The Best Winter Hand Cream

Garnier 7 Day Intensive Restoring Hand Cream - Shea Butter - Currently £2.13 at Boots - 100ml

When it comes to hand creams I tend to choose high end brands like L'Occitane or Crabtree & Evelyn due to the light consistency, the dreamy smells and the fact that they sink in easily while still moisturising effectively so you can get on with your day. However now the weather has turned quite bitter they aren't cutting it anymore and I've been searching for something deeply moisturising that repairs and protects.

Recently my hands have been dry and the skin around my finger nails has been peeling and cracked. I've been using The Body Shop's Hemp Hand cream which is great for before bed as it is quite sticky and takes a while to sink but it doesn't last throughout the next day and the formula isn't great for day to day business.

In comes Garnier's Intensive 7 Days Restoring Hand Cream. I only picked this up after using a colleagues and being seriously impressed. A few years ago I enjoyed using the 7 Day Intensive Body lotions (review here) but never thought to try the high street for an intensive hand cream as I thought they just wouldn't be up to standard. I was so wrong though as this is literally the best intensive hand cream EVER and for such a good price too.

I chose the Shea Butter formula due to being suitable for dry and chapped hands, the scent of which is light and inoffensive. It is a relatively light formula which sinks in very easily and leaves your hands feeling soft, smooth and supple and instantly my hands looked soothed and more hydrated. The hydration even lasts through washing your hands so you don't need to keep on reapplying which is awesome. I've noticed such a difference to the appearance of my hands over just a few days, which says a lot as I was constantly reapplying some of my favourite high end creams and didn't notice any difference.

This is now a staple in my hand bag and on my desk and I urge you to try it if you are looking for something intensive that won't break the bank.

What is your favourite hand cream? xxx

Take 3: Highstreet Blushes

In the last few months I've built up my lipstick/lip product collection and so thought now was the time to turn my attention to blushes. I already had a few Benefit box powders and most of my blushers are various shades of pinks so I thought I would have a look around the highstreet to find some new shades from new brands to try and add some variety to my collection. These three are the ones I decided on: the first on the left is 'Peach Melba' by Natural Collection, then 'English Rose' by MUA and finally 'Head Over Heels' by Topshop.

'Peach Melba' by Natural Collection: Natural Collection are a great brand for trying out new colours and products to see if you like them before splashing out on something similar from a more expensive brand as all their make up products are £2 or under. This colour is a matte warm peach shade which looks great for natural make up days or if you are wearing heavier colours else where. It brings warmth to your complexion without looking 'done' and is easy to apply due to the finely milled, soft texture of the powder. The shade looks lovely built up or with just one stroke from your brush. It may not be the most glamorous of packaging but it is great for travel and I've been very impressed with this offering. I would definitely try some other blushes from the range and has been a great introduction to peachier shades.

'English Rose' by MUA: This was a bit more expensive at £2.50 but still amazingly cheap for a blusher! I hadn't tried much from MUA when I purchased this but had heard a lot of good things about the brand. I chose this colour as it is quite 'me' and had a mixture of pinks and peaches. The two squares of purple were a little daunting but once the product is swirled together you can't notice it. The reason for a mosaic of colours according to MUA is because different skin tones highlight different colours, so by swirling them together it will adapt to suit your specific skin tone and therefore suit everyone. The pigmentation wasn't fantastic once it is on your brush - the colour looks a lot deeper when swatched. However, it can be built up and it looks nice combined with a little of peach melba too. This particular blush has a little shimmer running through it so it eliminates the need for a separate highlight - this may not be to everyone's taste but I'm partial to a bit of sparkle, and it doesn't leave you looking like a glitter ball. The only problem I had with this is because the pan is so big I had to use a larger brush to save me picking up way too much product and a lot of fall out and therefore precision was a bit more difficult. I wasn't wowed by this product but it is a nice one to have in the collection.

'Head Over Heels' by Topshop: Out of all of the blushers mentioned this is the most expensive at £6. After picking up an extensive amount of lipsticks from their make up range I decided to have a go at the blushers. It is my first cream blush (it is cream to powder formulation) and I found it difficult to work with at the beginning. My stippling brush didn't give me enough colour as I would have liked as the colour in the pan is so bright it wasn't translating to my face at all. Instead I pat it on and rub it in with my fingers which gives a much nicer flush. As I said the colour is very bright but once blended in well it isn't as shocking and gives a nice wash of colour. I love the packaging as it has a little mirror and is very lightweight and I really like the colour too, I'm just not so sure about cream blushes. I think I'm going to have to play around with it a bit more and see what works best for me.

Have you tried any of these blushers? Would you recommend any other highstreet blushers? xxx