Scene Anime

Those of you who have seen a few of my outfit posts will have noticed I have a tattoo on my foot.  In actual fact, I have three, I got my third just last month! 

Its a Snooks family tradition that on my Grandma’s (<3) death day (20th April) we get something significant done to our bodies – one year my Mum got a tattoo, the next both of my parents got a belly piercing etc.  For a while now I’ve been wanting another tattoo (they are extremely addictive) and I convinced both of my parents to have them with me (I have THE best/coolest rents ever, huh!). 

I knew that I wanted lyrics, Morrissey/The Smiths lyrics to be precise so it was just a case of choosing the actual lyrics, the font and deciding on placement.  I decided on song words from The Smiths ‘Handsome Devil’.  I absolutely ADORE Morrissey and The Smiths – I was brought up listening to their songs and going to see Moz in concert and his songs rubbed off on me!  I love the quote I chose, its completely ‘me’.  In terms of placement, I knew that I wanted it either on my side or back, and I chose to justify the quote to the right and have it on my right side.  Here’s a photograph.

I absolutely adore it.  My tattoo artist did such a good job writing very gently – I didn’t want it to be too big, I wanted it quite dainty and he managed it (although he said afterwards that it was like writing on a grain of rice!).

And my other tattoo’s -

This was my first tattoo.  I got it on my 18th birthday as a present from my parents and its on my foot.  I love having a foot tattoo, especially when I wear heels.  One line above does need touching up but apart from that its perfect!

This was my second and its on my hip and travels down towards my lady parts (sorry about the bikini shot – I realised I don’t have ANY pictures of the placement of it apart from this cringy photograph.  Its just to give you an idea of where it is)!  They’re roses and not many people know I have this tattoo, its kind of a secret thing.  I didn’t want any colour in this, or in any of my other tattoo’s, I’d prefer them to have a similar look/theme and I want them to look gentle and feminine, not too loud.  I had this tattoo and the one above done by the same man, Ivan, at my local tattoo studio – I absolutely adore his style of tattooing and how detailed they both are, but unfortunately he left last year and so I got another guy who I like and trust in the same studio to do my most recent.  If I ever do decide to get another then I’d definitely go back to him.  (In the coloured photograph above it looks kinda blue, but its actually black!)

AFTERCARE

For the first two weeks after having your tattoo done, your supposed to wash it gently with a damp cloth and apply a moisturizer straight after, about 2-3 times a day.  I’m very obsessive about this and make sure its always moisturized – it will heal quicker this way and won’t be too itchy when it comes to scab off, and it won’t peel too much.

Bepanthen – this is actually a nappy rash cream but it works incredibly for using for the first week after you’ve had it done.  Its super soft and the formula is thick, creamy and moisturizing.  It doesn’t have a scent but because its white and thick it may transfer onto some of your clothes – this isn’t a problem, you can always wipe it off.

Tattoo Goo – This is probably a bit of a con because its really similar to Vaseline or any other moisturizing jelly, but it contains olive oil, wheat germ oil, cocoa butter, lavender oil, beeswax etc – all great natural ingredients to help repair and moisturize the skin.  This is good because its clear it doesn’t transfer onto clothes.

E45/Aqueous Cream – everyone has probably used this before once in their life and you can use the little tubes of it on your tattoo, preferably in the second week, after a first week of using something more thick and intense.  Good to carry around on you for dry patches, etc anyway.

In the second week after having the tattoo, my artist recommended using any kind of moisturizer that you know you don’t react you or have any problems with – for me this would be any of The Body Shop’s Body Butters (Cocoa Butter pictured above), Vaseline’s Coca Butter moisturizing oil, Korres Quince Body Butter etc. 

Your tattoo should heal pretty quickly if you keep it moisturized.  Mine healed super quick (because the writing was so gentle I think), it took just over a week and a half.

So that’s a quick over view of my tattoos and my tips and products to encourage it heals nicely!

Do you have any tattoos? What did you use to heal them?

XXX

I have a secret – not a great one but one which only my close friends know.  I can’t use shower gel, with the exception of one (Femfresh).  This is because I am SUPER super sensitive and react to EVERYTHING.  I can’t use bubble bath either and so bath time is normally very boring for me.  Femfresh is a great product, very gentle on my skin and lady parts and I don’t react at all, but its hardly an exciting product or one to shout about, is it!

Well – recently I was introduced to Ahava Shower gel’s.  For the past two months I’ve actually been using a shower gel (HOOOOOORAAAAYY!).   This is so exciting for me, girls!  I can’t believe I’ve actually found a product that I don’t react to. 

I’ve been using the Mineral Botanic Velvet Cream Wash in Honeysuckle and Lavender which is recommended for sensitive skin (the brand also make shower gels for normal to dry skin).  The formula of this shower gel is amazing – it really is like a velvet liquid and it almost has a silky look to it in your hands and it leaves my skin SO soft.  I know its sad but I actually look forward to having a shower because of this product. 

One of the best things about this shower gel is that it is SLS and paraben free and allergy tested which is probably why I don’t react to it.  Because it is SLS free it doesn’t foam up, instead it literally glides on the skin like a creamy velvet.  There are six other shower gels in the range and they all vary to suit your skin type, whether its normal, dry or sensitive.  I love that this brand are suitable and cater for all skin types.

 

You can purchase it online here and you get a massive 500ml for £15.  Which is going to last me ages as you don’t need to use much.  My Mum and Sister have also been using this (they both have sensitive skin too) and they moaned and complained when I took it back to my flat with me, ha!

Have you ever tried Ahava products? What’s your favourite shower gel for sensitive skin? X

So you girls probably now know that I’m as pale as casper and I love it.  BUT, that doesn’t stop me wanting to look naturally bronzed and golden every now and again.  I have steered clear of all tanning products since my last tan review (which you can read here), which bought me up in terrible eczema after.  However I decided to take the leap and try out a few fake tan products from the Beau Bronz range.

One of the main reasons I decided to try this range was because of their great company values and the fact that the gradual tans are free from parabens, harsh chemicals and alcohol, and each solution is 95% natural – which sounds perfect for sensitive skin like mine!

I’ve been using a starter pack which includes a hydrating spray exfoliator, and three tanning solutions; 1 for everyday use (also can be used as an after sun), 4 Medium for a natural glow and 8 for a golden bronzed look.  I’ll show you through each step and then reveal the results!

STEP 1

Use the ‘Exfoliese’ on bare skin!  The spray is made from natural fruit acids and aloe vera and hydrates the skin as well as removing dead particles leaving you ready for tanning.  I was nervous about this making my skin irritated and itchy but it was fine – much less hassle than a normal messy body scrub (TBS Raspberry Scrub, I’m looking at you!).  I sprayed this on my legs and arms and removed it with a towel in circular motions to help scrub.  This smells really nice, natural and fruity.

STEP 2

 

I applied the number 4 ‘Advanced Medium’ gradual tan all over my legs with a little mitt.  Again, it smells really nice, not at all like that weird mushroom smell you get with other fake tans.  On the beaubronz website it says this is perfect for English Rose complexions, which is great for me.  One little niggle I had about this was that once you’ve rubbed it in, you can’t see where you’ve already put it, which is difficult for someone forgetful and clumsy like me, but I thankfully managed to apply it evenly.

STEP 3

I then applied number 1 all over my arms and on my ankles and wrists.  I was told that you can fade #4 out into #1 to give a more natural tanned appearance.  Again, I couldn’t tell where I was putting it, but it didn’t take long to cover the whole surface area.  You can also apply #1 daily to keep your tan topped up.

RESULTS

So, after those three simple steps, all I had to do was wait for my tan to appear.  Here are the before and after pictures!

^ The palest part of my arm compared to my new tanned legs!

WHAT I THINK

I LOVE the results!!  I was expecting to go a nice shade of tangerine but instead I feel like my legs looked naturally glowing.  It doesn’t look orange in the slightest in real life and I’m very happy that I now know that I can use a product to make me look naturally tanned.  The smell doesn’t linger on the skin much after application and didn’t transfer onto my white sheets which was good.  And I’m most happy to say that my skin didn’t react at all to this tan - It didn’t irritate my eczema at all which I’m over the moon about.

So if any one has sensitive, irritable skin then give this a try, I’d definitely recommend it. When I run out of my travel sizes I’ll  def be purchasing a big #4 to see me through this summer!  If you wanted a darker tan – then I’d recommend #8 which is a darker more intense tan shade.  I love how Beau Bronz accommodates for all skin types and colours – something quite rare in beauty companies!  Each full size product retails at about £23, which is cheaper than St Tropez and around the same price as Xen Tan I believe, so I think its quite affordable.  Thumbs up from me!

Have you tried Beau Bronz?  Which fake tan products do you use? XX

Please note I was given these samples for free but all opinions are honest and respectable

A short but sweet post!  I don’t go shopping often but I’ve been a few times over the past few weeks, naughty!  Anyway, I’m a rubbish sale shopper so when I see a bargain I snap it up sharpish.  Here are a few things that I’ve picked up in the Christmas sales!

The Body Shop

Spiced Vanilla Body Scrub – Never tried this before but its a cream exfoliator and the scent isn’t too overpowering, so it’ll be good for my dry, sensitive skin.  £6 down from £12.50

Cranberry Shimmer Lotion I LOVE THE CRANBERRY RANGE.  I’ve worked at TBS as a sales consultant for over four years now, and every Christmas they bring this range out and that's when it really feels festive.  Its a nostalgic scent for me, and its stunning.  I’ve been through a few of these shimmer lotions and stocked up until next winter! £3 down from £6

Cranberry Hand Lotion I already have about four of these, they are the perfect size to carry around in my bag and smell delicious, so I bought another few to last me! £1 down for £3

Cranberry Home Oil Fragrance My ultimate favourite home fragrance scent, gotta stock up on these (I’m such a hoarder, huh!  Its really terrible). £1 down from £3.50

Winter Trend Gold Glitter A gorgeous gold glitter that you can wear on your face, eyelids, hair and body, very festive and pretty for dressing up with. £3 down from £8

Brazil Nut Body Butter My favourite body butter, until it was disappointingly discontinued last year. ugh.  But I stocked up on these too, don’t you worry!  Smells amazing, very moisturizing. £6 down from £12

Brazil Nut Body Scrub Again, a creamy exfoliator, in my favourite TBS scent. £6 down from £12

GOSH

I haven’t been in Superdrug for ages, mainly because I can get the same things in Boots and use my advantage card, but I peeped in to have a look at the Sleek and GOSH range and saw this set!

I have no idea how much it was before, or if it was even in the sale, but it was such a bargain I had to get it.  £4.99

Includes Black Ink Velvet Touch Eyeliner (my staple kohl pencil), Lip Jam and a Green Eye Quad. I use the kohl eyeliner religiously, which is around £5 by itself, so I definitely saved here and got two more bits as well.  I love the colour of the lip jam and the green quad looks gorgeous, will try these out soon and let you know what I think.

Did you pick up any beauty products in the sales?  What's your favourite festive scent?

XX

I have a proper thing for multi-use products, weird as it sounds.  I just love products that can be used for more than one purpose, I feel like I’m getting my moneys worth and I like experimenting with how I can use what I’ve got… I’ll write a little on what I like about each product and will bullet point the ways that I use it -

 

L-R Sudocrem, TBS Vit E Facial Oil, TBS Monoi Miracle Oil, TBS Pomegranate & Raspberry spray, Peppermint essential oil, MAC Vanilla Pigment, MAC Bare study Paint pot

SudoCrem – I’ve grown up with Sudocrem and I use it for practically everything.

• Spots - This is pretty great for pimples, just slap it on to the spot and leave it on overnight and it should look a lot better in the morning
• Burns - Oh my gosh, I am the most accident prone person ever in the kitchen at burn my hands at least 5 times a year (the last time was yesterday grilling bacon!).  I have found that this is a little miracle worker on small burns.  If you cover the burn in Sudocrem straight away, it really takes the sting and pain away.
• Eczema – I don’t use this much for eczema because its quite messy and my whole arms and legs are eczema prone so I’d look like a ghost covered in it.  But a little bit on small patches of eczema helps.

The only downside to Sudocrem is how much it kills when you accidentally get it in your eye, which I manage to do every time I use it! Haha! And also the fact that its very thick and white, it can transfer on clothes and bed sheets easily which doesn’t look very attractive!

The Body Shops Monoi Miracle Oil – Probably my favourite multi use product ever!

• Moisturizer – I use this almost everyday as a body moisturizer.  I have dry skin and this oil is so luxurious and moisturizing but sinks in really quickly, and just leaves me feeling smooth and smelling gorgeous.  I find it hard to describe the smell but it is really beautiful and light.
• Hair oil – Because I bleach my hair I try to do a hair mask at least twice a month to put moisture back in.  I like to run handfuls of this oil through my hair and leave it on for ten minutes or overnight and then wash it out after.  Hair is left feeling soft, just make sure you wash it out properly after with shampoo and conditioner otherwise you’ll be left with greasy hair.
• Bath oil – Whenever I treat myself and have a bath I always drop a few drops of this oil in when the water is running.  I don’t know why but it just leaves my skin feeling really soft after and it also makes it easier to shave!
• Massage oil – An obvious one, but people seem to forget that you can also use it as a massage oil!

This truly is a miracle oil – I love it!  I can’t express how lovely it is, just go and sniff it in store and try it out for yourself!  It lasts ages as well, I’ve only just purchased my second bottle.

MACs Vanilla Pigment – The most versatile piece of makeup I own, and the first MAC product I EVER bought!  Should be a staple in every make-up addicts kit.

• Eyeshadow – Probably the most obvious way to use this product, its a gorgeous white gold with slight red gold tones.  A gorgeous base colour and perfect for doing brown smokey eyes with.
• Highlighter – I often pop a tad of this under my brow bone, on my cheek bones and on my cupids bow, just to delicately highlight each area.  Leaves me looking natural yet defined, especially when used with a bit of contouring!
• Illuminator – Add literally a touch of this into your moisturizer or foundation to create a glowing base!  Gorgeous and easy, just don’t add to much or you will look like EdCullen!  You can also add a bit to your favourite body moisturizer for nights out for a shimmery, summer glow.
• Lipgloss – Again, add a sprinkle of this onto the back of your hand, add a slick of your favourite lipgloss and then pat this into your lips to create a customised lipgloss.  Vanilla will add a gorgeous rose gold tint!

There are so many pigments available from MAC, this one being one of the most versatile in the ways you can use it because of its natural neutral colour, but you can obviously create your own lipgloss with any pigment.  Amazing product.

MACs Paint pot in Bare Study – Another makeup kit must have.

 

• Primer – Add a thin layer of this to your eye lids and then apply your eyeshadow, it should keep your eyeshadow crease-free all day.
• Eye cream colour – I like to add a smidgen of this over the top of my favourite base shadow, Nylon (also MAC).  It really brightens the eyes up and the shadow underneath almost intensifies this cream gold base.  Alternatively just use this all over the lid for a natural shimmer.
• Highlighter – Very similar to the Vanilla Pigment, just rub the tiniest bits of this underneath your brow bone and on top of your cheek bone for a subtle but pretty glowing shimmer.

Essential oils – Peppermint and Lavender - My two staple essential oils. (Lavender not pictured!)

• Back Ache – Not sure if anyone on my blog knows, but I have scoliosis – curvature of the spine, and even though I had major spine surgery when I was young, I still get bad back aches especially when I’m standing for long amounts of time or if I’m lifting/carrying lots of stuff.  When I do have a back ache I mix a few drops of both lavender and peppermint oil together (with a drop of the monoi oil) and rub this into my back and it feels just incredible.  I can’t explain how good it feels.  It works well because the peppermint oil adds a strong cooling, tingly sensation to the back, and the lavender soothes the back, so the ache isn’t noticeable for at least 20minutes after! (Please don’t use lavender oil if you are pregnant, its harmful for the baby!)
• Bath oil – When I feel ill I sometimes have a luxurious, relaxing bath and I will add a few drops of either lavender or peppermint oil into the bath.  The smell instantly fills the room and really relaxes me.
• Sleeping aid – I’m also a terrible sleeper.  I have insomnia and find it very hard to sleep because I’m constantly thinking and worrying about everything!  I try not to take too many prescribed sleeping pills because I don’t want to have to rely on them, so when I remember I will add a few drops of lavender to my pillow to help me relax and rest.
• Energizer – You can add a drop of peppermint oil to your pulse points when your feeling lazy or unmotivated and it will get you going again!

Obviously there are loads of essential oils that you can purchase from chemists, from camomile to orange blossom and you can use them all for various uses!

The Body Shop’s Vitamin E Facial Oil – I can’t explain why, but I have about five of these sitting around my bedroom and I do love this little bottle of goodness.

• Face oil – Obviously this is its main use.  The lid opens as a pipette so you can use as much or as little as you like.  I only use this once a week now as my skin has become quite oily this summer, but its normally after I’ve exfoliated as my skin feels tight after.  I put one drop of this on my finger and massage it into my whole face and neck.  One drop goes a long way and it leaves you feeling soft and it smells beautiful – like roses.
• Scar healer – If I get a new scar then I will apply a drop to the scar everyday.  This oil contains wheat germ oil which is amazing for fading scars and evens out skin-pigmentation well.

This facial oil contains so much goodness for such a small bottle.  It also contains rose oil and organically grown soya oil, along with the wheat germ oil, all which are great for repairing and nourishing your skin.

The Body Shop’s Pomegranate & Raspberry Spray – A fragrance that was designed to be used in many ways.

• Body Spray
• Linen Spray
• Room Spray

This spray can be used for the three points above and come in about 6 different smells from TBS.  Pom & Rasp is my favourite, followed very closely by Sandalwood & Ginger and Green Tea & Lemon.  All of them are delicious smelling and I always spritz my room, my bed sheets and myself in one go!  It saves you buying multiple bottles of linen spray or room spray and cluttering up space.

Hope this post isn’t too boring, I understand that probably not everyone cares about multiuse products, but it interests me!  Another obvious multi-use product is Vaseline, but I’ll admit that I’ve never really used it or ‘got’ the hype about it!

If anyone else knows of anymore multi-use products then do let me know so I can try them out! 

Do you use any of the products above or in any different ways?

XXX