foaming tea tree cleanser

I've mentioned before that I don't like using tea tree products because in the past they've made my dry skin worse, but after trying these tea tree toner tabs I got brave and ordered this cleanser from The Body Shop in their 40% off sale.

My skin is dry, but I've always been blessed with a clear complexion. That was up until November, when I got a hideous breakout which wouldn't go away. I've tried more skincare products since then than I can count, and none have helped at all - not even my holy grail of Angels on Bare Skin. I don't have lots of spots, but the ones I do have are red and those stubborn under the skin type that don't ever seem to to disappear, particularly around the jawline.

After my first use of this cleaner, which foams as you squirt it out, I wasn't impressed. It didn't leave my face feeling overly clean, didn't leave my skin feeling super soft, it just didn't feel like it had done anything. Because of this I didn't think it would help my skin at all but I kept using it anyway. After about 2 weeks of use, I noticed that the stubborn spots around my jawline that had been there for a month were barely visible. The red marks left by some of the worst blemishes, which had been there since before Christmas (!!!), had also been reduced significantly and I noticed my skin was a lot clearer and needing less concealer in the mornings.

I do still have a few bumpy areas and a few red marks which are annoying, but I'm feeling much happier with my skin and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and the return of my clear skin.

If you suffer from breakouts then I definitely recommend trying this cleanser. I imagine it would be suitable for all skin types, and although it doesn't hydrate my dry skin, it definitely doesn't dry it out like I expected.

week in photos #56

I had a really lovely week this week, receiving red roses, driving my new car, lots of days off work, some shopping, visiting the Tiki Bar for cocktails at last, and a cheeky white russian by my side as I write this post! I've already got a few plans for this week including a blogger event, and hopefully seeing The Woman in Black. Has anyone seen it yet, is it good?

Hope you all had a great week!

day old blues

After my self imposed spending ban in January, I've definitely made up for it this month and had a little bit of a pay day splurge. I got lucky in Topshop and found a lot of pieces I had wanted in the sale, in my size, which is always fate good so I couldn't resist.

I also picked up a few staples that I had run out of - Body Shop eye make up remover, and a new hand cream which smells good enough to eat and was only 75p in the sale! The Crème Brûlée Vaseline made it "big" in the blogger scene recently so I thought I'd give it a try it's honestly not what I expected. It's become my go-to lip product (most likely because the rest are lost in my various bags) but I'm still not 100% I like the taste. I've been telling all of my friends about these cheap (only £1!) Superdrug eyebrow shapers because they're brilliant! Easy to use and just as effective as a salon wax!

OH. And I bought the cat bag I posted about here. How could I not?

What have you been buying this month? I don't feel my spending spree is finished quite yet, so feel free to leave links to try and tempt me into more shopping!

leap frog

Leap Frog is another product from the Lush Valentines Day range, which I think is still available online and in stores for another few days.

He's scented with jasmine, sandalwood and rose and smells quite herby, and a little bit like grass (quite possibly the worst description ever!) - not usually the type of fragrance I'd pick up from Lush but I couldn't resist the cuteness. Right up until the moment I put this in the bath I still wasn't sure about the scent. I prefer sweet smells, and this didn't do it for me. However, once it started fizzing away in my bath I realised that the smell was actually really nice, very fresh and energising. It wasn't as strong as I expected, and whilst it left the room and my skin smelling of it, it wasn't too over powering.

There was also a cute little message inside, which I almost missed as it started disolving in the water! I'm going to stock up on a few more of these before they vanish from the shelves and maybe if I kiss one he might turn into my prince charming?

healthy bannoffee layer

Myself and the four other bloggers who write at Where Are My Knees? were recently contacted by the people of Baking Mad to try out some of their healthy baking recipes. I chose this low calorie banoffee layer and it was delicious! A few of you asked me to share recipe after featuring it in my week in photos, so I thought I'd post it on here too.

It's also worth pointing out that I can't stand dates, and I don't think I'm alone, but they do actually taste almost like toffee when cooked with sugar. I added a little bit to my dessert (less than the recipe suggests) and was surprised at how nice they were!

It felt really indulgent eating these, and it was guilt free knowing that there was no fatty cream, biscuit base or sugary toffee to sabotage my diet! I will definitely be making these again, and also trying them with different fruits. They look great too, so would be a perfect way to impress if you're having friends over for dinner!



INGREDIENTS:

4 low fat oatcakes
3 tsp half spoon granulated sugar (silver spoon)
1 tbsp low fat spread, melted
75 grams pitted dates
2 bananas
Lemon juice
2 tbsp crème fraîche low fat
1 dark chocolate square

DIRECTIONS:

001. Place the oatcakes in a food processor and process until the become crumbs. You could also put the biscuits into plastic bags and beat with a rolling pin.

002. Mix the crumbs, 2 tsp sugar and melted low fat spread.

003. Place the dates, remaining sugar and 4 tbsp water in a small pan and heat gently until the dates have become soft. Beat the mixture so it resembles toffee.

004. Slice the banana and toss in the lemon juice to avoid browning.

005. Spoon half the biscuits crumb in the bottom of two glasses. Top with sliced banana then the date puree followed by crème frachie. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients have been used finished with a dollop of crème fraiche and banana.

006. Grate the chocolate over the cream and serve immediately.