My Monstera Deliciosa

Where it all began...

I own a small but ever-growing collection of houseplants but the plant I keep coming back to is the Monstera Deliciosa (sometimes knows as the Swiss Cheese Plant). It was the first plant I ever purchased, from Plantology in Sheffield and I was hooked as soon as I clapped eyes on its glossy green heart-shaped foliage! At the time, my Monstera was just a baby and I have recently just watched my first split-leaf unfurl which made me so happy. I can’t tell you excited and proud I was that I, who had previously managed to kill every other plant I had ever tried to raise, now had a flourishing tribe of house plants!

First Split-Leaf

There’s just something classic about this plant and the way it feels like it brings a bit of the jungle into the room. It’s so easy to care for too, although I probably mollycoddle mine a little more than it needs as I just enjoy keeping my eye on it and will happily spend a Saturday night cleaning down its leaves.

I love misting this plant first thing in the morning; it soothes my soul and I could do it all day. In a nutshell, I just love the joy that looking after my Monstera gives me and I think it’s a two way thing; I feel like it looks after me too. I would definitely recommend buying a houseplant to literally anyone, they fill our homes with lovely clean air and provides some much-needed green space for us to relax in and watch out plant-fam grow.

I am hoping to try and propagate a cutting from an older Monstera I own as I am fascinated by watching new roots form and I hope to be able to share this lovely plant with a close friend in the near future…wish me luck!

Rosie for Autograph Make-Up Review: Camisole Blush & Dolly Baby Lipsticks

For some bizarre reason, I have browsed the M&S beauty hall more than once since the Rose For Autograph makeup range came out and walked straight past. I'll admit that I am a beauty snob and I'm somewhat stuck in my (comfortable) rut when it comes to buying new makeup. I know what I like and the brands that deliver everything I need. I would have never really been that interested in the usual Autograph makeup so I just walked past, casting a second glance albeit at the pretty rose gold packaging but thinking 'nah' all the while.

From left: Camisole Blush & Dolly Baby Lipsticks £14 each

Around two weeks later I was shopping with a friend who covets cruelty free beauty and we found ourselves swatching the line of lipsticks from Rosie For Autograph and that's when I knew I had to own one... I didn't buy there and then, I went home and read some reviews and decided I would treat myself at the weekend.

I went in hoping to get hold of Lady Danger, the shade that RHW herself supposedly favours from the range but, alas, it was sold out alongside a few other key pieces such as the contouring sticks and cream blushes. I went for Camisole Blush which is a lovely muted nude, a kind of my lips but better shade and Dolly Baby which is a pretty playful pink. One of the best things about these lipsticks for me is the amazing magnetic snap-shut lid! I could play with it for hours :-) These lipsticks are advertised as "a hydrating, nourishing lipstick with a super-soft feel" and I can honestly say it ticks the box! I won't be so dismissive again... For £14 they aren't exactly cheap, on a par with MAC in price but definitely worth every penny.

Have any of you tried anything from this range yet? I'd love to hear what you think or recommend for me next :-)

Review: Charlotte Tilbury - Goddess Skin Clay Mask

The latest new product from sought after Celebrity makeup artist, Charlotte Tilbury, is an addition to her skincare range; Goddess skin. A wonderful clay mask like no other which, no surprise, aims to give you goddess like, baby soft skin.

Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Skin Clay Mask £45.00

 The first thing I have to mention about this mask is the scent! It has Frangipani extract in the ingredients and oh my word, the scent is heavenly.
For me, it is the main reason I love this mask so much, the fragrance just lifts me and makes me feel so utterly relaxed and blessed out whilst I wait for the spanish clay to work its wonders on my skin. It's little things like this that make the whole at home pamper evening feel that much more enjoyable and spa-like.
My skin seemed to drink this mask up and felt visibly plumped and soft to touch after the first application. There was no tightness which is usually associated with clay masks... nice one, Charlotte! I hate using astringent formulas since my mid twenties. I no longer feel the need to rid my skin of every last bit of moisture in order to feel cleansed. Clean, balanced and nourished skin is all I crave these days. The other pleasant thing about this mask is how easily it glides on, it is really pliable. Thought it does dry rather quickly so use a generous amount if you're wanting to message your skin for extra skin glowing POW! You can head over to Charlotte Tilbury's site and watch her technique - i'd really recommend this if you have time.

At £45.00 a pop it isn't the cheapest of masks and with lots of clay masks lining shop shelves ranging from 99p upwards it might seem hard to justify. It really is a luxe skincare product and although it didn't completely blow me away, I don't think you can find a similar mask that smells and feels so yummy on the skin. The only reason I say it didn't blow me away is that it only does a few things such as no tightness and amazing scent that other clay masks don't seem to have but i'm sure there are some very good alternatives for much cheaper if you look hard enough. The Montagne Jeaunesse single packs are 99p and smell yummy and some are super moisturising so in that sense, you can have the same but there's something just so luxurious and high end about Goddess Skin.

Review: Bioderma Micelle Solution - Sensibio, Hydrabio and Sebium H20

The easiest and most gentle way to cleanse your skin... Look no further than Bioderma's Micelle Solutions. I first tried this around a year or more ago when French pharmacy products started to gain hype and i've never looked back. Sure i've dabbled with one or two other brands just out of interest but none have managed to steal the shelf space of Bioderma's cleansing waters.

There's a bottle for every skin type:-

Sensibio - Normal to dry

Hydrabio - Dry 

Sebium H20 = Oily/Combination

I first tried the Sensibio (formerly Crealine) which is the most popular and aimed at 'normal' skin types if there ever is such a thing. I think this one is definitely the best of the three variations - it suits ALL skins, not just normal I find. Mine is combination so if you're worried about this one being too oily or heavy, I can guarantee that it won't be. There is no residue left and my skin is left totally balanced after cleansing using a cotton pad. It erases makeup with ridiculous ease whereas the others seem to take a little more time and need working into the skin a lot more to dislodge. This is particularly true of the Hydrabio one I've found... It doesn't get rid of eye makeup very well at all.

I would recommend the Sebium H20 bottle if you have severe problems with oiliness and acne maybe, as it is a little more astringent than the other two bottles but the thing about cleansing waters is how normal and balanced the skin feels after cleansing, no tightness etc.

I absolutely love to take the 100ml bottles (far right) on trips and holidays, they are fab to take on planes (always remove drying makeup in flights ladies!) and just small enough to carry around in your gym bag etc.

They are so reasonably priced and Escentual.com do regular 1/3 off French Pharmacy products which make them absolutely bargainous. I definitely stock up, i don't think anything will ever replace this nifty little cleanser.

Prices

100ml - £4.80

250ml - £10.20

Review: La Roche Posay Serozinc

I cannot get enough of French Pharmacy products...

Let me try and explain why. When I think of French women, I think of bright, glowing skin, free of imperfections. Simple and fuss free; their products don't have a list full of weird and wonderful ingredients.

So you can imagine my excitement when I heard that La Roche Posay's Serozinc was hitting shelves in the UK! After what feels like years of hearing rave reviews about this product, I was finally going to get to test it out for myself. And it couldn't have come at a better time... My skin has been awful since just before Christmas really.

Serozinc is a toner and one of the main ingredient is zinc sulphate as the name suggests, which has been shown to be very healing and restorative when applied to blemish prone skin. This alongside spring water and sodium chloride provides a cooling and refreshing effect post cleansing.

I've been using the toner since it arrived about 2 weeks ago now - I preordered from Escentual.com. I cannot reccomend this product enough, I swear. It is absolutely perfect for oily/blemish prone skin! Once applied and dried, my skin was left feeling cooled, toned and mattified. I was dubious about it being able to mattify the skin but it really does a good job of keeping shine at bay. I'm not saying i don't have to use powder or blot later in the day but I stay shine free for longer. My skin just felt so soothed like no other toner has managed to do before.

The only downsides I can think of which are negliable for how good the product actually is anyway is that the toner comes in a aerosol can so perhaps this can make dispensing the toner a little hard to control at times and you use too much. It does seem to run out quickly from what i've heard but mine still feels pretty full at the minute.

I have tried soaking a cotton pad and using this in the 'nomal' way I usually use toners but i think i prefer the feeling of the mist hitting my face. But it is all down to preference at the end of the day.

I would say this product is a must have for your beauty cupboard in 2015 and is worth of its cult status!

Review: Wild Medicines Facial Steamers: Oily/Teenage Skin and Face Oil with organic Rosehip, Evening Primrose, Patchouli and Neroli

Wild Medicines Helping Me Get Happy Skin Again...

When I was younger, my mum used to have a facial steamer and would pop in a few drops of essential oils to the hot water and let the vapours from the steam work wonders on her skin. I was too young to be interested in doing the same at the time but i always loved the scent that would waft around the room whilst she was doing this.
My skin has been feeling very irritated and congested for the last few months, i've noticed a lot more breakouts and felt my skin looked bumpy since the holiday definitely but I put this down the sun lotion I was using and thought it would clear up in time. Nothing has really changed so I thought about what I could do or change in my daily skincare routine to make my skin happy again - it just suddenly occurred to me that i should try steaming my face. I googled a few things and was looking for facial steaming bags when I came across Wild Medicines; a must have brand for any green beauty lover!
Wild Medicines was created by the lovely Louise Bowery who believes we can both sooth our skin and our minds by using and listening to nature, which is all around us. We all have a fragrance that when we smell it, it has the power to move us and alter our moods... I absolutely love the scent of jasmine for its uplifting properties and woody scents such as patchouli to calm my mind. Her powerful and potent products are paraben & cruelty free and never test on animals.

I have been using the Facial Steamers (£4 for 4 bags) designed for oily/teenage skin as I wanted to feel like my skin was being purified and decongested of any toxins and grime from every day life. They aim to do just this and leave you with healthy glowing skin afterwards which  can safely vouch for! I popped a bag in a bowl of hot water (you don't need a fancy steaming facial kit to use these like my mum had) and put a small towel over my head and breathed in the vapours whilst they got to work on my skin for around 5 minutes. I'm not a massive fan of steam rooms and find it hard to breathe so i don't tend to use for longer than 5 minutes and pop out for air but you can use for 5-10 minutes quite happily if you wanted to. My skin felt fresh as a daisy and totally rebalanced and i felt like i'd had a mini spa session minus the price tag! I think another positive of using steaming in your skincare routine every now and then is that your skin is primed for any skincare that you use afterwards - especially face masks or serums/oils as your pores are open and more receptive to lotions and potions. The bags come in a handily little tin to keep them fresh and can be easily stored in your vanity cupboard. 

I have only just started using the Neroli Facial Oil (£16 for 30ml) but even though I have oily skin, i'm finding it a real pleasure to use. I've not had any breakouts and don't find it heavy, plus the scent it divine. I try to steam once a week and choose to use a facial oil every other night or so. I'm not sure why, I just don't feel the need to use it every night, but i love using oils like this one when my skin needs a serious hit of moisture.

If you want to try these products for yourself or find out more, visit Wild Medicines or why not tweet Louise on Twitter who will be happy to advise! 

Indeed Labs: Hydraluron Moisture Jelly Review

When I first read about this moisturiser from Indeed Labs; a brand available exclusivey at Boots, I was 100% sure it would be the perfect moisturiser for me. I hate heavy and stickly formulations and the novelty of this product is that it's of a jelly consitency that soaks straight into the skin without leaving any oily residue.

I can safely say that this product despite the blogger hype has been nothing of a complete disapointment to me. It is so exceptionally light that my skin barely feels any kind of moisture hit at all. I use one full pump and it feels like a generous amount of product is applied to my face but afterwards I feel nothing. there's no comfort forthat just cleansed tightness and no softness at all. It feels quite tacky for the first 10-15 minutes too - a bit sticky.

I also dislike the pump - it's very hard, i'd say impossible to control how much you dispense. If you're like me and you don't need a full pump to cover your face it just feels like you're wasting what is already a very small tub (30ml). It's supposed to be more hygenic but I find that once i have pumped the jelly out and go to slide it off it just leaves mess as there is always a slight residue that is left behind but over a bigger surface area than most traditional moisturisers which usually just get it round the nozzle. In that sense it doesn't feel any cleaner to me, not dirty but just a bit of a gimmick really.

The only thing i'd say it has got going for it is the packaging - it looks very clinical and nice on they eye at the same time. I'd say it is definitely only suited to teenage skin that doesn't need any excess moisture as it is very light and feels like it won't aggravate problem/acne prone skin. I really would not reccomend to anyone else as I am THE biggest fan of light moisturisers but this just feels like a waste of time and money. Priced at £24.99 for 30ml i'd also say it isn't exactly cheap for a relatively small/unknown brand, thought Boots often have 1/3 off offers.

One of the rare posts where I don't have anything positive to say i'm afraid.