Review: The Body Shop Christmas ranges

I love brands (like The Body Shop and Lush) which actually make specific products for Christmas, it makes it so much more exciting than gift sets of stuff you can get everyday!

I picked up a few things: the Spiced Vanilla shower gel, the Candied Ginger shower gel, the Candied Ginger Body Butter and (not pictured) the Candied Ginger lip balm.

I'm not wild about the Spiced Vanilla range- to me it's ok, and I will use this shower gel, but I'm glad I didn't get anything else. The Candied Ginger on the other hand- OMG YUM. The only odd thing is there seems to be a variation between the scent in this line. The shower gel and lip balm are very like sweets, which I like, but the body butter seems a bit more bitter? It may be worth just smelling each individual product before purchasing if you fancy buying anything.

The shower gels are lovely- thick and they rinse cleanly, but I wish they left my skin with a scent like the normal ones do. I can't really smell anything on me after showering with them! The body butter is standard- thick and sinks in well. The lip balm is on the thin side, but it's nice for quick top ups here and there.

There are other products in these scent ranges, and also a Cranberry line. I managed to get the body butter for £1 (you have to spend over £25 to get this though, but I didn't find that a problem *sighs at own lack of self-control when shopping*.)

Have you got any favourite Christmas scents?

Love B xxx

Beauty LAT: A moisturiser to improve sunscreens...

So following my recent post on sunscreens, I briefly mentioned a product that could improve the dreaded greasy sunscreen. I always use a moisturiser with sunscreens- my skin is combination, and while my T-zone would be happy without any more product, my dry cheeks need something more. I also find that sunscreens can tend to just sit there and not really sink in- so 20 minutes later your face is no less greasy than it was when you first put it on. Enter this...

The Body Shop Mattifying Seaweed..... As a moisturiser on its' own, it's a bit rubbish. Maybe ok for the very oily, but it doesn't add that much. On top of sunscreens though, it performs a mattifying miracle. I apply my sunscreen and let it sink in for 10 minutes. I then apply a dollop of the moisturiser (and this is quite important) I rub it in. After a minute or two it rubs down to a lovely matt finish. I didn't find myself overly oily through the day either.

It has a rather gloopy jelly like texture.

I have to confess I don't use this often. My skin is a little too dry and I'm using other products which work better. But if you want to use your expensive but useless sunscreens and not look like a greaseball, this is definitely worth trying, even just occasionally as I do so they weren't a complete waste of money!

7/10

Love B xxx