Boots Botanics 97% Organic Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm

As my obsession with Skincare grows and grows I have started to try more hot cloth cleansing balms. I decided to try out the Boots Botanics one as it's a fair price and I'd heard some good things about it. The Boots Botanic range raves about using organic products to create something that is excellent for your skin whilst using only the best ingredients. I'm not really one to buy into the 'it says organic so it must be good' thing, but after reading up on what the cleanser actually contains, for example rosehip and jojoba oil, it seemed like a really good way to go.

I have normal/combination skin, sometimes my cheeks get a little dry and I occasionally get a few blemishes here and there but I don't necessarily have problem skin. I have to say that it's worked wonders for me, it not only cleanses and melts the make up and dirt away but it also leaves my skin feeling so soft and quite moisturised afterwards. The only thing I would say is that it is quite oily, it's not surprising as the ingredients include Shea butter and jojoba oil so it may be too much for naturally oily skin. For me personally, on the whole I think it's a great product.

After removing my eye make up in the evening, I use this to remove the rest of my make up. I massage it into my skin and leave for a minute before taking off with a warm muslin cloth. I also like to use a foaming cleanser afterwards to remove any residue that may still be on my skin.

Overall, I'd say that it's a really good product especially for the price. It removes all traces of make up whilst leaving my skin feeling moisturised and radiant. As hot cloth cleansers go, I'd really recommend this, it's a great little cleanser that is great on your skin and your purse! 

Tattoo

One thing that has always been on my 'things to do before I die' list has been to get a tattoo. It's always been one of those things that I've dreamed about doing, the thought of having something permanent on your skin, something bold to make a statement to everyone is such a desirable thing. I suppose I've just never had the courage to go through with it or the imagination to think of something creative and original to have.

I've had the idea of having a diamond for a while, (explained below) but what drove me to actually have it done was quite a silly impulse. I turned 20 in December and I was sat at work a few weeks before my birthday and it hit me that these were the end of my teenage days. That thought terrified me more than it should have done really. I felt like I hadn't made the most out of being 'young' and I had this silly idea to do the most reckless things that I could think of in the weeks leading up to the day. I had so many ideas but one that really did appeal to me was to get a tattoo. Since I had never had any before, the thought of having one seemed really exciting.

When I seriously put my mind to it, there were of a few ideas that I had umm'd and ahh'd over in the past. I wanted something small to ease my way in - me being a ridiculous wuss and having a low threshold for pain. I also wanted something that meant something special. The diamond carries quite a personal message to me. My grandad, who died a year ago, always called me his 'little diamond'. My dad said that when I was born he was beaming with pride and the nickname stuck. He always saw the best in me, thought i was incredibly smart, beautiful, kind, all the good things that grandad's see that their granddaughters necessarily don't see in themselves.

I got the diamond to not only remind myself of him, but to remind myself that I can live up to the image that he had of me in his head. He saw all that potential in me and I owe it to him to make him proud.

After a few weeks of dire panic that it was scabbing and peeling (!) i can now say it looks (in my opinion) amazing and I'm absolutely in love with it! I will admit yes it did hurt but not as much as I thought. I think building up the pain before you go makes it seem better when you actually go through it, because it isn't as bad as you think. 

The pain can't have been that bad because I'm already thinking of having more! It is so true that once you have one done you get a craving for more...

Thoughts on tattoos?

New Years Resolutions

As 2013 comes to an end, I can't help but feel relieved. Isn't it strange how the end of a calendar year can make us feel so positive and prepared to start again? The concept of a new year for most people means a new start and a new outlook on life. I'll be one of many to admit that the changes I set out to make usually fall flat after a couple of weeks. I'm one of those people that always has the best intentions but ends up just slipping back into the old routine. 

I'm not going to be naive enough to say "these are my New Years resolutions and I will stick to them this time!" Because I know that that might not happen, don't get me wrong I do fully intend to fulfil them, but all that I am trying to do with them is map out the kind of things that I want to achieve. Without sounding too dramatic, this year has been very challenging, I've realised a lot about myself and about the things that I want to do and that has been the biggest positive out of all the experiences I've had this year. On that note, here are my resolutions:

BLOG MORE

I need and I mean NEED to get my arse in gear and dedicate myself to blogging. It's a very scary concept starting a blog and that fear has prevented me from posting. I need to realise that I do have the potential to do this and I am going to take that positivity and put myself out there more.

GYM MORE

I feel like this could be the most challenging resolution which will require the most dedication. I signed up for the gym in September and all the way through to November I was doing fairly well. December hits and for a lot of reasons I point blank just stopped going. I got into the faulty thinking of "oh I'll boss it in the new year so I can just have a month off - it's Christmas and all that" which I am so mad at myself for! I have made an actual gym routine (which will be fun to see how long I carry that on for), I have a class timetable for my gym so that I can dedicate myself to actually go to the classes, meet more gym people and motivate myself more. This is one that I really would love to stick to.   

THINK POSITIVE

I think a lot of people have this one. For me, it's more about losing that self-doubt. I need to remember that I can achieve the things that I want and I shouldn't let anyone make me feel like I can't. I need to get rid of the things in my life that put me down. 

REALISE THE THINGS AND PEOPLE THAT MATTER

Kind of a negative one but I've realised a lot about the friends that I can trust (which seems to be very little) I have made a few changes in my life over the past month and despite whether they might be the right thing to do or not, it's truly bought to light who my real friends are and the people that genuinely have my best interests at heart. I adore the friends and family that in my life and I'm very lucky to have them.

READ MORE

I adore reading but never seem to find time to actually sit down with a book.  I'm going to dedicate my free lunch breaks to reading. I weirdly feel clearer after having even half an hour in silence with a book. It sets my mind at ease with whatever stress I have or if something's getting me down. This is actually an easy one for me to stick to!

I could write myself tons and tons of resolutions but I think I'll stick to just these five. We never know where the year will take us and I guarantee that this time next year I'll be in a place in my life that I never expected to be. I really can't wait. 

Let's have a 2014 to remember!