Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads

My skin is the bane of my life, I have super dry and dehydrated skin and because of my poor health and the medication I take, my skin suffers badly and can change dramatically and literally overnight. I have been using an acid toner as an exfoliant for many years now and always use an acid toner as part of my skincare routine either in the form of a liquid toner or a glycolic acid soaked pad, the pads I have always used previously were the Nip + Fab Glycolic Cleansing Pads and I have always liked them but I won't use them anymore through personal choice which I won't go into right now. 

My friend Gemma told me a few months ago that she had been using the Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads £5.99 and that she really liked them, so when I got some in the goody bag I got from my lovely treat at Superdrug in the Trafford Centre I couldn't wait to use them and see if I liked them as much as the Nip + Fab pads. I have well and truly tried and tested the pads now and this post is long overdue so I thought it was about time I shared my thoughts with you.

WHAT SUPERDRUG SAY ABOUT THE PADS

Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads. 60 pads soaked in a specially developed blend of Glycolic Acid & fruit AHA’s. Help to remove dead cells from the surface of the skin leaving it fresher. With witch hazel to help tone the skin and added Aloe & Pro Vitamin B5.

MY THOUGHTS

I like the packaging of the pads, it looks fresh with the green and silver labelling, the pot has a screw on lid which is easy to open and close, on the front of the pot are the name of the pads and a few facts about them with instructions and an ingredients list on the back.  

The pads are a nice size and easy to use, I use them twice a day or once a day when I use my acid toner but you can use them once a day if you feel it's enough but because my skin is so dry I need to use an acid toning product twice a day. I have sensitive skin which is eczema prone but I haven't experienced any irritation at all using the pads. 

To use the pads, I take one pad out of the tub and starting at the top of my forehead, I work down and across my face from left to right and then I turn the pad over and do it again using the other side of the pad. The pads work brilliantly at removing dead skin cells and my skin is left feeling soft and smooth after I have used the pads, I find they are also brilliant for reducing redness and scarring left by blemishes. 

My skin feels amazing after using the pads and looks bright and fresh too, I have noticed a reduction in scarring I had from blemishes too which is brilliant, my skin is extremely dry and dehydrated but since using these pads it has looked and felt so much better and brighter too, these are the most affordable acid toning product I have used but the best by far and being Superdrug branded they are cruelty free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. 

I haven't found that the pads dry out at all and I have stored them both upside down and the right way up, I usually always store pads like this upside down to stop them from drying out but I wanted to try storing them both ways for the purpose of my review and I found that they don't dry out when stored the right way up either. 

 FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall I have really enjoyed using the Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads and so much so that I have re purchased more since using them up, I now have a tub on the go and a back up tub so I don't run out. The pads are amazing at removing the dead skin cells and leaving my skin feeling soft and looking a lot brighter. The pads are excellent and I find they work so much better than the Nip + Fab pads and they are cheaper, so it's a win win situation. 

I can't recommend these pads highly enough, they are amazing and I am so glad that Gemma told me about them, if you like to use an acid toner as part of your skincare routine, give these a go, you won't be disappointed. 

At the moment the pads are on offer and are priced at £5.99 with a buy one get one free offer too, so now would be a brilliant time to try them, you can find them in store and online at Superdrug. 

Have you tried the Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads? Do you use an acid toner as part of your skincare routine? Share with me in the comments below.

Hair Styling With Sexy Hair

I have tried and loved a couple of products from the brand Sexy Hair, their products always blow me away and I always get a great response from you all when I feature their products on my blog, so when I received 2 more products from Sexy Hair, I couldn't wait to try them and share them with you. 

The products I have are the Sexy Hair Big Spray & Play Volumising Hairspray and the Sexy Hair Long Luxe Detangler Leave In Spray. 

Sexy Hair Big Spray & Play Volumising Hairspray - £14.95

I have very thin hair and it doesn't keep a style well, I mostly wear my hair in a messy bun or down, and when it is down it is long and straight, but I have realised that if I leave my hair to air dry which I often do as I can't dry my hair myself, for some reason it develops a beachy waves kind of look, I have no idea why because if dried with the hairdryer, it is poker straight but it does look quite nice and I have had a lot of compliments and people asking me how I have done my hair when all I have done is left it to dry. 

But and there is a but, because my hair is super thin, styles don't stay for very long and if I want a style to last, I have to use hairspray. I had always used cheap own brand hairspray that to be honest didn't do a lot, and I always thought that high end hairspray wouldn't be any different, that was until I tried the Sexy Hair Big Spray & Play Volumising Hair Spray. The play and spray hairspray is a volumising hair spray that holds my hair in place but doesn't leave it feeling at all crispy, it gives my hair brilliant lift and volume and my hair stays in place for so much longer than when I use my usual hairspray, my hair also looks lovely and shiny when I use the hairspray which is something I don't experience too much being blonde. 

When I wear my hair in a messy bun I like to have a little lift at the front but it usually flops almost immediately, the Sexy Hair hairspray keeps my hair in place brilliantly.  A couple of weeks ago, I was going on a rare shopping trip but the weather was appalling and being sat in a wheelchair means when it's wet outside, I get wet, umbrella's and wheelchairs aren't the best combination. So my daughter Lissy put my hair up in a messy style that looked like it hadn't taken any effort but really she had been messing about with my hair for a while. Lissy sprayed my hair with the hairspray and it still looked exactly the same when I came home, to be fair I didn't get rained on much only a touch but I was very warm being in pain and being in busy shops and my hair still looked great hours later. 

Sexy Hair Long Luxe Detangler Leave In Spray - £16.95 

I'm sure you will have heard me say before that when my hair is wet after being washed and towel dried, it is super knotty and tangled, I have no idea why but my hair just gets really tangled and knotty when it is wet and I always have to use a detangler, I have used quite a few detanglers over the years so I have become a bit of a connoisseur. 

The Sexy Hair Long Luxe Detangler Leave In Spray claims to be ideal for long hair and hair extensions, my hair is long, I recently had around 5-6 inches cut off it but it is still around bra strap length to give you an idea, so this detangler seemed perfect for my hair. To use the detangler you spray it all over the hair when it has been washed and towel dried and then brush and style as normal. The detangler claims to reduce tangles by 82% and my hair is a good test as it is 100% tangled when it is wet. 

The detangler has a continuous spray and can be sprayed at any angle which is really good, when my hair has been washed the detangler is sprayed through my hair, avoiding my roots because I have super oily hair and some hair products can leave my hair looking oily, my hair is then brushed through and dried either with the hairdryer or left to air dry. The detangler leaves my hair super easy to brush through, it does an excellent job of detangling my hair when it is wet and doesn't leave my hair looking oily when it has dried which is brilliant. 

I like that the detangler is a fine mist and the product is nice and light in my hair, I always worry that using products like this will result in my hair looking oily when it has just been washed, but this is nice and light and my hair is much easier to brush through when it is wet and is left feeling soft and not looking oily. 

OVERALL THOUGHTS   

I really like both products, the hairspray is my favourite out of the 2 because it gives my hair so much more lift and volume and keeps my hair in place without leaving it feeling crispy and full of product like most other hairsprays I have tried. It is expensive but I don't use it very often so it will last a very long time, I don't mind paying more for a product if it does what is claims to and is a great product especially if I don't use it very often and it will last me a long time, so I would re purchase the hair spray once I have used it all up, I think my daughters will get some use from it too when they curl their hair because anything that can keep my hair in place is a good product because it usually falls out within minutes. 

I also really like the detangler and it is a really great product and it is brilliant at detangling my hair when it's wet and doesn't leave my hair looking oily, but I have other hair detanglers that are less than half the price and contain more product that do the same job so I wouldn't re purchase the detangler but only because of the price, the product is brilliant but for me, a little expensive, but if you like high end hair products or only need to use a detangler occasionally it would be a brilliant product for you and I will of course continue to use it, the only negative for me is the price. 

Have you tried either of these products? Or have you tried any products from the Sexy Hair ranges? Let me know in the comments below. 

My First................Everything

I love blog posts that enable me to find out a little bit more about the blogger behind the blog, especially if it's a blog I read regularly.  I saw a post on my friend Emmy's blog a few weeks ago called My First........Everything and I loved it, so much so I asked Emmy if she would mind if I also wrote the post, Emmy said no and of course I could, so here is my version of My First.........Everything, and make sure you check out Emmy's post too, you can find it here. 

MY FIRSTS

Memory - When I was born up to being 3, we lived in a house that backed onto a large farmers field. I remember playing in the garden and my dad accidentally throwing my beloved red ball over the fence into the farmers field, and the farmer running over it with his tractor! 

Pet - Growing up we had a family dog, Sam. Sam was a black Labrador bred by my granddad and we had him until he was 15 and had to be put to sleep because he had cancer. My very own first pet though was a golden and white Syrian hamster called Valentine, I got her for my 12th birthday and my birthday is on Valentines day hence her name, not very original I know. 

Friend - My first friend was a girl called Suzanne and randomly I can still remember that she was born on 29th February, we lost touch when we moved miles away to another area, I wonder if she still remembers me?

Kiss - My first kiss was a really quick and embarrassing kiss with a boy when I was around 13, to be honest it makes me cringe now as much as it did at the time ha ha.

Dream Job - My dream job was always to be a hairdresser, I used to spend hours blow drying my mums hair and my step mums hair and I used to spend most school lunchtimes braiding and styling my friends hair. Then when I was 14 I got a job in a hairdressers and I absolutely hated it with a passion, the dream job ended there. 

Broken Bone - I broke my little toe and a small bone at the side of my foot when I was around 8 years old, I did it during a school swimming lesson and it really hurt, I told the teacher who clearly thought I was just moaning and then when it was home time I told my mum and then my dad when he got home from work. All night I kept complaining and my parents thought I was over reacting, until the morning after when the whole right side of my foot was black and blue. My parents had to take me to A&E and admit to them they hadn't believed it hurt so much, charming!

Drunken Night - My first drunken night is a rather embarrassing tale, it was a typical case of peer group pressure and at a school friends party when I was 16. Someone at the party brought Pernod and we all thought it would be a brilliant idea if we drank it, not wanting to look an idiot I joined in and then I then went home and tried to pretend I was completely sober whilst talking to my dad in the kitchen who obviously knew I was drunk, not long after coming home and trying to act sober, I threw up in the kitchen bin! I ended up looking much more stupid than if I had declined the Pernod and I have never touched it since and even now, the smell of aniseed makes me feel nauseous. 

Celebrity Crush - My first celebrity crush was George Michael, I was a huge Wham fan and have loved George Michael since the age of 11.  I was devastated when he died and haven't been able to listen to his music without crying since. I never realised what an impact a celebrity I don't know dying would have on me. 

Tattoo - I got my first tattoo when I was 26 and I had it done by Louis Malloy who is now well known for programmes such as London Ink, back in the day when I had my tattoo he wasn't well known but was very popular and I paid a deposit and was on a 6 month waiting list. I had 3 small stars at the base of my back, they are the same 3 stars that Victoria Beckham had after Brooklyn was born, she has now added to hers and has more. I still have my 3, I loved Victoria's and the meaning behind it, she had it done for her, David and Brooklyn, at the time I was a single mum and mine represents me and my girls. 

Piercing - I had my ears pierced on my 16th birthday, I had wanted my ears pierced since being 6 years old but my mum wouldn't allow it and said I had to wait until I was 16 and I did. 

Hair Disaster - When I was around 12 years old a new hairdressing salon opened up just around the corner from where we lived, the stylist who worked their was the daughter of someone my mum worked with so I booked in to have my hair cut. She made such a mess of my hair and I ended up with what was effectively, a short back and sides, it looked absolutely awful and I cried for days. 

Concert - When I was 7 or 8 years old my parents made myself and my brother go to a Leo Sayer concert, yes that's right, Leo Sayer! It was as appalling as you can imagine and both myself and my brother were not happy at all, I'd love to tell you my first concert was someone really cool, but no, it was Leo Sayer!

Holiday Abroad - My first holiday abroad was to Olhos De Agua in the Algarve, Portugal and it was lovely. I can still remember it now, my parents had split up then and my dad took me and my brother, we had a lovely time and caught a cat fish and wanted to keep it as a pet, funnily enough we had to put it back because it was none to happy being kept in an outside sink at our apartment. We went on lots of trips while we were there and we had a really lovely time, I have very fond memories of it and would love to go back one day, it was a beautiful place. 

I really enjoyed writing this post, thank you so much to my lovely friend Emmy for allowing me to copy her post. I hope you enjoyed finding out a little bit more about me. 

Emmy is not only my friend, she is a very talented blogger and blog header designer and Emmy is the person behind my new header, she creates amazing blog headers and I highly recommend her, she is extremely lovely too, you can check out some of the headers she has created here. 

I hope you have enjoyed finding out some of my firsts, let me know some of your firsts in the comments. 

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Blank Canvas Cosmetics - F01 Quick Brush

There's nothing quite like having a new makeup brush to use is there? I love new brushes, especially ones I haven't ever tried. so when the Blank Canvas Cosmetics F01 Quick Brush arrived for me to try, I couldn't wait to start using it, and it is pink, need I say more?

Blank Canvas are a brand I hadn't ever heard of so obviously I hadn't ever used any of their products either, so before I tried the brush I found out a bit about the brand as I like to know some background information to share with you.

ABOUT BLANK CANVAS

The Blank Canvas philosophy is that they see the face as a 'blank canvas' with endless possibilities. They are an online cosmetics brand based in Ireland that bring quality products that are an affordable price. Their affordable prices aim to save you money on customs and shipping charges, which can be expensive when ordering from international countries. If you live within the EU you can enjoy zero customs charges, customers outside the EU may have customs charges on larger orders, so Blank Canvas recommend checking your own country's customs rates. 

THE F01 QUICK BRUSH

The Blank Canvas F01 Quick Brush £14.51 caught my eye immediately, pink is my favourite colour so I loved the colour of the brush handle on the F01 Quick Brush as soon as I saw the brush in it's plastic packaging. The brush handle is a lovely shocking pink with gold text with the Blank Canvas logo and F01. The brush has a gold ferrule, with densely packed bristles that feel super soft, the bristles are anti bacterial and the brush is cruelty free and vegan.  

The brush is a nice size, the brush handle is a little shorter than some of my other brushes but I like the size, it fits in my hand nicely. The brush is extremely soft and the although the bristles are densely packed the brush has plenty of movement and isn't stiff or solid feeling at all and feels lovely on the skin. 

MY THOUGHTS

I have used the F01 brush to apply my foundation or whichever base product I am using, powder and bronzer and it worked well with those products, but my absolute favourite way to use the brush is to apply my foundation/base product and that is how I use the brush all the time now.  

The F01 brush is extremely soft, with a domed finish meaning the brush buffs my base products into the skin effortlessly the brush is lovely to use and feels lovely on my skin. I hadn't used a brush to apply my base products for a while when I received the F01 as I prefer to use a beauty blender, and I didn't think I was going to like using a brush to apply my base,  but after using the F01 Quick Brush to apply my foundation, I really liked the finish it gave me and the way my foundation applied. After using the brush the first time to apply my foundation, I realised where the name Quick Brush comes from, the brush is incredible, I pop some foundation either on the back of my hand or dot it around my face and then use the brush to buff my foundation in, it buffs it in effortlessly and so quickly too, much faster than when I use my beauty blender, meaning it takes less time for me to do my makeup. 

The F01 brush washes and dries really well and I haven't experienced any shedding at all, I use the Beauty Blender solid cleanser to clean my makeup brushes and the F01 washes really well and is like new when it has been washed, it also dries well and doesn't lose it's shape. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall I am really impressed with the F01 brush, it feels lovely, it applies my foundation beautifully and leaves me with a flawless finish, it washes and dries well, doesn't shed and it is pink, what more could I want? I really like the brush and would love to try some more brushes from Blank Canvas, if they are all as good as this one, they'll be brilliant! If you are in need of some new make up brushes, I would definitely recommend you check out the Blank Canvas website the brushes and brush sets all look amazing and they are affordable too, I am super impressed with the F01 and I think you would love their brushes too. 

Have you tried any Blank Canvas makeup brushes? Or have you tried the F01 Quick Brush? Do you prefer a brush or sponge to apply your foundation? Let me know in the comments below.

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