravings strike. 

Favourite Quote: 

Our reasoning behind this is in our post It's OK To Never Feel At Home. Living in a house this year (halls doesn't count, it's basically a year long holiday) has made us think about what having a 'home' actually means, and why we don't feel like we have one. 

Favourite Film: 

Not only is this a February favourite, but one of the best films we've seen in a long time. We went to the cinema to see this and at the end of the film, every single person in the cinema was silent. A must watch!

Favourite Book: 

Dave Trott's 'Predatory Thinking' is great for getting your brain waves working and for a bit of inspiration, whether that be at uni, work or just home life. The book is described as 'a masterclass in out-thinking the competition' and inspires different ways of thinking. You can get it for just £2.35 on Amazon (plus postage) and is definitely worth a read!

Favourite Bake:

Caramac Cookies! Em has been obsessed with Caramacs since she was little (seriously she keeps them everywhere, her desk/cupboard/car/bag), so these are pretty much perfection. They are so easy to make, and probably the most sickly things you will ever eat (in a good way). You can find the recipe here.

Favourite Polish: 

Ok this isn't actually new to February so it's a favourite re-discovery. With Spring just around the corner it's ta-ta to the dark shades and hello to the fresh, bright neutrals. Essie Fiji is has a slight pink tone, creating a clean fresh look (perfect for the brighter weather). 

So there you go - Our 7 February favourites. Do you share any of these? Or have some of your own? Let us know!

An Honest Liz Earle Review

A few months ago Kirst started hogging the bathroom more than usual, standing at the sink for ages and running up our water bill with excessive use of the tap. Intrigued as to what she was up to twice a day I probed her, and realised that the culprit was the Liz Earle Cleanser. 

I'd seen the product before (and all the hype that comes with it), and with a glowing report from Kirst, the next time I went into Boots I couldn't help but be tempted. I had been looking to update my skincare routine for a while, and this just seemed like the perfect opportunity. 

I needed both a cleanser and toner, but somehow completely forgot about my student budget, and ended up purchasing the Daily Essentials Kit (£45.99). I got the normal/combination set, which is advised if you are unsure of your skin type. 

Despite the initial scare of the price of the whole set, when you add up each of the products individually (and the bonus of the exfoliator) the value is actually pretty good, and seems worth it for the amount you get. 

The first thing to note about the kit is that if you are lazy with your skincare routine, do not bother buying this. I am incredibly vigilant with cleansing and toning twice a day (no really, I can't count the amount of times I've woken up from a night out and my cleanser and toner have been on my bedside table with no memory of me using them), so the amount of steps didn't phase me at all. But I can't deny that it is effort, so consider this before you make such a pricey purchase. 

Included inside is two Muslin cloths (£4.50), Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (£14), Instant Boost Skin Tonic (£14.50), Skin Repair Moisturiser (£20) and the Gentle Faced Exfoliator (£11). 

First up, the Cleanser. One of the main reasons that I wanted a new cleanser was that my skin never really felt clean. I would take off my make-up with a wipe, then cleanse using L'oreal and a cotton pad, and would still wake up in the morning with make-up on my face. The Liz Earle cleanser completely eliminates this problem. It's gentle, but thorough and leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean, and refreshed. I apply the cleanser, leave it for a few minutes, place the cloth in hot water and rub it off, lay the cloth over my face and then rinse my skin with cold water (opening and closing the pores). 

I really do love this product, but there is a BUT. It seems to have given me spots. I'm not sure if my skin is doing that whole 'get worse before it gets better' routine, so i'll have to hold out, but after 2 weeks I'm definitely more spotty than before. 

In terms of the actual product, I love the Toner. Like the Cleanser it really does work at making your skin feel refreshed, and as though all the dirt on your skin has been removed. My only complaint is that I dislike the bottle. You twist the top and tip the solution onto a cotton pad, and then twist the lid back down to shut it. In theory this sounds fine, but I find that solution comes out when you close the lid, and it just always feels as though it is going to leak. Apart from that though, it's a great product.

Kirst has the toner that sprays and absolutely loves it, so I would recommend this as a more practical option. 

For me, this is the best product in the whole kit. I couldn't even begin to count the amount of moisturisers I have tried. None of them worked, and they either made my skin look greasy, or did not provide any moisture at all. This one is perfect. I absolutely love the smell (I couldn't tell you what it smells of, it just smells clean), and it's the perfect consistency to spread well, without using too much. My skin looks completely hydrated, and stays looking so throughout the whole day. 

I usually hate exfoliators. When I think of exfoliating I think of the Clearasil ones that I used to use when I was in the shower, with the big beads, gloopy texture and the dry feel that they would always create on my skin. Well rest assured the Liz Earle exfoliator is nothing like these products. It feels more like a cream than an exfoliator, with just a slight rough texture that acts as a gentle scrub to revitalise your skin. Applied in between the Cleanse and Toner (I use twice a week, although it says use when necessary) it creates an even smoother touch to the skin. 

Overall I do love this range. My skin feels cleaner than it ever has done before, and the dryness that winter has created really does seem to have been eliminated. While it does take time to complete the whole routine properly I actually do enjoy doing it (it feels nice to look after yourself), so for me it's not a problem. 

Would I recommend? Yes 

Is it worth the price? The moisturiser definitely is, but I think the other products could be slightly cheaper.

Does it live up to expectations? Hmm it does, but it's not as perfect as most bloggers make out (sorry, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't have some moans!). 

Emma x 

Best of Benefit - Our Top 5

Between us we probably own near to everything that Benefit sell (we really are useless at a student budget). With all the hype around the new Benefit releases we thought that it would be good to pick our top 5 that we couldn't live without.

First up is "that gal". At £22.50 this is pretty pricey for what it is, but once again we were tempted by a free sample, and once it ran out it just had to go on the Christmas list. This product is used in between moisturising and applying foundation, and acts as a prep for the skin. It is silky, spreads easily and helps give your skin a fresh looking flow. The bottle has a bottom that twists and the primer then appears on the top, and then you apply with your fingers. It is worth the money? Hmm this is debatable, while we absolutely love it, on a student budget it does seem a lot to pay despite it being better than any others we have previously used. 

When you're a student the late nights really do catch up on you, and no amount of RedBull seems to work on the tiredness of your under eyes. Ooh La Lift comes in at £17, and works as an instant eye lift. You simply apply three dots under the eye, smooth it into the skin and the whole area is instantly brightened. It can be used in the morning, and re-applied throughout the day as you get more tired. As far as eye-brightening products go this is definitely the best we have come across (lecturers have no idea we've been partying all night).

This choice was tricky as between us we own both Hervana and Hoopla. At £23 the price is standard for a Benefit bronzer/blusher making the decision between the two even harder. While Hoopla is highly rated in the blogger world Hervana just got the edge with it's mix of colours. Each of the shades compliment each other and give your cheek the perfect blush. 

Finding the right concealer must be one of the hardest parts about buying make up. We can't even begin to count how many we have been through before finding one that is perfect for both coverage, and colour. Benefit Boi ing (£16.50) fits the best of both, providing a decent coverage without looking cakey or as if the skin is obviously concealed. It works well when applied to areas of the face that should be highlighted, removing any unwanted shine or blemishes. 

With the new release of the Benefit Roller Lash we wanted to make sure an old favourite isn't forgotten. Coming in at £19.50 this Mascara is pricey, but we've lost count of how many we have gone through (it's that good). It separates the lashes perfectly, and creates a long lashes that provide a length that creates a false effect. The brush is firm, and easy to apply and the results last all throughout the day. It can also be easily built up depending on the reason for the use, making it a staple in all looks.