Review: The Body Shop | Almond Nail & Cuticle Oil |

The Body Shop // Almond Nail & Cuticle Oil // 1.8ml // £7

A couple of weeks ago The Body Shop had an amazing deal on O2 priority moments to purchase £40 worth of products for £20! Obviously I had to use this to my full advantage and considering I had a few things I wanted to try out I thought it was a good time to do it. Among my goodies I picked up this almond oil pen and I'm so glad I did.

I love to keep this in my handbag so it can be used on train journeys/in lectures/anywhere you like while on the go as it is small and has fuss free application. To use you screw the bottom to get the oil out and apply with a brush applicator, which is reminiscent of certain lip glosses or illuminating concealers  The brush is bendy enough to flex to the curve of your nail beds but sturdy so its mess free. I'm not the biggest fan of turn applicators as I always get the wrong amount of product out, but that is my own fault rather than a design problem. I would describe the product as more of a gel consistency than an oil and I find it really nourishing as well as gorgeously sweet smelling - it reminds me of the scent of Whipped Clean by Soap and Glory which I also really enjoy. As it is thicker than an oil it takes longer to sink in than my Burt's Bees Lemon Cuticle Cream but that isn't too much of an issue with me.

With a cocktail of various oils including sweet almond (the largest ingredient), olive, soybean, wheat and grape, this has really helped repair and maintain the moisture and softness of my cuticles and skin around my fingers. I also feel like this has contributed to strengthening my nails too. It also features a little stopper on the lid to push back your cuticles but I don't think its that great. If like me you suffer from dry peeling skin around the nail bed (nice) this is a definite must have to pop in your bag. I still love my Bur'ts Bees for home but I think product is more suited for out and about. It's also on offer at the moment too with 30% off so snap it up while you can :)! I'm really interested in trying out the rest of the Almond range now too.

Have you tried this before? What is your favourite nail care product? xxx

November Favourites

This post is quite late as we are nearly a week into December, however I had a few things I wanted to share this month that I've really enjoyed. These type of posts are one of my favourite to read, so wanted to pop my two cents up on the internet too.

Origins Drink Up Intensive: In a recent empties, I finished a sample of the normal Drink Up mask which I really enjoyed using. Considering my skin has been so dehydrated recently I decided to pick up a full size of the intensive version to give me that extra boost. It's worked wonders, smells divine and a little goes a long way. I'll be sure to post a proper review soon.

The Body Shop Spiced Pumpkin shower gel: I picked this up on a whim when I walked past the shop and saw they were having a sale. I bought this for half price at £2 along with 'Fuzzy peach' and am really enjoying using it. It's not the usual kind of shower gel I would go for as it isn't moisturising but the sweet yet spicy scent is perfect for this time of year.

Boots Botanics Rosewater Toning Spritz: After finishing up my Lush toner I wanted to try something new as I wasn't completely wowed by it. I picked this up after seeing a recommendation of it (can't remember which blogger, sorry!) and am so pleased I did. It has a strong rose scent which I enjoy and anything with rose water seems to agree with and aid my skin. I also really like the nozzle on it as it delivers a fine mist, which the Lush toner didn't. A full review of this is to come.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish: I know I've already waxed lyrical about this, but after finishing my bottle of it I tried out a new cleanser as I like to keep my options open. However I missed this, picked up another bottle and fell in love again. I think I will always have to have this in stock as it is definitely a holy grail item for me. It takes off makeup with ease, smoothes and softens my skin and has really helped with my dehydration issues too. Read my full review here.

MAC MSF in Lightscapade: A full review was recently put up on this product here, but I couldn't not mention it in my favourites. I've used it pretty much every day and think it is just so pretty both in the pan and on my face! It is finely milled, easily blended and very buildable - you can use it for a subtle shimmer or layer it on for more definition. It's so lovely and perfect for any occasion.

Tea variations: I've always loved a good cup of tea but recently I've branched into new flavours. I'm particularly enjoying Earl Grey at the moment (from Aldi) along with cinnamon tea (Holland and Barrat) with half a teaspoon of honey, which is great for this time of year. The latter choice was influenced by Sammi :)

Essie Carry On: Featured on a recent NOTD, this is a perfect shade for autumn/winter. It goes with loads of outfits, and complements the berry tones I've been enjoying wearing on my lips. I don't own anything else like it and think its a great addition to my nail varnish collection.

OPI 'I Lily Love You' (R) and 'Be A Dahlia Won't You' (L): Firstly, how cute are the names of OPI polishes?! I received this last christmas as a gift from my sister in a set of 3 and they are just so me. If I was a nail polish I would definitley be a combination of the two. They are beautiful on their own but this month I've been loving layering the glitter over the top of the hot pink as they really compliment each other. I'm sure there will be a NOTD post dedicated to them soon.

Do you like any of these products? What were in your favourites for November? xxx

Added Extras #1

(Sorry for the not so great picture!)

Since coming home for reading week I've come down with a nasty cold which I've been trying to keep at bay for weeks and just feel generally rubbish. I think the stress of third year is getting to me so I've been trying to chill out as much as possible. One of the best things about being at home is having my own bathroom and having a bath every evening, especially as the weather gets colder. Therefore, I've been taking the time to use this to my full advantage and treat myself a little to make me feel better. These products are something that I don't use every day and are therefore little 'added extras' when I want a bit of a pamper. 

I bought a few lush bath bits before coming back to treat myself and I've been enjoying using the Sunnyside bubble bar to make my bath time a bit more special and luxurious. At the moment the weather and my illness has made my skin look pretty crap - dull and dehydrated with a few blemishes to top it all off (you can tell I'm the picture of health...) so I've been adding some masks into my nighttime skin care routine to combat some of these problems. I began with the fab pore by Soap and Glory to give a deep clean and help reduce my pores, but the jury is still out on this one and I'm not sure if it lives up to my Origins Clear Improvements. I followed this up with Origins Out of Trouble mask which is great for calming down blemishes and leaves my skin lovely and smooth. I've run out of my Drink Up sample though to complete this 'triple threat facial' so will be purchasing this asap to rectify the dehydration issue. For my body I used my favourite scrub of the moment which is Soap and Glory's Flake Away which smells amazing and leaves my skin nourished and radiant.

Once out of the tub I completed my skin care routine and added my serum of choice - Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair into the mix. I received this as an extremely generous surprise present from Matt and boy am I glad! It evens out my skintone and injects radiance and moisture back into my skin. I then slathered on some of the Body Shop's Peppermint Cooling Foot Lotion before popping on some socks to put some moisture back into my feet. For the last step my nails got treated to O.P.I's 'Play The Peonies' with a layer of 'Disco Heaven' by Model's Own to inject a little winter sparkle.

What are your added extras for autumn? Do you have any product suggestions for dehydrated skin? xxx