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Sale Finds Series: Nuxe

I’ve decided to do a small series on some of my online sale finds this month.
That means I’ll be posting mini-wishlists or recommendations from various online stores.
It’s quite simple really, if I find an amazing sale I want to be able to share it with everyone!
This seems like the easiest and also best (I enjoy making wishlists too much) way to do it.
You can find the series here.

Who? Nuxe
What? French Beauty/Skincare products
How much off? Up to 50% off
Running until? Whilst stocks last
Nuxe are one of the few beauty brands I have an email subscription to.
That might seem like an odd thing to say, but I hate newsletters, so maybe that helps explain?
So when I received an email mentioning they had an ‘up to 50% off sale’, I was pretty excited.
They’ve recently worked their way into my heart and bathroom cabinet, to become one of my favourite brands.
The sale is pretty varied and offers products from most of their ranges, as well as including gift sets.
The deals are pretty good, especially if you would usually be put off by Nuxe products due to the price.
So it’s a great opportunity to pick up some old favourites, or to try something new from the brand.
You can view the full Nuxe sale here.

Source: 1
bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Hot Dogs, Street Art, W♥C & Polaroids

Looking at these photos makes me so happy. I’ve been having so much fun lately, and I’m so glad to share it on here. I went home to Norwich for a couple of days to sort some stuff out and see family. Whilst I was there I really started to feel like it really was going to be Christmas soon. I brought out my Nuxe travel set and fell in love with practically every item inside of it. I also brought out an old polish that felt slightly seasonal and got tons of compliments. I’ve been experimenting with layering shirts & sweaters at work, thanks to the recently chilling weather. I also popped along to the launch of the Drop Dead Winter Collection in their Soho store. That meant I got to bring a plus-one so Laura and I finally got to meet up – love her! My friend in Japan sent me some of the new W♥C items that have just come out. It really took me back to my time living in Tokyo and made me miss everyone so much. This weekend I also took a walk around Shoreditch and caught up with Anna over cake and coffee. I’ve really sucked at keeping in touch with friends lately (due to work), so I’m trying to remedy it. Also food. There was lots of food. Always with the food.

You can follow me on Instagram: @bloomzy

bloomzy /

Review: Avène Extremely Gentle Cleanser

Eau Thermale Avène Extremely Gentle Cleanser*

Remember my personalised skincare routine from Avène?
Well I wanted to review one of my favourite products from it.
Avène’s Extremely Gentle Cleanser is for sensitive and irritated skin.
I think that pretty much sums up my awkward skin – so how did it work out?
Pros:
+ Non-greasy
+ Very gentle & light
+ A little goes a long way
+ Clears my skin up amazingly
+ Easily wiped away with a cotton pad
Cons:
– Quite runny

Notes:
This has been working wonders on my skin.
As soon as I started using it I noticed that it was clearing my skin up.
I always like to give products a few weeks to prove their worth, but this worked in a few days.
That might not be the same for everyone who uses it but my skin adores it. That said, my skin likes to get in a mood and break out if I happen to forget to use it (which doesn’t happen very often). Still that’s my own fault and I am happy with the results that I’m seeing from this so I will definitely be purchasing it after I run out. It’s extremely gentle and kind to skin, although the formula is slightly runny so be careful you don’t drip it everywhere when using it! It wipes off easily with a cotton pad and doesn’t leave a greasy feeling, or any product behind. I would definitely recommend this to people who have sensitive skin or react badly to some cleansers, because this is amazing and the price point isn’t bad either.
You can purchase Avène at Boots and in Boots stores nationwide.
bloomzy /

Avène Personalised Skincare Routine

Avèn3 Extremely Gentle Cleanser*, Eau Thermale Water Spray, Rich Skin Recovery Cream

It’s no secret that Avène are my favourite skincare brand.
They know how to look after sensitive skin, so they’re perfect for me.
I always stock up on Avène products in France, or Boots if I run out when I’m in the UK.
So when I signed up to the Avène website I was interested to see a personalised skincare routine.
The brand have decided to help those out who aren’t sure what products of theirs to use.
I decided to give it a go to see if they could recommend anything I hadn’t used before.
Using their Skin Diagnosis I filled out everything that applied to me and my skin.
I choose the ‘fair skin’ option and filled in the rest as follows:
As you can see they recommended me the three products I have above:
+ Extremely Gentle Cleanser
+ Eau Thermale Water Spray
+ Rich Skin Recovery Cream
My skin has not felt anywhere near as irritated as it was before I started using these together.
It stopped a blemish I felt that was on it’s way, and it has also cleared up my skin and left it fresh.
I really love that the site also tells you how to use these products and what they’re good for.
If you’re new to Avène or just want some help with your skincare routine this is for you.
They even sent me some samples of 2 of the products in my diagnosis after I signed up.
I don’t know if this is the same every time but I imagine they send them to everyone.
It’s handy for those who don’t want to invest in products without trying them first.
Find out your own personalised skin diagnosis here.
You can buy Avène products in Boots stores nationwide, and on Boots.com
bloomzy /

French Pharmacy Haul: Avène, Nuxe, Caudalie & La Roche-Posay

I think it’s safe to say I went a little crazy.
French pharmacies are my version of a toy store.
Once I’m let loose in them, you’re not getting me back for a while.
This holiday I think I outdid myself, this is probably my biggest haul so far.
I bought products I’ve tried before and adore, and new ones that I’d heard good things about.
I’m sure you know all of these but just incase let me introduce you to the brands & products I bought:
Caudalie
+ Beauty Elixir

La Roche-Posay
+ Serozinc Toner
Nuxe
+ Essential Travel Kit
+ Nirvanesque Eye Contour Cream
Avène
+ Trixera Emollient Cream
+ Cold Cream Body Lotion
+ Eau Thermal Water Spray
+ Skin Rich Recovery Cream
+ Eau Thermal Micellar Lotion Cleanser & Make-up Remover

The beauty of French pharmacies is that they have full collections.
It can be difficult to find French beauty products in the UK for a decent price.
For those who are interested in trying them out for themselves, I have included links.
It might seem like I’ve bought far too many products to try out, but trust me, you’ll be seeing reviews.
bloomzy /

Review: Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick 104 Passion

Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in 104 Passion

Every now and then I treat myself to a high end red lipstick.
I wear red lipstick literally everyday so it’s important that I have a good one.
Chanel is currently my go-to high end brand for red lipstick, and has been for a while.
The service is always impeccable, and not so surprisingly they really do know their stuff.
I always go back to Chanel for quality lipsticks that will stand the test of time!
So I decided to add Chanel’s Rouge Allure 104 Passion to my collection.
Pros:
+ Highly pigmented
+ Long lasting wear
+ Good coverage
+ Moisturising

Cons:
– Slight smudging

Notes:
I loved the pop of colour this lipstick gave. The red is very true to what you see in the tube and you don’t really need much at all to get good coverage. The lipstick itself has a slight shine to it as it’s moisturising but as my lips tend to dry out when I wear lipstick this is what I wanted. It’s not glossy though, so don’t worry! Without a lip coat this did transfer, however it didn’t come off entirely. I would suggest using something like Lipcote so that it stays and won’t transfer to your coffee cup or partner’s lips. Overall a great lipstick, and as always, I was impressed.
You can purchase Chanel Rouge Allure #104 at Chanel counters.
Or you can purchase it online at Debenhams.
bloomzy /

Review: Battle of the Dry Shampoos

Superdrug Chocolate Brownie, Batiste Paisley, Klorane Oat Milk*

Recently I’ve been trying out a selection of different dry shampoos.
My main purpose for using them is giving my hair some volume, and a little perk in between washes.
I’ve been using 3 main ones over the last few months, so I decided to do a little battle between them.
All 3 come from different price ranges, from cheap, to average, and luxury.
Let me introduce them and tell you their pros & cons:
Superdrug’s Chocolate Brownie Dry Shampoo – £1.99
– Currently on offer at ‘Buy 1 Get 1 Free’ –
The main reason I bought this was because it was part of a deal where you buy 1 and get 2 free! You’d have to be crazy to turn that down, right? Well anyway, this particular dry shampoo is made specifically for brunette hair. At the time I had dark red hair, so I figured that would work fine too, and it did. I found though that the coloured granules (?!) stained the skin surrounding my head and hands when I rubbed it in. It also got on my clothing, so no impressed.
Will I be buying it again? Nope sorry! This only gets a 3/10 from me.

Batiste’s Rice & Elegant Paisley Dry Shampoo – £3.99
I received a Batiste sample in a goodie bag earlier in the year, and I’ve bought a couple of cans myself since then. This isn’t a tinted dry shampoo like the last one, but it does have a slight scent to it unlike the others. I’ve found that this one is good value for money and really perks my hair up in-between washes. I’ve only tried ‘Paisley’ so I don’t know what the others are like, in fact I don’t even know if there’s any difference between them all. The only downside to this one is that you really have to rub it in, or you might look as if you’re greying (if you have dark hair).
Will I be buying it again? Yes, I give it a 9/10.

Klorane’s Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk* – £7.50
Finally we have the most expensive of the three. Klorane is a natural haircare brand that I have been using for a while, and adore. I have used both of their dry shampoos, and the oat milk is my favourite of the two. It gives my hair amazing volume and doesn’t really leave any white marks. It is expensive but it is also great quality.
Will I be buying it again? Maybe…probably…after I’ve saved. 8/10!
The winner is obviously Batiste in this challenge.
Their dry shampoo does what it says on the can and doesn’t mess around.