Update: Berlin Living

I'm so excited to share this news ... I'll be spending six weeks working in Berlin this summer!  I'm flying out tomorrow and can't wait to blog about my German adventures.  If you have any tips on things to do, nice bars or shops to visit I'm all ears :)

New In: Neal's Yard Remedies

If you follow me on Instagram (floralteaparty) you may have noticed I had a little Neal's Yard Remedies, COS and Boots splurge the other week.  Here's my Neal's Yard goodies.  This month InStyle magazine are giving away a free Power Berry moisturiser plus there's a 20% discount voucher inside the magazine.

I decided to put the voucher to good use, and bought the Palmarosa Skincare Essential's Kit, which is aimed at oily skin.  Although in winter my skin can be dry/dehydrated I find in summer it goes a bit oily, haywire really.  This trial kit contains a 50ml facial wash, 50ml moisturiser and a 10ml mattifier and was £25.  I also picked up the Palmaroser which was £15.50 for 200ml.  The woman was so helpful and was very generous with the samples.  She gave me three samples of the Palmarosa mattifier and three of the White Tea eye gel. The only thing I've tried out so far is the mattifier, which is ah-mazing.  I use this on my forehead and chin, over my moisturiser and under foundation and it really helps keep shine at bay.  I can't wait to try out my other products! Have you tried anything from Neal's Yard recently? 

Leaving Blues

Hi everyone, sorry I've not updated this blog in a while.  As I've mentioned before, I've just returned home to Scotland from an amazing year abroad in France.  After the initial buzz of seeing my friends and family I'm definitely now experiencing a bit of a comedown and a bad case of the 'Year Abroad Blues.'  I really do miss living in France, hearing and speaking French everyday and all the people I met during my time there.  Luckily I've not had too much time to mope about though, as last week I did a media work placement .  I learned so much and really enjoyed myself and with 9-5 days I was kept very busy.  I also fit in seeing Bruce Springsteen in concert (amazing) and brainstorming attempts for my dissertation (not so amazing)  As you might imagine with all this, I've been doing minimal makeup and practical outfits but I've still got lots of ideas for posts though so I can't wait to write them up for you.  What have you all been upto?

Middle of the Bed

I can't get enough of rose-scented products at the moment, so here's a selection of my favourites!  The title is inspired by the English singer, jam-maker and all round lovely girl Lucy Rose

REN Moroccan Rose Body Cream - I got this free with Harper's Bazaar last month, gorgeous scent and very moisturising.  It does take a while to absorb though, so I'm often left in that awkward 'zombie in a towel' position waiting for this to dry!  

Korres Japanese Rose Body Butter - I picked this up in TKMaxx.  Lovely scent and it's so light on the skin that I sometimes even use this during the day as a handcream.

Anatomicals You Need a Bloomin' Shower Rose Shower Gel - I got this in the supermarket on offer a while back and it's so nice to start my day with this.  The scent could be a bit stronger but for the price (about £1.30 I think!) I really can't complain.

The Body Shop Wild Rose Hand Cream + Hand Wash - I absolutely love these two! My mum always buys the hand wash and it makes your hands feel so clean and silky soft, and the hand cream is lovely and luxurious too.
Zara Woman Rose Perfume - The town I lived in in France didn't have a Zara, so when we visited the nearby big town we used to go a bit crazy there.  One day I was so excited to visit Zara then didn't find any nice clothes so picked up this perfume, refusing to leave without buying anything.  I didn't really expect to even like it but I love it!  It's become my daily go to scent, and was under ten euros.

Pukka Cleanse Tea

When I was home for Christmas, I picked up this Pukka 'cleanse' tea in my local Jan de Vries health shop.  I then went back to France for the rest of my year abroad and forgot all about it.  When I came home last month I found it languishing at the back of the kitchen cupboard and decided to use it up.  In the description, it claims to 'purify your skin and maintain a healthy, glowing complexion' and it contains nettle, fennel, peppermint and dandelion.  First things first, I don't really appreciate the taste of this. It contains licorice, which I think is a bit love or hate.  However, it's not too strong, so if I drink this quickly I don't find the taste too offensive.  I usually drink this before bed and it really helps me to sleep.

Now for the most important bit, does it actually help your skin? I've been drinking this about three times a week for five or six weeks now and I do think my skin is less clogged and has a bit more radiance.  The problem is, and I'm sure this is the case for most people, it's hard to know if this is down to the tea or other factors like my diet or skincare routine.  I do think this doesn't do any harm to your skin, and if I drink this during my er, hormonal times, it helps a lot.  To be honest I think this does the same job as any other type/flavour of herbal tea.  As I prefer the taste of peppermint or camomile tea, I think I'll go back to them once I've used these teabags up.  Have you tried this tea before?

Current Skincare Wants

Origins Zero Oil Cleanser - With the hot weather my skin is a lot oilier, even though it's usually on the drier side.  I visited the Origins counter on Friday and the woman suggested their Zero Oil cleanser, which is now first on my wishlist.  
Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil - I've just finished up my Nuxe Dry Oil which I absolutely love.  I can't decide whether to repurchase this or try out the Trilogy one, which I've heard so many good things about.  Decisions decisions.  
Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream - I'm nearing the end of my Avene Soothing Eye Contour Cream, and have itchy feet to try something new.  I think it was on Suzie's blog I first read about this Balance Me eye cream which sounds really impressive.  
Origins Ginzing Moisturiser - Finally a newer product, I've never tried the Origins Ginzing Eye Cream but I'm really tempted by the new moisturiser.  I think £23 for an Origins moisturiser is fairly affordable, but I might wait till winter to pick this up when my skin needs more of an energy boost.  

May Favourites

Here's my May favourites, I didn't even have to think what to include as these products have been getting so much love from me recently!

Skincare
Superfacialist Tea Flower Clay Mask - I leave this face mask on for five minutes and can see instant results when I wash it off.  I've been using this once or twice a week recently and it's a lovely product.
Nuxe Dry Oil - This is just amazing! I apply a thin layer before my moisturiser at night and in the morning my skin is glowing.  It helps to even out both dry patches and combat oiliness.
Avene Soothing Eye Contour Cream - This is my favourite eye cream, it's very gentle and really helps soothe tired eyes.

Makeup
No 7 BB Cream - This is the first BB cream I've ever got along with.  As it's designed for oily skin, it doesn't make my face look like an oilslick like most other BB creams I've tried.  I've been wearing this on its own with concealer most days this month and I'm really not missing my usual heavy foundations!
Kiko Blusher - This is the perfect bright pink blusher for summer.  I just need a tiny amount and it lasts all day too.
Lush Eyes Right Mascara - This is the only mascara I've ever re-purchased!  The small brush means it's great for corner lashes, and it's good for volume too.
Benefit Boi-ing Concealer in 01 - This is my new wonder product, I even made my sister buy it!  It's great for undereyes, redness and blemishes, such an all-rounder.
EcoTools Concealer brush - I use this to apply the Benefit concealer, it's the perfect size for concealing the undereye area.

Have you tried any of these products?  What are you favourite products this month?