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

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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: Nuxe Rêve de Miel Lip Balm

Nuxe Rêve de Miel Lipbalm
 
It was my good friend Alanna who convinced me to buy Nuxe’s Rêve de Miel.
I had been umm-ing and ahh-ing and finally after chatting with her, I was convinced.
I was after a lip balm to help keep my lips from drying, especially as I wear lipstick everyday.
You know, something to help combat those annoying bits of dry skin you bite off (I know I shouldn’t).
Was Nuxe the brand that could help me do that?
Pros:
+ Smells divine
+ Stops my lips drying out
+ A little goes a long way
+ I love the packaging and glass pot
 
Cons:
– Expensive
 
Notes:
At £9.50 it’s safe to say this is the most expensive lip balm I’ve bought.
I thought about it for a long time but decided to take the plunge as I’d heard wonderful things.
This lip balm is super concentrated (if that makes sense), and is much more substantial than others I’ve tried, and smells absolutely amazing! As I mentioned above, a little bit on my fingertip helps hydrate all of my lips and makes them feel lovely. I’ve only been popping some on in the morning and evening (unless needed during the day) and I love it already. My lips are much more nourished now and they don’t feel dry at all. It also helped me out when I had chapped lips recently – gone in a matter of days! As for lipstick drying out my lips (yep, even high-end brands such as Chanel dry mine out), Rêve de Miel has definitely helped combat that. In the last week I haven’t found myself feeling as if my lips were dry or that I needed to bite at dry skin, and that’s coming from someone who wears lipstick everyday. My lips are softer and more hydrated. This is definitely an investment lip balm and worth saving the pennies for if you happen to suffer from dry/chapped lips, or just think yours could do with a pick me up.
You can buy Nuxe Rêve de Miel in Space NK stores, or online here.
bloomzy /

Review: L’Occitane Hydration Cream

L’Occitane Creme Radieuse Hydration Cream*
It seemed that my search for a moisturiser fit for using on my face was forever ongoing.
That was until I found this little gem – the L’Occitane Creme Radieuse Hydration Cream.
I received this sample size in a Birchbox last November and wasn’t sure what to think of it.
In fact, I was pretty convinced that I would never use it, in fear that it would make my skin breakout.
I have combination skin that is too dry for certain products and breaks out with other rich ones.
That in a nutshell is why I don’t like to use a lot of facial moisturisers as part of my routine.
So I was delighted when I took a chance and started using this.
Pros:
+ Not too rich
+ Smells lovely
+ Works well as a primer
+ Moisturising & Hydrating
+ Only a tiny amount is needed
Cons:
– Scent isn’t for everyone
– May not be rich enough for some skin types
Notes:
Ok, I think you can see that I was stretching with the cons there.
Personally I have no cons for this product, but I tried to think of others.
I’m just happy to finally find a moisturiser that is moisturising enough and not too rich.
The sample size of this is perfect, as I only need to apply a little every morning and evening.
The full size is a little pricey at £30 and honestly I don’t think I’d be able to use it all before it goes out of date. That said, L’Occitane also feature the sample size in a travel set with the cleanser & toner, so I’ll definitely be taking advantage of that when I run out of this one.
You can purchase the full size version online here.
Or you can find the travel kit in L’Occitane stores.
bloomzy /

Review: Joliebox

Joliebox gift box from the Birchbox event*
When I attended the Birchbox champagne afternoon tea event last week I was gifted with a Joliebox.
If you didn’t see that post then you might be confused, but this is because Birchbox have taken over Joliebox.
If I remember correctly the box wasn’t a particular month, it was a mixture of products & previous month’s boxes.
The box contained samples from previous boxes and new items, such as:
– Twistband –
– Ritessens Exfoliant –
– RMK Cleansing Balm –
– L’Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream –
– Dr Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap Pillows –
– Redken Protective Straightening Lotion –
This box was a great way to introduce someone to some of the wonderful brands that Joliebox has worked with.
It also shows you an example of what you might receive in a box; beauty, skincare, hair & lifestyle products, travel essentials, and even full size samples. Birchbox allows you to create a personal profile which your samples will be based on – which is a great feature, I hope they keep it when the takeover happens in January. The magazine is something which is unique to Joliebox and is very popular with a lot of subscribers, so it was nice to receive one with my box.
Joliebox will soon become Birchbox, and is a monthly beauty box service.
For £10 (plus postage) a month you will recieve 4-5 beauty samples to your door.
You can sign up and subscribe here.