Body Shop – sarah fynn

The Body Shop Drops of Light Brightening Serum Review

The BodyShop Drops Of Light collection has been formulated to brighten and even out skintone whilst effectively reducing dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation is my only skin concern so I am always finding ways to heal my skin. I was on the market of brightening/ dark spot correctors and decided to try out the Body Shop Drops of Light Pure Healthy Brightening Serum.

The Body Shop Drops of Light Brightening Serum is a lightweight serum which quickly sinks into the skin and it has been clinically proven to reduce the number and intensity of dark spots. TBS promise smoother, healthier looking skin with regular look and translucent skin with an even skin tone. They also say the serum will plump the skin with moisture.

Experience

I was very sceptical of this serum for a number of reasons when I first started using it. Firstly, it’s a water-based solution so it doesn’t have that serum like texture or consistency, it’s almost like putting water on your face. Furthermore, I didn’t get the ‘wow’ impression first couple of times I used it (you know how sometimes a product impresses you the 1st time round)

Anyway, I decided to keep using it because it was quite expensive and I hoped I would start seeing results soon. After 2 to 3 weeks of using the serum every night, I noticed my skin started to look brighter and more radiant. I had 3 dark spots on my cheeks and they started to fade as well. I’m now almost 5 weeks or more into the bottle and I must admit I am in love with this product! For women of colour including myself, a lot of us have slightly darker necks than our chest which makes it so difficult to match foundation urgh. I also use this serum on my neck and I have seen I improvements there as well.

I really love this serum, been a water solution it quickly sinks into the skin and immediately leaves a subtle glow. I don’t feel it offers any moisturising benefits but that’s ok as I didn’t get it for that. I use about 2 drops of my face and 1 for my neck and chest area. It doesn’t have a strong fragrance either.

Verdict

I totally wasn’t planning on reviewing this product, I just wanted to experiment with it hence the pictures I did take are so horrible in quality lol. But this serum I will definitely recommend. In fact I mentioned this to a friend who started using it and loved it as well, I think hers it almost finished. I’m also about to run out of mine and it’s a definite repurchase!

TIP- remember for hyperpigmentation, you have to use SPF during the day! I use SPF 50 and that has dramatically improved my skin AND I use it all year round! I have a lot of info on which products and ingredients I recommend right here on the blog as well as skin care routines! Check out these below to get you started

I am re purchasing this serum as soon as I am finished with this bottle! It’s definitely worth the price!

The Body Shop Drops of Light Pure Healthy Brightening Serum is £26 and available in Body Shop

The Best Makeup Setting Sprays

Makeup Setting Sprays get or ditch? A lot of people are sceptical of it and so was I. I mean, making your makeup last longer is the job of primers and powders right? So what do I need a setting spray for? It wasn’t until I tried Mac Fix Plus I was converted! Read on for the best makeup setting sprays and get ready to slay your makeup!

What Do Makeup Setting Sprays Do?

Makeup Setting Sprays or Fixing Sprays help your makeup last all day and fix it in place. They come in different finishes e.g. Mattifying, Dewy etc. think of them like the hairspray for your face, it’s the finishing touches on your look. You can use them to intensify highlighters or eyeshadows/pigments by misting your brushes first. They are also great for dampening your makeup sponges. Makeup Setting Sprays are much better and safer to use than hairsprays. Please do not reach for hairspray to use on your face!

I love setting sprays because they take away the ‘powdery look’ and give me a dewy/glowy look. I also just love misting my face with these. Most of them are packed with good ingredients that do good to your skin

The Best Makeup Setting Sprays

There are a lot of setting sprays out there, from drugstore to high end. I am still on the hunt for new ones but for now, these are my tried, tested & approved ones!

Mac Fix Plus, £17.50

My first ever setting spray and my favourite one till date! I haven’t repurchased because MAC wants to increase prices every year! SMH (it just to be just £10!) but I used to drench my skin with it! You can get the travel size for £10 if you want to try it out

Pixi Glow Mist, £16

This one has been on my list and I can happy I caught it in the ASOS sale! It gives a lovely glow and if you love Pixi you should definitely be thinking about this.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray, £7.50

This has been hailed as the dupe for Mac Fix Plus but for me it really isn’t (I can think of a few others). It’s a lovely setting spray and I really like it. It’s got a good price point too!

Avon Makeup Setting Spray, £6

I was so pleasantly surprised with this spray. I caught it in a sale for £3 and I haven’t looked back since. It leaves the face matte and skin slightly tight but it does wonders for your makeup. Now that I think of it, it reminds me of the Urban Decay All Nighter.

Melvita Rose Beauty Mist, £10

I think this is a dupe for the Mac Fix Plus in terms of how it leaves your face. Love the scent, packaging and the finish of this mist. Read my full review here

Urban Decay All Nighter, £22

One of the first setting sprays I fell in love with. It doesn’t add a dewy finish but it does wonders for your makeup! I heard the De-Slick Makeup Setting Spray, £22 is best for oil skin types but I haven’t tried it since I don’t have excessively oily skin. P.S. it’s available in travel sizes too for £9!

The BodyShop Vitamin C Energising Face Mist, £11 & Vitamin E Hydrating Face Mist, £9.50

Another dupe for Mac Fix Plus is the Vitamin C mist from the BodyShop. Love both of these mists the same so I couldn’t feature one and leave the other. Excellent price point and always included in the offers The BodyShop has (currently having a £25 off a £50 pounds spend!) I lost count of how many times I have repurchased these mists!

Ben Nye Final Seal, £7.95

Ok, this is for special occasions only! Not only with this lock your makeup in so it doesn’t transfer, it ensures your makeup doesn’t budge at all, even in sweat! I tested this out during a wedding I went to in the summer and my makeup remained the same all day. I recommend this but for special occasions only!

Which setting sprays do you love reaching for? Let me know your favourites so I can test them out! if you are Christmas gift shopping don’t forget to check out my guides to help to get the best gift for your loved ones.

Christmas Gift Guides: Skincare Sets, Customised Gifts, Black British Brands

I haven’t done hair post in a while.. hmmm

Best Face Moisturisers

Winter and Skincare

It’s no surprise that winter tends to make our skin look and feel drier. Whilst face moisturisers are recommended all year around and for all skin types, it tends to be emphasised in the colder months! don’t be fooled by thinking heavier lotions/creams offer the best moisturising benefits, you may be left looking like a big ol grease ball! Read on for the best face moisturisers out there that leaves your skin soft, well moisturised and radiant!

How to Choose the Best Face Moisturiser

The best face moisturisers out there have the right ingredients, have some sun protection and sinks right into the skin without the greasy messy! It’s important to have SPF all round, even in the winter and esp. if you are battling hyperpigmentation (more on this in a post later). SPF 30 is best but the minimum is SPF 15. You can always buy SPF separately to layer underneath your face moisturiser if it doesn’t have SPF- don’t worry about flash back, I do this all the time and haven’t had any problems.

The Best Face Moisturisers

Superdrug Vitamin E SPF15 Moisturising Cream, £2.99

Lovely texture and amazing price! Perfect if you are on a budget! I can’t really fault the Vitamin E collection from Superdrug! Just don’t stop making it Superdrug! PLEASE

The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow-Protect Lotion SPF30, £14

The lovely scent of this moisturiser, high SPF content and its effectiveness makes it a winner in my books. A very good price for the drugstore this one is not the one to miss!

Bee Good Youth Enhancing Plump & Firm Moisturiser, £23.50

If you ever try one thing from this brand, let it be this moisturiser. I loved how it left my skin soft without looking oily. It can be used both mornings and evenings which saves you some coins but my only thing is, I wish it had SPF. I also love the packaging- the pump actually works!

Murad ‘Hydro-Dynamic’ Ultimate Moisturiser, £45

It’s a total splurge but really worth it! It’s left my skin moisturised and soft so far in this cold cold winter we are experiencing! I am so happy I got this in my QVC goody bag when I attended one of their events. If you love the Murad brand you have to try this. It has a very light texture and sinks into the skin. My only wish is that it has SPF in it. Again with the packaging- it screams luxury! Bummer- I am running out of this!

Sukin Rosehip Hydrating Day Cream, £20.40

I remember attending the Sukin UK launch last year and getting this in my goody bag. The pot lasted me a good 6 months! Sukin is one of Australia‘s bestselling brands and it’s finally available in the UK. This moisturiser is lovely and formulated with Rose hip oil which is well known for amazing properties. This is natural, organic skincare at its best and very affordable as well. Pop into your local Boots or Whole Foods and get a pot now!

Did I miss your fav face moisturiser? Let me know in the comments below! I can only recommend products I have tried and tested personally so I have probably missed out on a lot of other great moisturisers too.

Want more skincare? Check out these previous posts

Do I need a skincare routine?, All about Hyaluronic Acid

Catch me on Instagram as I unbox my No7 and Marks and Spencer Beauty Advent Calendars! I would love to see which calendars you guys are unboxing too

Until the next post

Sarah

The Body Shop Tea Tree

Body Shop series officially popular! We will be carrying on with their tea tree range which is targets oily and problematic skin that is prone to blemishes and breakouts. It is also very beneficial in treating acne (which probably makes it very popular).

The Body Shop tea tree oil range has been formulated with tamanu oil extract which is also known to help generate new tissue and improve help improve the healing process of the skin.

Their full collection:

Tea tree squeaky clean scrub
Tea tree cool and creamy wash
Tea tree oil
Tea tree skin clearing foaming cleanser
Tea tree face mask
Tea tree facial toner
Tea tree cleansing wipes
Tea tree night lotion
Tea tree facial wash
Tea tree blemish gel
Tea tree skin clearing lotion
Tea tree pore minimiser

Here are some great reviews on most of the products:

Final verdict- I think it does what it says on the tube! Although I haven’t used any of the products in this range, from research it seems like it works. So what are you blemish clearing secrets/tips? Share with us below! Mine is- if I know I have a big day coming up and I have to wear a lot of makeup, I try to go bare faced for 3 days or more before, then on the morning of the day, I do a face mask to prep my skin!

Remember I have a link for you to earn up to 11.55% cash back on all your Body Shop purchases online! TopCash back offers you cash back when you shop through their sites on many different website e.g. BodyShop, Boohoo and Missguided. It’s worth having a look. Here’s the link below:

http://www.topcashback.co.uk/ref/sarahfynn

That’s all folks! Body Shop Skincare has a lot of skincare collections that treat different issues, this mini-series will go through ALL of them complete with reviews. If you want to purchase any of the products, you can shop online>> http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/shop-by-range/tea-tree.aspx#/tea-tree.aspx or visit their store.

Until next time

Love

Sarah