Who's Going To Be Your Valentine?

Hey guys! So with Valentine's Day right around the corner, I thought it appropriate to write up a little Valentine's Day-themed post. From when I was a kid, up until now, I've always been sort of keen on Valentine's Day - Roses, chocolates, heart-shaped things, the colours pink and red. My mom, always acting as cupid for her two children that were never able to get any Valentines of their own (Tragic, I know..), always bought my brother and I a huge heart-shaped box of chocolates and an endearing card, so that when we came home from school, our days weren't completely 'ruined'. I also love that the day brings about the colours pink and red more frequently that other times of the year, as they are definitely the most flattering to wear (especially with makeup!). I've gathered together a couple of my favourite products that I will be using on Valentine's Day that won't break your bank if you choose to use them yourselves!

NYC Expert Last Lip Colour in #432 Red Rapture, £1.99

NYC Expert Last Lip Colour in #432 Red Rapture -  I've always been on the NYC cosmetics bandwagon since I was a teenager, and I love that they were introduced over here a little while ago. Their products are super cheap, but provide great results for what you pay for. I was always a fan of their kohl eyeliners and nail varnishes, but when I saw this in Superdrug the other day, I was very, very tempted. Application is super simple and smooth, with an almost-sheerer-than-you-would-expect gloss finish. The colour is super punchy, as well! The only con to this product is that if you plan on wearing it all day, you will have to re-apply it..Or use some Lipcote sealer on top, as I prefer! Either way, it's a sure-fire way to guarantee some extra confidence on V-Day.

Barry M Nail Paint in #150 Red Glitter, £2.99

Barry M Nail Paint in #150 Red Glitter - I love Barry M's nail varnishes, as they generally come in similar if not same colours as high-end brands such as Nails INC. and Essie, but for a fraction of the cost. I saw this particular varnish and knew that I needed it - Just to be sure, I tested a little dot of it (whoops!) out on one of my nails in the store - I know it may be difficult for stores to do, but they really should have more display testers! Especially with nail varnish..Anyway, this colour is great, because it's a very dense glitter polish. I applied it over another red polish just to add to the colour. Definitely a statement polish!

C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries Rose Salve, $5.50

C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries Rose Salve - I received this as part of a gift over Christmas when I went back to the States, and since then I use it almost every day! It's a great multi-purpose product for your lips, hands - Anything, really! I always use it on my lips in the morning and at night right before I go to bed. It has a lovely rose-y scent and a vaseline-textured balm.

The Body Shop White Musk Libertine Solid Perfume, £5

The Body Shop White Musk Libertine Solid Perfume - I discovered this upon being offered a Body Shop Membership. The product itself costs £5, but if you joined their annual membership club for £5, you would receive this for free - So I thought, why not? I'm always loving the products that stem from The Body Shop, so it's not like it would put me at a disadvantage. This scent is so lovely; If you love fruit-y, musk-y scents, then you'll love this. I only ever need a tiny bit, and it last throughout the entire day for me. I use it on my wrists, behind my ears, and sometimes my colarbone, as well. The scent comes in a spray perfume as well, but I prefer the solid perfume, as it seems to last longer than a spray perfume, and it has a sweet, shimmery finish when you apply it to your skin.

So there are some the products that I will be rocking this Valentine's Day. Do you have any favourite products that you will be using? What are your plans for Valentine's Day?

The Body Shop - Seaweed Clarifying Toner

Last week, I was wandering around St. Pancras station after visiting the Ainhoa pop-up spa for their collaborative event with Birchbox UK for their London-based subscribers (You can see that post here.) As I was about to leave the station, I happened to pass The Body Shop, and thought - 'Why not?' I've always been a huge fan and supporter of The Body Shop and their products, since all of their products are fair-trade and made with 100% raw, all-natural ingredients. I will admit that sometimes I do find some of their products a bit more than I'd be likely to spend, including their Body Butter range - However, on days that I can afford to splurge on myself, they're definitely on my top list! But I suppose that's for another post, another time..

I went into the shop and was very kindly greeted by their staff, which I find a normal occurrence with The Body Shop, and yet another reason why I think they're great. I wandered round to check out their deals, as well as any new products I'd not heard of yet. As I was perusing their skincare range, I happened across their Seaweed collection - A range of products, including a cleanser, a wash, toner, exfoliator, moisturizer, a day cream, a night treatment, a pore perfector and a clay mask, all made with their key ingredient of Bladderwrack Seaweed, originating from the South-West coast of Ireland. Bladderwrack Seaweed sounds strange, but it actually carries many benefits for the skin including but not limited to eliminating dryness, cleansing the skin of unwanted toxins, and helping to prevent wrinkles. As the sales assistant was helping me to decide my purchase, I knew that something from this product range was going home with me that day.

Seaweed Clarifying Toner; £3 for 30ml, £8 for 200ml

I chose the Seaweed Clarifying Toner because (guiltily, I admit) I haven't used a toner in quite some time, despite my extensive skincare range at home. I was told by the lovely woman who gave me my fabulous 15-minute facial at Ainhoa that I really should use a toner because of the benefits it produces to my skin. A toner is meant to be used after cleansing the skin to remove excess cleanser, dirt, or other products from the skin (in other words, to thoroughly cleanse it) as well as refine and close pores, especially around the T-zone area of the face. I took this into consideration while deciding my purchase from The Body Shop.

Seaweed Clarifying Toner; £3 for 30ml, £8 for 200ml

I chose the 30ml bottle to test the product throughout the week on my skin to see how it reacted - You can never be too wary about products! - But can happily exclaim that I will definitely be re-visiting The Body Shop to buy the 200ml bottle! The 30ml bottle only costs £3, and if you choose to purchase the 200ml bottle, it's only £5 more at £8 for the bottle! After about a week, I've only gone through less than a third (1/3) of the 30ml bottle, so if you buy the bigger one, it will last you a long while if used correctly!

Have you tried any products from The Body Shop's skincare range? What are your thoughts?