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Friday 30 August 2013

Toblerone & Crunchie Cheesecake

Some of you may remember me recently waffling on on Twitter about the wonderousness that is my lovely sister in law's cheesecake. I promised then that the next time she made it, I would photograph it (before it would undoubtedly be demolished), get the recipe and reproduce it here for you. So, to reiterate, I had nothing to do with the making of this yumminess, merely the eating of two large slices whilst extolling the virtues of Philadelphia and Toblerones (not easy to do with a mouthful of cheesecake going on).


Ingredients:
180g Digestives
75g Butter
300g Cream Cheese (Philadelphia, but you can use any one really)
200ml Double Cream
75g Sugar
250g filling (you can pick whatever you want for this, Ailbhe uses raspberries and white chocolate a lot of the time but blueberries or a more citrus slant with orange zest and dark chocolate would be equally delicious..ooh)

Method:
1) Crumble biscuits. Melt the butter and mix together with the biscuits, place into your dish to form the base, spreading out evenly.
2) Next, mix the cream cheese, cream and sugar until smooth.
3) Add in your chocolate filling (in this case, delicious chucks of Toblerone and Crunchie...nom nom nom)
4) Spread over top of biscuit base, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least two and a half hours.
5) Eat with a large, warming mug of tea or coffee with the fire and woolly socks on (very Autumn appropriate, this).
6) Lastly, make a holy show of yourself as you try and scrape up what tiny amounts remain on your own plate.


Made anything delicious yourself recently? I need inspiration! Let me know in the comments if you have or if you're going to try your hand at this most fantastic creation!
XX

Wednesday 28 August 2013

Mac Greenluxe Pearlfusion Eyeshadow Palette

I'm not a Mac eyeshadow fanatic by any means but when I recently spotted these newly released Pearlfusion palettes, I fell a little bit in love with Greenluxe. Described as containing "shades of light peach, bright champagne with pearl, dark olive, blackened green with gold pearl and deep forest green with pearl" this is definitely my cup of tea. I've seen other reviewers mention that this isn't quite as "green"as they had expected from a palette with said colour in the title but for me, it's actually the perfect way to wear what can often be a youthful shade, in a sophisticated way.

MAC Greenluxe Pearlfusion Eyeshadow Palette

These are cream shadows that can be worn either dry or wet, so far I've only worn them dry and I find them to be quite intense as they are so worn wet, I'd imagine they'll pop that bit more on the eyes. As you can see, I already used this before I could photograph it, such was my love for it and because I've worn them every day for the last two weeks already I've made a small dent in the bottom three shades. I particularly love that bottom shade, which apparently is akin to Mac Club. I also love that top peach shade (great as a highlighter too) and the middle champagne shadow, often just wearing both on their own as they're very pretty and flattering on. The only one I'm not hugely fond of is the second shade down, possibly because it's too sparkly for my liking but I do wear it for a little shot of gold in the inner corner of the eye. On that note, these are very shimmery so if you're a matte lover then these aren't for you. 

MAC Greenluxe Pearlfusion Eyeshadow Palette
Apologies for the terrible photo, my lighting was awful today
Without flash..


With flash.
Trying to capture the iridescence of the colours on camera was surprisingly difficult. I hope these help a little bit! There are five other palettes available, in Pastelluxe, Brownluxe, Pinkluxe, Smokeluxe and Blueluxe, so there should be something for everyone. 


These are 40 euro and available on counters now.
What do you think of the Pearlfusion palettes? Any of them taking your fancy?
XX



Tuesday 27 August 2013

Rediscovering Old Favourites Part 2: Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanning.

I've already spoken at length about my forays into the world of fake tan over this past Summer, what with my love for Rodial Brazilian Tan (for my face), Cocoa Brown Tan and Tough Stuff Scrub and so with that in mind, a couple of months ago I dug out this little pot of Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanning, which I use primarily as a foundation primer and down on to my neck. The brand describes it as a "caramel tinted complexion perfector and tanner in one" and I would agree with that. 

 Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanning

What I like about it is the extremely silky smooth consistency- it reminds me of the regular Clarins primer, which is a well loved product by many. Similar to that, it just glides across the skin and provides a lovely base but with this you get the added bonus of a nice golden glow. Generally it takes a couple of hours for the colour to develop fully but while that's happening, I'm getting the priming benefits as well- smoothing over lines and enlarged pores. 

Eep..almost finished!
My only gripe with this is the terrible fake-tan smell. It really does stink of soggy biscuits, the way self tanners used to about ten years ago, which is kind of annoying. Seriously, Clarins, sort that out. Having said that, I tend not to notice it once it's actually on my face, so it's not all bad. Anyways, if you're in the market for a primer/face tanner you could do worse than this baby. The good news is that it's suitable for normal, dry, combination and oily skin types. Personally, I can only speak for us dry skinned folk and that's just to say that it works well for me. 
Does anyone else use this? Let me know in the comments what you think!
XX

Friday 23 August 2013

Shooting Stars

For those of you that missed the recent Perseid meteor (a yearly meteor shower with up to 60 shooting stars an hour over the night sky), this post won't be in any way enlightening (ha) as shooting stars are pretty impossible to photograph. While perched up in the outskirts of Dublin looking at the sky we did get a few shots of the city all lit up though, which was pretty beautiful in itself. 


I know they're a bit blurry but I think that just adds to it. 
*satisfied sigh at beauty of Dublin*


Monday 19 August 2013

Good Morning Beautiful...

Calling all brides-to-be! Looking for something pretty to lounge around in on the morning of your big day whilst your bridesmaids feed you grapes and fan you? Equally, are you on the hunt for a lovely gift for said hard-working bridesmaids to show your appreciation?! Then you're in luck! 
Launched in April of this year, Good Morning Beautiful are a British based company specialising in stunning dressing gowns for you and your bridal party that lend a touch of vintage elegance to what can often be a hectic time- trying to organise hair, make-up and outfits for several different people as well as trying to prepare yourself for one of the happiest and biggest days of your life while a professional photographer merrily takes pictures of you, can all be a bit stressful. Sipping a Bucks Fizz and being dressed in a lightweight, elegant gown instead of old, greying pj's can certainly help with that. Step forward, the Good Morning Beautiful dressing gown:

Good Morning Beautiful Dressing Gown

The dressings gowns are made from cotton, with material sourced from India and are then manufactured in the UK.  You can pick these up in either short or long lengths and all of the gowns feature kimono-style sleeves, a belt and...pockets! That's right, pockets. The greatest property any item of clothing can have. There's also a choice of five colours, blue (as you can see in the photos of my own little beauty), purple, black, red and white, all featuring that gorgeous vintage-style floral print. Vintage and floral...two of my favourite words to see together in a sentence! Swoon! Interestingly, on the website it is suggested that you can mix and match the colours- so each member of your bridal party gets a different shade. As the bride of course, you get to choose your favourite! Each gown also comes in the canvas tote bag in the photo below, which is a really lovely touch for a gift.

Good Morning Beautiful Dressing Gown

Obviously, these gowns are not strictly for brides-to-be. Good Morning Beautiful started their business with the objective of making every woman feel beautiful and brightening her day, regardless of whether that particular day is a special one or not. I myself am now an old married lady (of a whole year!) and received mine as a gift, which I like to pop on while I do my hair and make-up. It's something that I like to spend time doing, so I like to be comfortable and not sweltering as I would be in a fleecy robe. What I also love about this is that I can then remove my gown (ooh-er, etc) when I'm finished getting ready without destroying all of my hard cosmetic work- something that is also a necessity for brides. 


There's just a real timeless elegance to these dressing gowns, I instantly feel like a proper lady when I slip into mine, even if I do nothing more exciting than drink a cup of tea and read the latest Marian Keyes whilst wearing it, it still makes me feel uber glamorous, and anything that can do that is an absolute winner in my book. If you want that effect for yourself, have a look at the website HERE. The fantastic news is that when you order four or more gowns in any style or colour, you get 10% off. Just type in IMGETTINGMARRIED when ordering. 
Let me know in the comments what you think of the lovely Good morning Beautiful gowns and if this is something you would like for your own wedding!
XX

Friday 16 August 2013

5 Stunning Statement Necklaces

Alright so I may or may not have a slight addiction to the old statement necklaces but I have several reasons to proffer in my defence.
a) They've been huge this past season and are apparently sticking around for A/W too, so really, it's longevity shopping. Yes.
b) They have a great way of dressing up any outfit and really make whatever you're wearing stand out.
c) They're pretty and shiny, so they appeal to my inner magpie.

And without further waffling, here are the necklaces I've been rocking for the past month. 
A slight disclaimer as well, a couple of these were presents so I don't know how much they are or if they're even still available, so apologies. They were all bought relatively recently though, hence their inclusion here. 
Zara Statement necklace
Oh hello there beautiful! This is probably my favourite of the five- its super chunky chain nicely balances out the bright pops of colours and girliness of the flowers (which are fab by the way, great attention to detail) and I find it goes with most things and improves whatever I'm wearing. I've never worn this and not received a compliment either so it's worth it's 30-something euro price tag for the self satisfied smug glow if nothing else. 
Available now from Zara.
Oasis decorative necklace
This Oasis number was actually a birthday present from my sister and I've worn it non stop since she gave it to me. Because it's pearls and that kind of muted gold shade, it looks quite sophisticated and seems to compliment a lot of different colours. Also, look closely at the smaller shot- it's a little gold bee!! I do love a good bee-decorated piece of jewellery.
Oasis Statement necklace
I picked this one up to wear to a wedding and it was perfect- it's dressy enough to wear to an event without being the sole focus of the outfit, unlike some statement necklaces *ahem, Zara, ahem*. I've also been wearing this a lot with these khaki and cream shirts from Penney's- the gold, black and muted green shades go well with neutral tones, I find.
Available now from Oasis.
Penneys Statement necklace
This little lovely was all of 5.50 but looks so much more expensive. I've been mainly wearing this with a plain grey or navy tee and it looks simple but elegant, as if you actually made some effort to get dressed that morning, whereas really you crawled out of bed, spent way too much time on hair and make up and then threw on skinny jeans and said grey t shirt....No? Just my life then. 
Available now from Penneys/Primark.
Oasis Statement necklace
Lastly, another Oasis piece..what can I say, they've been on fire lately. This was an amazing 11 euro in their recent sale, such a bargain! I had actually seen this when it was full price but said I'd be good and sure enough, there it was waiting for me. I love the colour and the shapes of the stones and have found it to be a really ideal Summer necklace for throwing on over a plain old sundress on a hot day to make it look a little cooler (cooler in the sartorial sense, it can't fix your heat stroke).

Let me know in the comments if you have any of these too or what your
own personal way of dressing up an outfit is!
XX

Thursday 15 August 2013

Recently Viewed June/July

Man of Steel
This probably isn't even in the cinema anymore but here, let me save you the fiver or whatever it is to rent a new release these days. Brutal, so it is. Henry Cavill plays Clark Kent, just as he's figuring out who he is and where he comes from. This coincides with a baddie from his home planet arriving to Earth to destroy everything and act out other nefarious plans. Naturally, Superman has to stop him and although he's all super strong and whatnot there's just always something a bit lame about his character.. he's no Batman, you know? Amy Adams as Lois Lane was the only redeeming feature for me but I think she's great in everything. Overall though, himself and I spent pretty much the last hour of this laughing at how ridiculously bad and pointless it is so I won't be recommending it. 
World War Z
I read the book of this and was a bit underwhelmed so I wasn't expecting a huge amount from the film but then it bears hardly any resemblance to the original storyline, so that's probably that then. The film starts off with the beginning of a quickly spreading zombie viral outbreak that Brad Pitt then has to then spend the rest of the movie travelling around the world trying to find a cure for. I actually really enjoyed this, it was nail-biting stuff, the zombies were scary and you didn't get a whole lot of time between action scenes for your heart rate to settle down. There were of course, plenty of holes in the plot but if you're expecting reality from a zombie film then best of luck. Plus, Brad Pitt was fairly watchable, as always. 
Pacific Rim
Sweet Jebus, this was terrible. Set in the future, giant evil alien monsters have started arising from the Oceans to wage a war against humans and take Earth as their own. In retaliation, similarly gigantic robotic creatures are then created by the army to go out into the water and fight the bad guys. The acting in this was shockingly bad, not even Idris Elba was any good, and that's saying something. Also, the main female character in this really annoyed me. She couldn't just be a great fighter and leave it at that, she also had to be all obedient and timid and has to be taught by Charlie Hunnam how to be cool. Pah. 
The Heat
I really enjoyed this. I love Melissa McCarthy, who plays a tough and at times deranged cop opposite Sandra Bullock, an uptight and generally disliked FBI agent, on a mission to take down a drug dealer. So far, pretty much your standard 'odd couple' but somehow the combination of humour and unexpected physical violence really shook up that whole "buddy-movie" approach. It's not gonna win any Oscars but if you're looking for a good chuckle, I can definitely recommend this one.
The World's End
I am a huge fan of Shaun of the Dead, I also enjoyed Hot Fuzz so I was really keen to see the final movie in the "Cornetto trilogy" and mostly, it didn't disappoint. Basically, Simon Pegg's character is on a mission to complete the "golden mile" of pubs in the village where he grew up and so enlists the help of his former school friends (they've all moved on with their lives and are fairly successful, unlike Pegg's character). Unfortunately, their sleepy home and it's inhabitants have since been taken over by robots, who they then have to battle to survive. There were some really funny gags but probably not as continuously humorous as Shaun of the Dead. One thing Pegg/Frost/Wright do really well is create a mixture of witty in-jokes, slapstick and sentimental moments that can often bring a tear to the eye. I found that was less evident in this one, but entertaining nonetheless. 
Warm Bodies
I love this. My thing for zombies is well documented at this stage and this story, based on the book of the same title, unusually follows a zombie narrator around in his daily life at an abandoned airport where he lives with a load of other zombies. He ends up coming across a human girl (who's there to kill him) and he falls in love with her. This in turn gives him back his humanity and he then has to learn how to be a person again, which also rubs off on the other zombies, with the potential for a cure. Unfortunately, her father hates his kind and wants to destroy him. Very Romeo and Juliet. What I really liked about this was that it took a well established genre and completely turned it on it's head. It's a really fresh and interesting concept and actually, a lovely storyline. 
The Wolverine
I'm a big comic book/superhero fan so that combined with himself telling me this was getting good reviews on Rotten Tomatoes (he always does that to me, and invariably the film is still always terrible) meant I put my better judgement aside to go see this. To be honest, I don't think they've made a truly good X-Men film in a while, the last one featuring Michael Fassbender (old Ridebag himself) as a young Magneto wasn't bad at all but that was a blip, I think. This is Hugh Jackman in a role he plays quite well but with a very disjointed storyline- the fight scenes are enjoyable but there aren't enough of them and mostly it seems to be about Wolverine staring into space and looking wistful, which I could probably do without. There's also a pretty amazing kick-ass Asian red-haired woman in it but again, they don't really make enough use of her character. If you're a big fan of the franchise, you'll probably want to see this before the next X-Men instalment, although you could just take my advice and not bother, because you won't be missing anything.
Spring Breakers
The story of a group of really annoying college students who rob a load of people to go on Spring Break, get done for drug possession and end up in debt to sleazy dealer James Franco, this was a creepy and at times unexpectedly bizarre film. Apparently it's become somewhat of a cult classic (already...*eye roll*) but the seriously gratuitous amount of female skin on show and sexual imagery was more than a little unnecessary for me. Also, the constant use of repetition in the film has left my brain melted...James Franco saying "Sprrrinng Breeeaaak..." over and over again is on a loop in my head, even as I write this. So generally, just meh. I suppose it could be argued that the female characters in it aren't as submissive as I expected them to be starting out, but given that I couldn't stand any of them, I'm not sure that's enough of a redeeming factor.
Sharknado
Ah, Sharknado. Genuinely, I assumed this was a joke when I first heard about it, but thankfully, no, it was not. Ian Ziering (STEVE FROM BEVERLY HILLS 90210, the ORIGINAL series...yes, I'm that old) plays a Californian bar owner who finds himself, his bar maid and his best friend in the unfortunate situation of having to go rescue his truly horrible wife (Tara Reid, yer one from American Pie and yes, I'm old, once again) and kids from an insane mix of tornado's and sharks. That's right. Everything about this film is terrible. The dialogue, acting, scenery, CGI, the sharks themselves, the attack scenes, but mostly the continuity, or lack thereof. One minute the scene will show a horrific storm with dark clouds and tornado's (naturally enough), while the following shot (supposedly the SAME SCENE) will be of a gloriously sunny beach with people sunbathing and the odd scream dubbed in for effect. What the what?? I mean, don't get me wrong, it's hilarious, but I could've spent that time dancing around maniacally to Daft Punk, or something equally as productive, you know? Basically, it's terrible but if you are like Phil and Clare Dunphy and enjoy films like "Croctopus 3D", then this is for you (apologies for the obscure Modern Family reference).

Let me know if you've seen any of these and if so, what did you think?
XX

Tuesday 13 August 2013

July Favourites

I loved all sorts of stuff throughout July. Mostly I enjoyed scampering about the place taking photos for the 31 Day Snap but equally I was in my happy place trying out lots of new (to me) products. Here's a rundown of my favourites:

  • Everlasting Artistic Gloss Polish at Mink Hand & Foot Spa, Dublin. I don't get my nails done often, in fact the last time was for my own wedding last August but as the end of July approached I had a holiday, my anniversary and three weddings in a row to look forward to so I thought I'd go for it and get Mink's revolutionary nail polish done. Using an LED lamp and products similar to Shellac etc, the Artistic Gloss can last chip-free for up to 21 days. Mine are still going strong and as I got a fairly neutral colour with an accent glitter nail, I haven't gotten weary of looking at them yet. Plus I feel like a lady. Bonus.
  • With the help of Audrey from The Nail Affair I recently put together my very first Inglot Freedom System Palette and I am loving it. The colours I picked all compliment each other for a beautiful smokey eye, in handy packaging that can be easily thrown into a bag when on the go. Although I find these to be as pigmented as the likes of Mac, I don't think the quality is quite the same but each eyeshadow is only 6 euro, so just a fraction of the price of a more higher end brand.
  • Chanel UV Essential with SPF 50. Himself bought me this as part of my birthday present as I've been trying to get more serious about my sun protection of late and really, what better way is there to do that than with Chanel?! I truly adore this one and will most definitely be repurchasing it when I do eventually finish it (could take a while cause you only need a tiny couple of drops for your whole face). What I really love about this is that it's very lightweight, sinks in easily and seems to create a lovely base for foundation. Also, it's neither here nor there but dear God, the scent of this is just unbelievable. In fact I may go now and have a little sniff of this like the oddball I am.
  • L'ancome Teint Idole Ultra 24 HR. This was recommended to me by Sharon from Behind Green Eyes who loved it so much it was her wedding foundation. I love it too and although I have it in a very pale shade (005), I do find it matches me almost perfectly when I have a small amount of fake tan on so it's been perfect for the past month. I've tested this out from morning to late night at my many weddings recently and it's lasted perfectly- not even a budge and yet it's not drying in the slightest. It really is just a lovely foundation.
  • Rodial Brazilian Tan- Clear. This, I got free with a magazine and have added to my list of tanning favourites. It can be used on the face and body but I primarily use it on my face after cleansing and exfoliating and by morning the old visage has a nice natural looking glow. You do have to be very careful with this that you don't apply too much around the hairline and eyebrows- I had a minor mishap regarding this but after that i was more precise and it's been fine since.

Bourjois Cream Blush
No.7 Protect & Perfect Day Cream, Night Cream
  • The whole blogging world and it's mother have gone a bit mad for these little pots of cream blush from Bourjois. Coming in four shades and cheap as chips with a lovely formula, it's easy to see why. I got it in 01, Nude Velvet because I have no blushes like this- it looks pink in the photo but it's actually quite a neutral shade and compliments a bright red lipstick nicely. I can't say it's my favourite shade of blush but I do like it for a more dressed down look or with a bright lip as  mentioned. It's also really handy to pop in your bag when on the go as it won't break and is very light.
  • Lastly, a friend of mine gave me a beautiful set of No.7 Protect & Perfect Skincare and two of my favourites from that have been the Day & Night creams. The day cream has SPF 15 & 5 star UVA and both that and the night cream are super moisturising and comforting but simultaneously quite light, so I find them ideal for my dry skin. 
Phew, we made it! Let me know in the comments if you use any of this lot yourself and what you think!
XX

Sunday 11 August 2013

August Wishlist


  • Kawaii Black Cat Mock Knee High TightsHERE, from Etsy. I've recently become a bit addicted to Etsy- so many lovely and unusual things for great prices. These are my latest find, I probably won't be wearing a skirt short enough to show these off this Autumn/Winter but I think I'd enjoy just wearing these anyway, for the cute factor, if nothing else.
  • Sonal Talgeri Bhaskaran 'Starlet Aurora' Cocktail RingHERE from Coldlilies. I spotted this little beauty on Instagram (can't remember now who had the picture up, sorry!) and I fell for it straight away, making mental note of the designer. This is a really beautiful statement piece that I think will have have long term appeal.
  • Red Midi SkirtHERE, from Coast. I love a 50's style skirt and this high waisted, midi length from Coast is no exception. A gloriously rich red hue, this will be perfect for those crisp Autumn evenings, right through to Christmas parties!


  • Ted Baker Green Peplum JacketHERE, ASOS. I am a huge Ted Baker fan and happily we can expect beautifully cut, feminine styles in stunning jewel tones from the new season range. I have my eye on this standout green jacket- I've tried this on in real life so I can confirm that it's stylish, warm and very flattering. Lovely.
  • Mr & Mrs CushionsHERE from SoVintageChic, Etsy. Alright so this one is just a little bit kitsch, but I love these Mr & Mrs cushions. Penney's were selling similar ones a few months back apparently but I missed out on them and have been on the hunt for them elsewhere since. We recently celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary and I think these would be a lovely way to mark that (aside from taking a break in the country and getting lovely gifts, as we've already done, obviously. Spoilt rotten). 
  • Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Rich Chocolate Eye PaletteHERE. I've seen this popping up on a few blogs now and I swoon a little bit every time I do. Bobbi Brown always make really beautiful palettes and this looks like it'll be another winner. I've been loving browns, taupes and golds lately so I'm very excited to see this when it comes out. 
C'est ça. Let me know in the comments what you're lusting after at the moment- let's all enable each other! 
XX

Thursday 1 August 2013

New from Cocoa Brown: Tough Stuff Scrub

As previously mentioned, I'm a recent re-convert to the world of fake tan. I used to lash it on in my youth (no doubt terribly) but gave the whole thing up- mostly because I wanted to embrace the pale but also, I just grew tired of all the hassle that comes with preparing the skin, applying, maintaining and removing self tanner. I did however miss that lovely glow and the ability to wear actual colours without resembling a corpse. Then along came Cocoa Brown. While I like Night & Day (read about it HERE), my personal preference is for the One Hour Tan (read about it HERE), as I can control what level of tan I want to achieve, I find it easy to apply and it lasts for ages (I generally get a week, which is pretty great for a self tanner).
And so I restocked on my One Hour Tan yesterday (only 6.90 in Penneys!) in anticipation for heading off on my Anniversary Celebrations/Holiday this weekend and was only delighted when this latest offering from the brand arrived in the post yesterday for me to try out. Behold, Tough Stuff, "a no nonsense scrub for rough areas such as feet, ankles, knees, elbows and hands".

Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff
The sachet contains 50mls of exfoliant (ingredients include pumice and walnut shell powder) and is designed for either dry use- to give a deep exfoliation OR on wet skin, allowing for more frequent use as it's more gentle on the skin when used with water. Suggested use is the day before you intend to apply your tan, using long, sweeping strokes over the rough areas of the skin (it's advised that you don't use it on sensitive areas or on the face and to expect some redness afterwards) and then obviously, wash off when you're finished scrubbing.


So let me tell you what I loved about this:

  • First thing I noticed was that gorgeous Cocoa Brown scent (it's extract of Tahitian Gardenia, fact fans) although that doesn't remain on the skin after washing off, so it's good for those who don't like scented products too.
  • The exfoliating grains are quite small in this, which I really like. Any exfoliators I've used in the past have left me with large beads which I find I have to use in conjunction with a body scrubbing thing (you know what I mean, those scrubby yokes on a string) to get the best out of them and even then I never really get that proper 'clean' feeling that I got with this- I think because the grains are so small they work more effectively and more quickly on the skin, which actually saved me a load of time when I was trying to get ready for bed. I used it both dry and then wet, just to see the difference and I think because of the effect of the emulsion between the scrub and the water, that I preferred the latter. 
  • It washes off really easily- another issue I have with traditional body scrubs. There you are, drying yourself with your towel to find the back of your arm or somewhere is still coated in beads- not so with this, it does it's job, washes straight off and you're done! Impressive.
  • My skin instantly felt softer, cleaner and smoother. I then applied my moisturiser, as recommended and went to bed with really lovely feeling skin.
  • It really provides a great foundation for tanning, (although I generally never get streaks with Cocoa Brown anyway) and definitely helps to prevent the dreaded "orange patches" on knees and knuckles etc, which is never a good look.
Any gripes?
  • Well there's just one I'm afraid. I wish this came in a bottle. While the sachet is convenient in certain circumstances (throwing into a suitcase on holidays etc.), I know I'll use this regularly (you can use it 3-4 times a week) and I am slightly concerned that an open sachet could be knocked over by accident and spill all over the place. Senseless loss of good product is just tragic! There's a really generous amount in the packet that means there's no way you could finish it on the first or even second use so, for me personally, a bottle would be super handy for the shower. 
Other than that, this is a total game changer for me, making the whole tanning process even easier than it already was thanks to One Hour Tan and now this in turn has given me a bit of a confidence boost that I can actually prepare my skin and apply my tan myself and not be anxious that it'll be a disaster. 
What do you think, interested in Tough Scrub?
XX