GYM-ing It !

So I finally joined the gym! After looking around at different gyms, prices and the idea of direct debits, I finally found the courage to just do it! The one thing that was holding me back from joining was not having a gym buddy, but I've found I concentrate better on my own and I have a good little routine going on.

I go give days a week at 5.30am (apart from when Mother nature decides to visit... annoying), and work out for about 2 hours, get a shower and go straight to work. I have so much more energy, a good routine and I feel loads better in general.

 I'm now eating properly, i.e not eating a biscuit for breakfast, but really fulfilling and satisfying meals. So before I go to the gym I'll have either cereal, porridge or scottish oatcakes with peanut butter and when I get out the gym I'll have some cereal bars. For lunch I have steamed veggies and pasta/noodles or soups and for dinner I'll have whatever is made at home.

As a 'coffee whore' I've cut right back, I only have one cup of coffee in the Morning and thats it! If I feel like having a hot drink during the day I'll have a peppermint tea and before I go to bed I'll have a cup of hot milk with nutmeg. 

My main goal is to loose a bit of weight but mainly tone up and just work out to keep fit. Do you guys go to the gym? What are your goals? Any tips and advice would be gratefully appreciated. Look out for a 'What's in my gym bag' post, coming up very soon!x

MONU professional skin care : Extra Rich Night Cream

This is a review on the MONU Extra Rich Night Cream for Dry / Sensitive skin. I received this as a sample from a one off GlossyBox I purchased, and it was the one product that caught my eye as I'm really enjoying skin care products at the moment.

A generous 20ml sample of this cream has given me enough time to establish what I think about the product and I must say its fantastic!

MONU claims that its Extra Rich Night Cream nourishes and firms skin which I totally agree with - its certainly improved the dry patches on my face and my skin feels more soft and supple. The cream contains such goodness as royal jelly, vitamins and evening primrose which is the ingredient that helps soften the skin. 

 

I guess I should mention the scent. This cream has a 'mature lady' kind of scent...if you know what I mean. Not to say its a bad scent, but the scent I feel suggests that this cream is suited for more maturer skin types.(Not that I'm getting any younger).

MONU's advise is to apply their cream after cleansing and toning which is what I do anyways. It has a nice thick (but not too thick) formulation, which is what I prefer for a night cream. I apply a thin layer over my face and wear it as a mask and allow it to sink in by itself.   

When I wake up my skin feels alive and brighter, refreshed, smooth and most of all rehydrated. Its one of the best night creams i've used, however I won't be purchasing the full size as I can't justify paying £36.95 for a night cream. Surely there's cheaper alternatives out there that are just as good, right? What do you think? Is £36.95 too much for a cream or is it worth the money? Have you tried any MONU products? Any suggestions of good night creams? Please let me know your thoughts.x

Haul: Laura Mercier

When I go to London, its always a crime NOT to go into Selfridges, even if its just for a browse. This time I accidently (yeah right) walked out with some Laura Mercier goodies. I figured that I needed some new base products as my Revlon Nearly Naked foundation was running out and I have never been completely satisfied with drugstore shade ranges!

- Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 oil free - £33.00 . 

- Mineral Powder SPF 15 - £31.00 .

This may seem like an expensive purchase, and it is however I don't mind spending money on base products especially if they do what that say. I've been trying to use less liquid foundations and opting for an even lighter coverage so the Mineral Powder is perfect for this. As for the Tinted Moisturizer, the makeup artist on the Laura Mercier counter was wearing this and her skin looked beautiful so I decided to get this as another option if I didnt want to wear the powder.

So far I love both of these products, more so the mineral powder if anything. If you have tried any of these products or have any other Laura Mercier product recommendation please let me know in the comments section.x 

Botanics: Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm

Ever since the phenomenon of the Liz Earle Hot Cloth cleanser, most of my cleansers have been of the Hot Cloth variety. I very much like a product that does a multitude of things - not only does it mean less products (though I love my beauty / skin care products) but the time it takes to remove my make-up & cleanse my face is halved, which of course means more sleep. Having tried several cleansers including the Liz Earle one, I had never tried a balm type cleanser up until now so I decided to give the Boots Botanics Hot Cloth cleansing balm a go ...

Botanics's Hot Clothing cleansing balm is formulated with a Shea Butter, Rosehip and Jojoba oil and claims to be 97% organic. 

Like most cleansers,this one is accompanied with a muslin cloth. Not the best I've come across but hey it does the job. 

You get 65ml of product and you only need a pee size amount so this stuff lasts for ages. Mine stood the duration of about 4-5 months so at £8.99 its value for money, right? Its perfect for travel because the packaging isn't overly big and there's no risk of mess in your travel bag . 

Although this cleanser removed make-up off very easily, thats all it did! I didn't see a great improvement in my skin, yet this product didn't break me out either. As the main ingredient was Shea Butter I found this cleanser added moisture to my dehydrated skin, however I found that it left an oily film on my face & made my hands greasy, which I disliked.  

Initially I just used the balm on my face, avoiding the eyes. However for the purpose of testing this cleanser, I used this balm to remove stubborn mascara and eyeliner and it did a pretty good job and didn't irritate my eyes. It does say to avoid eyes, but each to their own. 

For those you suffer from dry and dehydrated skin, I would certainly recommend that you give this cleanser ago, however based on oily residue situation on my skin I won't be repurchasing. Have you guys tried this cleanser?x

Haul: Soap & Glory

Like most people I am a HUGE fan of Soap & Glory products, they can sometimes be on the pricey side however I always take advantage of the 3 for 2 offers at Boots. As I was in need of a new cleanser and eye cream, it just made sense for me to visit the S&G stand. 

- The Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser - £10.00  .

- No Clogs Allowed Super Self Heating Deep Pore Detox Mask - £11.00 .

- Make Yourself Youthful Eye Cream - £12.00 .

I'm really happy with my purchases so far. As always if you've used any of the products let me know your thoughts on them & if you would like any of the products reviewed feel free to ask in the comments section. x