January Pink Parcel 2016

For those of you that haven't read my previous blog posts on Pink Parcel I shall tell you, in short, what it is.

Pink Parcel is a monthly subscription box all about your period. Every month they will send you a box filled with enough tampons or sanitary towels (depending on your preference) to get you through your period as well as a selection of other goodies to make you feel good, all for the bargain price of £12.99.
This month has definitely been one of my favourite boxes so far purely because there were a few products that were exclusive to Pink Parcel, which is always nice!


Be Happy, Be Healthy, Be Lovely notebooks - Three little pocket sized notebooks, designed by Pink Parcel. I mean, you can't really go wrong with notebooks can you? They're always going to come in handy, to make shopping lists with, blogging ideas, doodles, phone numbers, addresses etc!

Twenty First Century Herbs Skin Balm - This product is to help combat dry skin or eczema which, luckily, I don't suffer with this that unfortunately means I can't really rate this product. I didn't really like the smell of it or the consistency I found it was a little bit too runny considering it's a balm but it was a decent sized sample of the product!

Jealous Sweets Fruitilicious - If you like fruity sweets you will love these, as well as giving you a sugar boost they're also packed with vitamin c so you can't go wrong with that! I'm not a massive fan of jelly sweets and I have mentioned this before, I think it would be great if the option was there to pick what sort of confectionery you would like in your box each month!

Kiss Cosmetics Kisstick - Usually I don't do lipsticks I much prefer lipgloss or lip balms HOWEVER this lipstick goes on so smoothly, doesn't dry your lips out and the colour lasts! Amazing!! Really moisturising and great colour pay off!

Fablittlebag - Pink Parcel did it again!! They included tampon disposal bags despite the fact my subscription is for sanitary towels!! 

The London Tea Club Vanilla and Almond - If you have read the other Pink Parcel blog posts you will know I don't do any other tea other than regular.  This month was no different! HOWEVER the way that this was packaged was absolutely adorable!!!!! The loose tea leafs were in a plastic test tube and in a little brown envelop were two empty tea bags, obviously for you to put the loose tea leafs in. I honestly thought that this was such an amazing and unique idea. If you have a friend or family member that loves tea then I would highly recommend getting them something special from The London Tea Club for either birthday or, dare I say it, Christmas!

Bellapierre Shimmer Powder, Snowflake - This is one product that can be used in several different ways. You can use it as a cheek highlight, a brow highlight, an eye shadow and you could even lightly dust it over your shoulders and collar bones for a body shimmer. The product itself is a loose powder so if you are not careful it will go everywhere!! I have been using it as a cheek highlighter and let me tell you it is super pigmented so you need only the smallest amount BUT if you do accidentally get too much product on your cheek (or wherever you put it) don't worry because it blends in really nice!


Pip and Nut Coconut Almond Butter - Definitely more coconut than almond so if you don't like coconut you will hate this. I had mine on toast but I actually think it would have gone better in a banana smoothie! The concept is great though, especially if you're in a rush in the morning, you can just grab one of these little sachets, throw it in your bag and spread in on some toast when you get to work!


Sass Refreshing Wipes - Just before Christmas Pink Parcel teamed up with the brand Sass to add a feminine hygiene product in each box. I'm going to be really blunt. I don't like the products at all! I don't like the smell and I find that the wash is too soapy for downstairs! I would recommend femmefresh for a feminine hygiene product, not sass!


Saving the best until last Vichy Normaderm Beautifying Anti-Blemish Care - Vichy used this months Pink Parcel to launch their new product , this was with Pink Parcel subscribers before it was out on the shelves!!  The sample itself is only tiny, I got three uses out of mine, so that isn't enough to tell you if the product worked or not BUT it smells amazing and because it's a thin moisturiser you don't need a lot to go a long way!! This is definitely something I will be purchasing!


Click on the bold pink writing to be directed to the websites for the relevant products, the only ones that do not have links are the Pink Parcel Notebooks and the Sass wipes because you can't get them online. 


(Apologies that the picture quality isn't great on these pictures, I'm still in the process of getting used to my new camera and finding the best ways and places to take pictures!)
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Skin Deep...

Throughout my young(er) (12,13,14...) years I remember that my mum would tell me all the time how important it was to cleanse, tone and moisturise my face morning and evening, and how important it was to take care of my skin. 

For all that time, I shrugged it off. It seemed like a boring and mundane task to do!! Why did I need to do ALL of those things? What does a toner do that is so different to a cleanser? If I run out of cleanser can I not just use toner in it's place? At the age of 13 what is moisturiser even doing, it's not like I have wrinkles!! And, seriously, does chocolate really affect how many spots you get, or is that just something that people tell you to stop you having so much sugar?

Well, all I can say is, my mother was right. 

Since we are still early on in January I thought that this was the best time to make this blog post because, for those of you that make them, now is the time to make and decide on New Years resolutions and if you don't already have one, why not let a good skin care routine be one of them?

For the record this post is not about telling you what products you should use and what you shouldn't use, you need to use what products you can and what products you can afford. There isn't one magical product that works wonders for everybody and if there was it would probably cost a small fortune! Just because I use something and it works for me doesn't mean it's 100% going to work for you. If anything I want this post to encourage you to take the time to get to know your skin, don't get stuck in a rut with products, unless they are delivering perfect results, allow yourself the chance to try things that might do something better for you than what you are using.

Okay let me take you on my skin care routine journey of the last year or so...

I used to only use face wipes, they were quick and easy and required next to no effort. I had found that cucumber based products worked fairly well with my skin, resulting, in what I thought, were minimal breakouts.  I used a Tesco's own branded range, I can't remember the exact name, it was the one up from the value products and they are/were all £1-£1.50 , so they weren't breaking the bank which was perfect for me because at that point I wasn't fussy.  I also used the moisturiser, day and night, and exfoliating scrub.

That's an entire skin care range coming in at about £5. Happy days. Now, there is nothing wrong with a cheap affordable skin care routine, this worked for two years, maybe more, like I said if it works for you and your skin, who care's where it's from or how much it costs?!

I had always been hesitant to try new products, because much like my scalp, it's hit and miss whether my skin will accept a product lovingly or throw its toys out of the pram and breakout. However, last year I got to a point were I was bored of my routine and bored of the products so I decided to change things...

It was around the time when all of the brands were bringing out micellar water, I decided to go with the Garnier one because it comes in a nice big bottle and at the time it was on offer. I loved it. It took make-up off really well (just use a cotton wool pad) it was gentle, didn't have a scent, just amazing! I also got some Garnier Micellar Water Cleansing Wipes, for the evenings and also for mornings if I was in a really big rush and also the Garnier Clean and Soft Moisturiser.

All of these products were amazing, my skin never became irritated or broke out so I carried on using them until Garnier brought out a Matifying Micellar Water.... I have oily/combination skin so when I saw this it was perfection, I also decided to ditch the wipes, the last few packets I'd had the wipes were soapy and I barely used them so I cut that bit out! I also switched my cream to Garnier Moisture and Matte. The two products together constantly prevent my face from looking shiny and getting oily during the day which is what I love about them.

More recent products that I have also added to my skin care routine are:

Garnier Spot Fighting Moisturiser
Garnier Pure Active Charcoal Scrub
(I talked about these products in my November favourites post)

And since Christmas...

The Body Shop Camomile Sumprious Cleansing Butter

How I use all these products...

Morning

I cleanse with the with the micellar water and then follow that with the moisture and matte moisturiser. If I'm having a no make-up day, which are really important to have, for your skins sake, then I will use the spot fighting cream instead, I also use this in place of the moisture and matte one if I am suffering a really bad break out.

Evening

I cleanse with the charcoal scrub, I make sure that I really work this into the skin, scrubbing for a good couple of minutes, just to make sure that all my make-up (if I have any on) comes off and to really get the dirt out. If I have been wearing make-up I will follow that by going over my face again with the micellar water, this is more to get rid of panda eyes than anything else! Then it's on to the spot fighting cream (despite the name, this is just a moisturiser!) If I do have a few spots or red marks (from spots) I go over them with T-Zone Rapid Action Spot Zapping Gel, you only need a small blob of this product because it spreads really well. Even if I don't have spots, I'll make an effort to remember to use this anyway, in my problem areas, which for me is just my T-Zone!

Luxury

It's important to remember to treat your skin every now and again, whether that be with a specific cream, a face mask or taking yourself for a facial! I try and remember to do a pore strip as often as I can, I just use the T-Zone ones but I've used ones from Wilkinson's and the £1 shop and I find they all work the same.

My favourite face mask to use is the 7th Heaven Manuka Honey Peel Off mask. It leaves my skin feeling super soft and smelling gorgeous plus I much prefer peel off masks I find them so much easier to use but if not a peel off one then I really enjoy the heat up ones.

My luxury product is the Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter. I got this for Christmas and it's amazing. I use this on a Sunday, it's a really nice, end of the week, treat to my skin! I only use it once a week because it's quite an oily product and so with me having oily skin it just wouldn't be good to use it everyday (in my opinion).

I use this when I'm in the bath but you could use it whenever and wherever you like. I take a lump of the product in my fingers and start massaging it into the skin, with this you can even rub it over your eyes, just be careful to not get any IN your eye, I leave it for a few minutes so that it can break down the make-up and dirt and then wipe it off with a warm face cloth. It works a treat removing make up, I know because I go over again with micellar water and there is never anything on the cotton wool pad, not even eye make up! My skin also feels really soft after using this and the product has a lovely fresh smell too it!

So as you can see what I use and how I use things has changed quite a lot over the last two years but now I'm really happy with everything I use and the results that I get. I've never been one for eye creams or night creams but who knows maybe at some point I will find a use for them. Finding a skin care routine that I'm happy with that makes my skin feel just has happy has been a massive confidence boost so I don't even think twice now about leaving the house without make-up on!

Hopefully you have found this useful!

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My Ultimate 2015 Favourites!!

Happy New Year Everybody!! I hope that you all had a good one whether you stayed in, went out or were fast asleep before midnight.

I have decided that rather than do a December favourites blog post I would share with you my ultimate favourites from 2015.

For the past few days I've been looking at all the products I have, trying to decide, if I could just pick one as the best one from last year, which would I pick and I think I have made my choices!

Now it's very likely that more than one, if not all, of these products has already been featured in a monthly favourites blog post but that just goes to show how much I love them!

Beauty 

Garnier pure active charcoal face scrub- I thought long and hard about my ultimate beauty favourite for this year, I've tried a variety of different products but this trumped all for one reason only, when I'm not using it (because I'm lazy) I can tell. My skin is more prone to breakouts when I stop using this but the minute I get back into a regular routine with it it all clears up. It's a completely magical product and one that I will continue using this year, if you suffer from breakouts or have oily to combination skin then I would highly recommend making this a part of your skin routine, morning or night, this year!

You can pick it up at most supermarkets, superdrug and boots and if you scroll down to my November favourites post there is a link for it so you can buy it now!!


Hair 

VO5 Nourish my Shine Shampoo and Conditioner - This was another tough one, it was this or the Colab a model recommends dry shampoo but since I have already mentioned that in a favourites blog post I thought I would give this one a turn. I suffer with a sensitive scalp so it's really hard for me to find hair products that don't irritate it. I think I purchased this after seeing it in a Zoella video, it was that long ago I can't remember which one, and these are great. They don't irritate my scalp, they also really do leave your hair shiny and silky smooth!! Not to mention that the bottles are huge so they last forever, depending on how often you wash your hair.

Again, these can be found in most supermarkets boots and superdrug!  http://www.boots.com/en/VO5-Nourish-My-Shine-Shampoo-400ml_1648669/
(Currently on offer at Boots)


Body

This was a no brainer, the body/bath product I have been loving this year is the Zoella Soak Opera. This product has been my go to one all year! Why?? 1. It smells amazing. 2. You can use it as either a body wash or as a bubble bath which is great, if you use it as a bubble bath I find that the Zoella Fizz Bar goes really well with that and 3. It comes in a massive bottle, so this could easily last you a month, if not two! 

Only available at Superdrug and online at Feel Unique!
http://www.superdrug.com/Toiletries/Washing-%26-Bathing/Indulgent-Bathing/Zoella-Soak-Opera---Bath-Soak-Shower-Cream-490ml/p/303500#.VofNhsaLTnA


Music

Okay, so if you read my November favourites post you probably know what I'm about to say.... One Direction's Made in the A.M album is hands down my favourite album of the year. I haven't stopped listening to it since I got it. Just love it. Even if you don't love them I would recommend going and listening to a few of the songs from the album. My personal favourites (I mentioned a few in my November favourites blog post) are Wolves, Temporary Fix, Olivia Walking in the Wind, History..... All of them!!

Fan girling over.

And if I had to pick just one song from this year it has to be Style by T Swift! I see a theme going with this music ;) (yes it did take me a whole year to work out why it was called Style...... #awkward) every time this song comes on to my phone I never skip it. Love it. There's not much you can say about a song....


TV

So I don't watch a lot of TV or shows, I'm a hard person to please but one that really struck a chord with me this year was Nashville, not to mention the songs from the show are incredible. 
The show is about country singers, there's more too it than that, all the obstacles they overcome and there is a lot because it's a drama, and the way they handle having a career and having a life and a family.  The first 3 seasons are on NowTv and if you are in America you are lucky enough to have the fourth season airing already!! I don't want to say too much about it in case I ruin it for you but you should definitely check it out!


Film

Again another hard one, I saw a lot of good films in 2015, there were a lot that touched me and saw me through hard times, if you read my last blog post you will know that one of them is Cinderella. However, the one that stands out the most is Austenland. This is one of those cheesy chick flicks that doesn't have expensive lavish sets or award winning acting but is just a bit of fun and so funny! It's about a woman called Jane who is obsessed with Jane Austen books, she's been unlucky in love so decides to spend her savings on a trip to Austenland - a place where you truly step in to the world of Jane Austen - Obviously it isn't quite the experience that she was expecting, I will say no more than that! I found the character of Jane to be so relateable and the film is just so funny. If you love a bit of a cheesy chick filck you will love this!! 

Random

Okay, so my really random favourite for 2015 is the Disney Tsum Tsums, if you live in Japan and maybe America you may have had these available for some time but they recently landed in the UK and it's a craze that has literally taken off.... Everywhere! I love that they are small because that means they don't take up too much space, mine a currently on my window ledge! It allows you to indulge in cute cuddly Disney things without having ones that take up bed or wardrobe space! But I warn you, they are addictive, once you buy one you want to buy more....and more... and more!! If you already love tsum tsums then a really great person to follow on Instagram is @tsumtsumtsum this person owns every tsum tsum known to man and also knows when things are coming out in America, UK and Japan, they are the fountain of all tsum tsum knowledge!! Below is a picture of my collection, I will soon be adding the Peter Pan ones too it. If you're interested in seeing my collection grow I always post on instagram when I get new ones, my link will be below! I think my favourite tsum tsum is King Triton, he's adorable!!! (This is an old picture taken before I moved them to my windowsill!) 

Okay so this is another random one but I wanted to add my favourite actress/person from the spotlight from 2015 and the person that left an impression towards the back end of 2015 is Daisy Ridley. For those of you who may have been living under a rock she plays Rey in the new Star Wars film. I just think she's great, she reminds me of Jennifer Lawrence (who is my hero and favourite actress all the time, forever) which is probably why I like her. She seems, from interviews etc, very grounded and normal, which is nice! Also she loves the Great British Bake Off and anyone that loves a bit of Mary and Paul, I love! You can follow her on instagram @daisyridley and she is also on the cover of Glamour magazine (interview inside) if you are interested!!!! I think we will see great things from her this year!

Sorry that this is late going up, I have been at work since New Years Eve and just not had the time, hence why there's no pictures (apart from one old one and two I borrowed from Google)! You'll be happy to know this will be the last wordy blog post for a while. I'm going to plan some more useful blog posts for the up coming weeks, got a few products I want to try, maybe even some baking and cooking blogs!!

Find me on social media!

(A facebook page is coming soon....)

Instagram @annakimberley93

Twitter @annarailton1993