Abi O BeauBronz Shimmer Tan Boost #TFWOC

First product to be reviewed in the TFWOC project is the Abi O BeauBronz Shimmer Tan Boost, a light tanning product with plenty of golden shimmer. Containing just 2.5% DHA (active tanning ingredient) there won't be a dramatic difference in tone but just enough to give your skin a nice glow which is exactly what it did for me.

The pump made application a doddle and it blended easily into my skin leaving a lovely golden shimmer which sparkled in the light. The overall smell isn't the nicest (think raw potatoes) but it wasn't overly unpleasant. However it is noticeable which bothered me and I felt that it did linger afterwards. Containing rose hip oil, vitamin E and aloe vera I expected it to be more moisturising than it was but this wasn't too important for me. My skin stayed slightly tacky for a while after application but didn't transfer onto my clothing or anything.

Personally I thought the change in colour was very minimal and didn't show up on camera but I believe repeat applications would have had a better result. It states that this product is best suited for tanned black or brown skin but I don't think it would work very well on darker skin tones in terms of tanning. However for the shimmer factor alone it would be great!


I think this would be more suited to legs, arms and decolletage rather than all over your body, and especially on nights out unless you like to rock the shimmer everyday ;)

All Abi O products are free from parabens, contain natural and organic ingredients and are cruelty free. I have the trial size which is £8 for 50ml and the full size retails for £26 for 200ml. Both are available to buy online at BeauBronz.

My nightly skincare routine

I've always been more interested in makeup rather than skin care but over the past few months there have been a flurry of skin care posts by other bloggers and I decided it was time to up my game. To be honest I haven't always washed my face every night (the shame) and when I do, it's with a £4 face wash which doesn't cut it anymore, especially as I am now in my late 20s (!!). I've been trying my best to stick to this new routine instead of being lazy and just removing my eye makeup before jumping into bed.


I have a Clarisonic but I don't use it very often, preferring to use a flannel instead. I'm currently using this Avene gel cleanser which I apply to my dry face, massage in then remove with a hot flannel. Scrubbing with the flannel leaves my skin really clean and pink, you can really see the blood coming back into your face. It's not abrasive or painful in any way, just mild and very effective. It also really helped by unblocking my sinuses during the bad hay fever days. I can't recommend face flannel washing enough!

I usually follow up with this Trilogy gentle calming fluid which I received in a gift bag. As the name suggests it's typically used for soothing sensitive or irritated skin but can also be used as a light moisturiser. I hate using heavy face creams in summer because I can't stand having a sticky face! This fluid is almost serum like in consistency and adds enough moisture without being overbearing.

About twice a week I use this overnight intensive mask by Origins. I don't have very dehydrated skin but so many people have said how amazing this is and I wanted to see for myself. I had never used a leave on mask before and it felt a bit weird to apply it then not wash it off. It can be really easy to over apply which I managed to do a few times and you can really feel it on your face but it does work. Waking up in the morning my skin feels and looks plumper. It also smells lovely, like apricots!

I've also given myself a kick up the bum with eye cream. Day or night I always manage to forget. I had been using the Benefit one which was perfectly fine but I wanted to try something different. I couldn't decide between Origins Ginzing or Eye Doctor but eventually went for the latter as I felt my eyes needed more hydration. I don't think Eye Doctor helps reduce the appearance of dark shadows as it claims to do but it's very good at moisturing and soothing. No complaints so far.

So this is my nightly routine and whilst it's not the best out there it has been working well for me. I've also bought some other skin products but will be doing separate posts on those. What do you use in your routine and are there any must haves you can recommend?

A little trip to TK Maxx

As I finished work earlier than usual I decided to swing by TK Maxx, specifically on the look out for some SLS free shampoos. I had a Brazilian blow dry on Friday and have to switch shampoo as the sulphates in my normal shampoo will break down the keratin and it won't last for the 3 month it's supposed to. My hair is SO greasy right now and tomorrow is day 4 so I'm going to run home after work and gleefully jump into the shower. Lank greasy curtains begone!

My sister uses Naked shampoo which is SLS free but it made my hair really dry and I had read that Tigi have SLS free shampoos which are meant to be good. There were quite a few of those large pump bottles of Tigi superstar shampoo but I bought a normal sized tube of Some Like It Hot which is heat & humidity resistant as well as sulphate free. It smells nice and I hope it works well. The shampoo section had so many great buys. There was Frederic Fekkai Shea butter shampoo for £6.99, Bumble and Bumble Creme de coco shampoo for £9.99 and lots of mini sets of MOP for £4.99.

I also found some Essie sets! A cool pale blue, a creamy salmon pink and the only one with the label still attached, 'Jam N Jelly' an iridescent fuchsia. All for a bargain sum of £9.99. The makeup section wasn't too impressive but I found this Stila bronzer for £3.99.

It's rare to find things you like or that are unopened in TK Maxx but when you do, it's brilliant. Have you found anything good recently? Also can anyone recommend a SLS free conditioner? I didn't manage to find one today.

(CLOSED) Giveaway: Win a Barefoot skincare set

The Barefoot SOS range is perfect for winter, especially for those with dry, sensitive and irritable skin. This range is also free from petrochemicals including paraffin, parabens & SLS, artificial colours and fragrances, and animal ingredients.



I've got one skincare set to give away to a lucky reader :)

Daily Rich Body Lotion - 200ml £22
A silky smooth lotion containing Chickweed and Mallow extracts to cool and soothe, Shea Butter for protection against the elements, Argan and Macadamia oils to nourish and Orange Blossom and Lavender essential oils for a calming aroma

Soothing Face and Body Wash – 200ml £16
A gentle non-drying wash with Panthenol (Vitamin B5) and Allantoin to maintain skins moisture level, Evening Primrose and Jojoba oil to condition, Chickweed and Burdock extracts to cool and soothe and Geranium and Lemon Tea Tree essential oils to create an enlivening aroma.

To enter, please leave a comment below and don't forget to leave me your email address if you haven't got one on your profile. Closing date is the 29 December at 23.59 when I'll pick someone at random (UK only, sorry guys). Good luck xx

Hand Cream - my handbag essential

I hardly carry any makeup in my bag, just a black pencil liner but I ALWAYS make sure I have hand cream. For me, there's nothing worse than having dry crusty hands!

I wash my hands a lot more during my working week. I take the tube to work and have to hold onto rails with lots of sneezy/coughy people. I don't even want to think about what else could be on those rails. Also as I'm on the computer all day, I wash my hands everytime I eat and the handwash at work is very drying.

I have tried a lot of different hand creams but these are the ones I'm currently using:

Dr Organic Rose Otto Hand & Nail Cream - If you like the smell of rosewater then you'll love this one. It's a very rich but effective cream and is paraben/sls free. It has lots of natural ingredients such as rose flower oil, olive oil, geranium oil and clove oil which is why I suspect it's so moisturising. The tube is huge and you really only need a little blob of the thick cream. Any more and it would leave your hands feeling greasy. I even use this on my elbows as it's good for rough skin too. (£6.69 for 125ml).

L'Occitane Fleur Chérie Hand Cream - This cream on the other hand is the total opposite, very light and the consistency much thinner. If you suffer from very dry hands then I wouldn't say this is the best hand cream for you. Even though it contains shea butter and grape seed oil, it's not very moisturising and  I use this mostly during summer. It does however smell really nice - a light floral scent. Mine is the 30ml travel size which was free in a magazine but is otherwise £7. I prefer their shea butter version but I think I'll wait for another magazine promo to get one.

What is your favourite hand cream?

E.L.F Mineral Blush in Plum

"Create a subtle color definition to your cheeks that will add radiance and a glow, for a healthy look you can see. All our blushes are 100% mineral based with no parabens, no preservatives and no chemical dyes"

Although I have about 15 blushes, I couldn't resist adding this to my basket when I was buying some new brushes. There were only 7 colours to choose from so I opted for "Plum". I had recently swatched a Bobbi Brown shimmer blush in "Plum Wine" and fell in love but at £16.50 I talked myself out of it. I was hoping this E.L.F one might be a cheaper alternative.

It turned out to be nothing alike but I really like it. To be honest it's a bit of a faff applying it. You have to tap out the loose powder in the lid, swirl your brush in and apply - not something you can really do on the go. I wouldn't carry this in my makeup bag anyway. I just know it would come loose and end up everywhere!

Looks more pink than mauve but nevertheless a lovely and flattering colour.

Sorry my camera is pants, can't see much of the colour here but it's matte and you don't need to apply much. I find that it doesn't last long but maybe it's because I apply it straight onto my skin (no base)? At £3.50 for 3.4g, this is great value and next time I'm getting the shimmery "Peachy".

Have you tried any E.L.F mineral blushes?

Review: Dr Organic - Royal Jelly Night Cream

It is only recently that I've become more aware of the amount of chemicals in beauty products I use. This is down to one of my best friends who now only uses products that are 100% natural. She uses shea butter (which she buys in bulk), coconut/almond/olive oil, rosewater and even makes her own shampoo and shower gel! I'm not going to go that far just yet but I've started to think more about the ingredients in the products I buy and if there are more natural alternatives.

Whilst I'm aware of the brand, this is the first Dr Organics product I have used. SLS and paraben free, this is made from natural ingredients (see detailed list here). I was expecting the cream to be thin and watery but it's actually thick and performs like any other, just without all the chemicals. It also doesn't feel heavy or greasy. I especially like the swish glass container it comes in. It has a pleasant light scent - to me it smells like the inside of a flower (sorry, I'm terrible when it comes to describing scents).

This is what it says on the back of the box:

I can't comment on if it has made any difference to fine lines/wrinkles as I don't have any but what I can say is that it's rich and very moisturising. I apply this every night before bed and when I wake up my face feels soft and hydrated. In this harsh weather, I've also used this as my daily moisturiser.

I don't have senstive skin but if you do, and you are looking for a cream made from natural ingredients, I would reccommend this or any other in the range.

I'm happy with the results so far and would like to try more products from this brand. I think next on my list will be this Rose Otto hand and nail cream.

Don't forget you can win this night cream as part of a set in my Dr Organics giveaway!