Posts tagged Montagne Jeunesse

BeTrousse Christmas Beauty Box

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Earlier this week I received an unexpected parcel in the post, which turned out to be the latest offering from BeTrousse – their Christmas Beauty Box.  A bit late I know, but better late than never!  This time, the box contains seven full-size products and retails for £19, saving you a whopping £78 based on the RRP of each product.  Here is what’s in the box…

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  • Tattyoo Temporary Tattoo Set
  • Charme D’Orient Relaxing Body Massage Cream
  • Skinetica Anti-Blemish
  • Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask
  • TurboSlim ChronoActiv Tablets
  • Soins Experts HydraExpert Cream
  • Saffron London Crackling Nail Polish

My first thoughts when I opened the box were mixed.  To start with, the contents weren’t very Christmassy!  Given the name of the box I was expecting a bit of glitter and maybe some festive red lipstick, but there wasn’t any in sight, and instead I was met with the usual abundance of skin care products.  Luckily, I love to pamper my skin, so I can never have too many lotions and potions!

As usual, BeTrousse have generously provided full-size products so you can really feel the effects of each product before deciding whether or not to repurchase.  So, for now, I will let you know my first impression of each item, and review them in more detail at a later date when I’ve given them a good go.

Tattyoo Temporary Tattoo Set – 2 sheets – RRP £5.00

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In all honesty I thought this was a strange addition to a beauty box.  I haven’t used tattoo transfers since I was a child, and I can’t think of a situation which would call for these.  Not for me I’m afraid, but having looked at Tattyoo’s website they do have some amazing, affordable designs which might be fun to wear as an accessory when you fancy something a bit different and creative, without the committment of having a real tattoo!

Charme D’Orient Relaxing Body Massage Cream – 100ml – RRP £16.00

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This Belle Nigelle relaxing body cream is easily my favourite product in the box.  If you’ve read my Omni Massage Roller review you’ll know I love a good massage, so this is right up my street.  The cream itself smells absolutely beautiful as it contains cinnamon essential oils, and it has a light, smooth consistency which massages delicately into the skin without making a mess.  Ideal for relaxing muscles, I’m sure I’ll be getting a lot of use out of this – a definite winner!  Not all boxes contain this though – the alternative product is a Bath & Massage Oil by the same brand.

Skinetica Anti-Blemish – 100ml – RRP £9.99

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I’m always on the look-out for new spot clearing products, so Skinetica’s Anti-Blemish was a welcome addition to the box.  I’ve only tried this on the back of my hand so far so I can’t comment on whether it works, but it claims to show results within 2 to 3 days which is pretty impressive.  The liquid is clear and non-greasy, and contains no nasty chemicals, so it’s bound to be gentle on the skin – a bonus for sensitive souls like myself!

Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask – 1 mask – RRP £1.49

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I have tried Montagne Jeunesse’s Dead Sea Mud Spa mask before and I loved it.  They’re such a lovely product for a girly pamper session, so I was glad to have another to add to my dwindling stash.  If you want to know more about what I think of the mask, you can read my review here.  At £1.49 they are a steal!

TurboSlim ChronoActiv Tablets – 28 tablets – RRP £29.95

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TurboSlim ChronoActiv appeared in BeTrousse’s first box, and has popped up again in the Christmas box.  I have no intention of losing any more weight, so I won’t be using these, and quite frankly I don’t believe that weightloss pills actually work!  The box contains 28 pills and you’re supposed to take 2 a day, meaning one box will last for 14 days.  The box states that you will start to see results after 15 days, so one box wouldn’t make a difference anyway, and to buy another box costs £29.95.  A rather expensive investment for something that might not work!

Soins Experts HydraExpert Cream – 50ml – RRP £34.00

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HydraExpert is formulated to have protective, soothing, anti-oxidant and hydrating properties – four things which my dry, sensitive skin needs!  I’ve only tried this on my hand so far and the cream has a nice consistency and very little smell.  Given its properties, I think it will make a nice addition to my skin care routine.

Saffron London Crackling Nail Polish – 14ml – RRP £0.75

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Last, and unfortunately least, is this – a bottle of Saffron London black crackle varnish.  The very same varnish was included in BeTrousse’s last box, the Pretty Beauty Box, and I feel the same about it now as I did then!  The crackle trend is on its way out now, and considering I already have one of these I don’t have much use for this, so I will be giving it away.

Overall, another mixed bag of products.  Some I love, some I don’t, and the Christmas theme really isn’t there at all.  However, if you’re interested in trying one of the more expensive products in the box then this is definitely worth the £19 price tag, as you’ll be saving money AND getting several other products to try.

Which product in the Christmas Beauty Box do you most like the look of?

Naomi x

*I was sent the BeTrousse Christmas Beauty Box by BeTrousse for review purposes.  All thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own*

My Top 10 Beauty Products of 2012

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In February 2012, when Bewitchery was born, I decided to broaden my beauty horizons and try as many new products as possible throughout the year, without breaking the bank.  In my mission to discover new favourites I came across many products which were less than impressive, but luckily I also found a great deal of fantastic ones, a fair few of which I have used time and time again, and will continue to do so.  In this post I will give you a round-up of just a few of the best products I tried for the first time in 2012, linking to my review of each with a little extract of my post, just to give you an idea of why I love it!

1. e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliner

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“In terms of lasting power, this liner definitely has it.  I have been wearing it now since this morning and it still looks as bright as it did when it first went on, and the line is just as clean.  I’ve been rubbing my eyes a bit today too and it hasn’t smudged a bit – amazing!”

2. Models Own ‘Disco Mix’

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“The absolute best thing about this nail polish is the colour.  My favourite colours are purple, turquoise and pink, and ‘Disco Mix’ combines turquoise and pink glitter to create a polish which looks purple at a distance.  The glitter colours are SO bright and bold.”

3. MUA Professional Matte Foundation

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“One of the things that drew me to this foundation was the fact that it is matte and claims to offer a long-lasting velvet finish.  I suffer from an oily T-zone (especially during the summer months) and I don’t like the shine that the oil creates, so I am always looking for ways to minimise the shine.  MUA’s Matte Foundation, as you would hope, does give a matte complexion, and it keeps most of the shine at bay.”

4. Hawaiian Tropic After Sun Body Butter

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“The body butter itself is fantastically light and creamy and feels so luxurious on the skin.  It is absorbed very quickly too, leaving no messy residue.  The product contains coconut oil, shea butter and avocado oil to aid with moisturisation, but despite the oil content it isn’t at all greasy.  The oils make the butter ‘Intensively hydrating’, and combine to give ’12 hour moisturisation’, and believe me, the softness really does last that long.”

5. TanOrganic Sunless Tan

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“Though the tan didn’t give my legs an intense colour, it did make them look nicely, naturally tanned and lightly brown, and I am very pleased with the results.  There are no orange blotches or dirty looking streaks in sight, and my skin tone looks very even and smooth.  The difference is only minor, but it is noticeable, and that is what I wanted so it has done its job well in my opinion.”

6. Montagne Jeunesse Moisturising Lip Balm

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“Not one of Montagne Jeunesse’s lip balms contain petroleum jelly, so they aren’t greasy at all.  Rather, they are made from 100% natural beeswax and olive oil and are lightly creamy but intensely moisturising.  The beeswax forms a protective layer on the lips making them long-lasting, and the olive oil gives them a subtle shine.”

7. Models Own ‘Northern Lights’

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“Northern Lights consists of a very fine dusky pink glitter, and is studded with delicate flakes of holographic glitter which shine purple, blue, orange, yellow and green in most lights.  Even in the bottle, the varnish is breathtaking, and I have never seen anything quite like it before.”

8. Nivea Express Hydration Primer

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“The primer leaves a smooth, non-greasy base on the skin, and since I’ve been using this I have found that my foundation smooths onto my skin far more easily and evenly than usual, without going patchy on any dry bits.  The primer keeps my powder and blusher in place too, so on the whole my make up lasts a lot longer, which I think is down to the lack of greasiness.”

9. Bubbles & Butters Crazy for Chocolate Shower Bubbles

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“The gel is very creamy and lathers into masses of moisturising bubbles quicker than any other shower gel I have ever used!  Because of its impressive lathering abilities, a little goes a long way with these bubbles, so a £2 coin size is enough for your whole body.”

10. Omni Massage Roller & Sports Oil

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“The first time I used the roller I asked my mum to help me reach the tense areas on my back, and even though she used it over my clothing I was amazed that the roller was sensitive enough to pick out all the knots in my muscles.  We could both feel them ‘crunching’, which sounds horrible but it meant she knew which areas to focus on.  The shape and movement of the ball means that any focused pressure is distributed outwards slightly, so the knots can be worked out without any pain or discomfort.”

…and one that I LOVE and am going to review again because I didn’t write much last time…

Sally Hansen Moisturising Polish Remover

“Unlike most nail varnish removers, this Sally Hansen offering smells lovely, almost like a body lotion, and doesn’t sting your eyes or nose with harsh vapours.  It removes nail varnish quickly, with minimum effort, so you don’t need to sit for ages rubbing away to no avail!”

What were your favourite products of 2012?

Naomi x

Winterlicious Tag Post

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Last week I was tagged in a Winterlicious Tag Post by the lovely Proper Sweetie (you should check out her blog, it’s awesome).  I really enjoy doing posts like this every now and then, so I have finally got round to answering the tag questions, and will be tagging a few of you at the end.  So, if you’d like to answer the questions yourself, please feel free!

1) Favourite winter nail polish?

My favourite nail polishes this winter are from the new Models Own Wonderland collection.  They’re all SO pretty and glittery and perfect for Christmas, with their festive names.  They remind me of snow and ice and Christmas decorations.  I currently own three of the five – Jack Frost, Southern Lights and Northern Lights (which I reviewed here).

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2) Favourite winter lip product?

Montagne Jeunesse’s Natural Beeswax Lip Balms have been life savers for me these last few months.  I always get really sore, dry lips during the autumn and winter so I need to use a good lip balm every day to protect them.  Montagne Jeunesse’s lip balms are really rich and moisturising, but not greasy, so they sit easy on the lips and do an amazing job.  In fact, I forgot to use it for a couple of days and my lips got sore, but after a few applications of this lip balm my lips were as good as new.  They come in a few different flavours as well which are suited to different lip problems.

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3) Most worn winter clothing piece?

My purple shimmer Dr Martens boots.  As you may have read in this post, I am a Dr Martens addict, and I always look forward to autumn and winter so I can get my big chunky boots out again.  My purple ones are the classic 8-hole style boot and, without fail, they keep my feet warm and dry all winter.  I love the colour and the shimmer factor – they’re just a little bit different to your normal winter boot!

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4) Most worn winter accessory?

This year it has to be my cute Robin Print Snood!  I bought it a couple of months ago from Primark for only £4, and I have been wearing it every day since under my coat.  It’s made of quite thin fabric, but it’s really big so it wraps round nicely and is lovely and snuggly.  The beauty of a snood is you can put it over your head without looking daft when it gets cold and you don’t have a hat/hood, but it also looks great accessorised with any outfit!

5) Favourite winter scent/candle?

At Christmas we tend to burn our usual Yankee candles, which always smell gorgeous, but yesterday my mum bought a cheap Glade candle from their winter collection and it’s divine!  I do believe it was Spiced Apple scented.

6) Favourite winter beverage?

It has to be the classic hot chocolate or mulled wine.  Although, I should hopefully be trying Chai Tea Latte soon which is lightly spiced, and I have a feeling that may become this year’s favourite winter beverage…

7) All time favourite Christmas/holiday movie?

The Polar Express!  I have it on DVD and watch it every year.  The end makes me cry every time, just because it’s so lovely, and it always gets me in the Christmas spirit.  I want to watch it on Christmas Eve this year…  I still believe!

8) Favourite Christmas/holiday song?

I hate to admit it but Last Christmas by Wham! is one of my ultimate guilty pleasures!  Although, when I was a baby, the only song that would calm me down and put me to sleep was Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, at any time of year :)

9) Favourite holiday food/treat?

This one is hard to answer as Christmas is a time for indulgence and there are SO many yummy things I love to eat at this time of year!  One of my favourites though has to be Lebkuchen, a traditional German baked treat which is a cross between a biscuit and a cake.  It tastes like cinnamon and ginger, is sprinkled with icing sugar and is best dipped in dark chocolate!

10) What is your favourite Christmas decoration this year?

We haven’t actually put our Christmas decorations up yet this year, but at the weekend my mum bought a real Christmas tree which is going to sit in a pot outside on our patio all year round :)  It’s covered in solar-powered coloured lights at the  minute and it looks lovely.

One of my old favourite Christmas decorations was a huge purple and silver glass bauble.  I loved it for years, since I was tiny, but it  broke a few years ago so we had to throw away :(  Thinking about it going still makes me sad!  RIP pretty purple bauble.

11) What’s at the top of your wish list?

In all honesty, I’ve been struggling to think of things I want for Christmas this year, so I just want a few nice surprises.  Although a bat detector and a Batman onesie wouldn’t go amiss 😉  (Geeky as hell, I know).

12) What are your plans for the holidays this year?

This year, like every year, I will spend Christmas Eve with my dad, and Christmas Day at home with the rest of my family.  We eat lots of food, play lots of games, and share gifts and laughs and generally have lots of fun.  I love it!

The people I tag to answer these questions are…

Cowboys and Crossbones

Product Hoochie

Justlikeplasticine

RaRa Reid

Nocturnal Beauty

Happy Blogging!

Naomi x

Montagne Jeunesse Exotic Fruits Collection

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The lovely folks over at natural skin care company Montagne Jeunesse recently launched their latest face mask collection, Exotic Fruits, and I was lucky enough to be offered the chance to try the range for myself.  There are three Exotic Fruit Face Masks available; Dragon Fruit Sauna, Paw Paw Peel Off and Prickly Pear Peel Off, all of which are animal friendly and suitable for vegetarians like me.

The first thing that struck me about these masks when I received them, other than the eye-catching, colourful packaging, was the size of the sachets.  They are slightly smaller in size to the Montagne Jeunesse sachets that I’m used to, but they still contain a generous amount of product which is more than enough for one application, so you’re not getting ripped off!

As soon as I saw it I really, really wanted to try the Dragon Fruit Sauna mask as it is self heating, and I absolutely love Montagne Jeunesse’s self heating Hot Chocolate mask, but this one contains kiwi which I’m allergic to, so I will be passing this mask on to a lucky someone at some point.  So, the mask I will be featuring in this post is the Prickly Pear Peel Off.

The Prickly Pear Peel Off is described as being a ‘Shockingly Juicy Skin Boost’, and contains nourishing, natural ingredients from unusual fruits which are included to tackle blemishes.  The Prickly Pear extracts are rich in minerals and Vitamin C, which help to soften and smooth the skin, and the second fruity ingredient, Mangosteen, is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory spot fighting properties.  The mask also contains Melon, which is rich in Vitamin A and cleansing antioxidants.

The product itself is really quite pleasing to the eye, as well as the nose.  It is a bright pinky purple colour which, in all honesty, I would LOVE as a nail varnish shade, and it smells absolutely divine.  The sweet smell of pear comes through really strongly, but not overwhelmingly, and other fruits such as the melon come through too.  It smells and feels so light and fresh – it’s just lovely, and a nice little flashback to summer!

As with all Montagne Jeunesse masks, application is simple.  After washing your face with warm water, you simply smooth it on with clean hands and then relax for 15-20 minutes whilst it dries.  I found that the smaller size of the sachet meant that, for some reason, it was a lot easier to squeeze the mask out of the sachet without making a mess.  It’s really important to create an even layer of mask on your face when applying so it dries evenly, and this was also very easy to do as the thicker areas showed up darker, so I just evened these areas out whilst it was still wet.

When I first applied the mask it made my skin burn slightly, which obviously worried me a little bit, but after 5 minutes or so the burning sensation calmed down and my face was left feeling cooled and invigorated.  I’m not sure what caused the burning sensation but I have been using medicated gel on my face lately, which can make my skin feel quite sore, so it could have been down to that.

After 20 minutes the mask was completely dry but it didn’t go tight at all like some masks do, which is great.  It also peeled off really easily (but unfortunately not in one piece so I wasn’t left with a ghost face to scare anyone with!).  After use my skin felt amazingly soft and I didn’t need to use any moisturiser afterwards as it added moisture to my skin rather than taking it away.  In fact, the next morning my face still felt as soft as it did after using the mask, which is pretty good going.

The whole Exotic Fruits Collection is available on Montagne Jeunesse’s website, as well in Asda and Boots, and each sachet costs just £1.29 – a small price to pay for such a fruity little treat!

Have you tried this range yet?

Naomi x

Chocolate Treat Week: Skin, Bath and Body

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In my first Chocolate Treat Week post I will be sharing with you the very best chocolate scented skin care, bath and body products that I have been using lately.  Whenever I have the house to myself of an evening I like nothing better than to run myself a relaxing bath and treat myself with an indulgent beauty regime, and the following four items are the perfect products for a chocolate themed pamper session.

Bathe with… Handmade Soaps Chocolate Bath Treats

I recently discovered a fab little company called Handmade Soaps, who stock and sell a large range of soaps, bath bombs, bath melts and gift sets, all of which are very appealing to the eye as well as the nose.  Among their range they have quite a few wonderful chocolate scented bombs, melts and sets.  The chocolate products pictured above are (clockwise from the top): Chocoholics Gift Set, Fruity Creamy Bath Bar, Chocolate Bath Meltz, Sink the Pink Bath Bomb, Very Berry Bath Creamer, Love Cloud Bath Creamer and Chocolate Ballotin Gift Set.

I have a lot of bath products from Handmade Soaps so I haven’t tried all of them yet, but my favourite so far has to be the Chocolate Bath Meltz, which costs £2 for one melt.  As you can see, it looks absolutely lovely – almost like a fancy chocolate truffle, especially with the cute little chocolate heart sitting on top!  The melt combines Cocoa and Arabica Coffee to give it its rich chocolatey aroma and colour, and also contains Lavender and Ylang Ylang essential oils for added relaxation.  I used this melt over the weekend and it really is glorious.  I popped it into the water just before the bath was full and then got straight in.  I recommend doing this as it’s when the melt fizzes that you are met with its beautiful scent.  Unlike some bath products that I’ve tried, this one doesn’t fizz too violently so you don’t get bombarded by the bomb whilst you’re trying to relax.  In fact, I actually found it quite therapeutic watching it spin in the water!  My favourite thing about the Chocolate Bath Meltz is how intensely moisturising it is.  I really wasn’t expecting such a dainty melt to have much effect on my skin, but it made my skin feel creamy and smooth even when I was still in the water, which resulted in long-lasting softness – impressive!

Handmade Soaps pride themselves on their customer service so if you decide to order anything from them you won’t be disappointed!  They deliver their items quickly and they even have a ‘remarkable wrapping’ policy so everything you receive will be as beautifully wrapped as possible.  Everything they sell is already reasonably priced, but Handmade Soaps have been kind enough to give me a special discount code to share with you so that you can get 10% off everything you order!  The code is ‘bewitchery10‘ – just enter it at the checkout to get your 10% discount.

Exfoliate with…  Betty Buff ‘Scrummy Choco’ Sugar Scrub

As I’ve mentioned in several of my previous posts, Betty Buff‘s Sugar Scrubs are my absolute favourite go-to exfoliators.  All of Betty Buff’s scrubs are high-quality and handmade to vintage recipes.  They contain no parabens or artificial colours and fragrances either, so are excellent for use on sensitive skin like mine. 

As well as containing granulated sugar, Evening Primrose Oil, honey and glycerine, ‘Scrummy Choco‘ is made with 100% cocoa which gives it an incredible scent.  As Betty Buff says, it really does smell ‘good enough to eat’ (but please don’t!), almost like a chocolate brownie or uncooked cake mix…  It honestly made my mouth water when I first smelt it!

I have been using this for a while now and the effects are very noticeable.  The cocoa makes the scrub delicately moisturising, and always leaves my skin feeling silky smooth, and my dry patches caused by the drying summer weather have all vanished!  Due to the rich colour of the scrub it also leaves a light brown sheen on the skin, which sounds odd but actually looks great, especially if you already have a tan you want to accentuate.

Betty Buff ‘Scrummy Choco’ Sugar Scrub comes in three different sizes.  The size pictured is the 150ml version, which costs £6.50, but there’s also a 250ml tub available for £8.00 and a 100ml sampler for £4.00.  A little goes a long way with Betty’s scrubs so each size is fantastic value for money.  If you’d like to try it for yourself, which I highly recommend you do, you can purchase it here.

Moisturise with… Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Rich Feeling Lotion

Vaseline’s Cocoa Radiant Rich Feeling Lotion is ideal for those who aren’t too keen on beauty products with a strong chocolatey aroma or appearance.  The lotion is pale in colour and delicately scented with cocoa beans so it isn’t overpowering, and it also has a very delicate formula.

Cocoa Radiant is rich like a body butter, but also lovely and light so it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin.  It absorbs quickly without being greasy, rather, it leaves behind a soft creaminess which makes skin feel healthy and supple.  I like to use this after exfoliating and also after shaving as it is protective so prevents any drying or soreness.  What I love most about this lotion is how long the scent lingers…  After a day of wear I can always still smell a sweet tinge of cocoa on my skin which is nicely comforting.

Vaseline’s Cocoa Radiant is currently on offer for £2.63 in Superdrug for a 400ml bottle, which is a massive bargain for such a quality product so grab it cheap while you still can!

Cleanse with… Montagne Jeunesse Hot Chocolate Self Heating Face Mask

After a relaxing bath and moisturising session, a face mask is the perfect way to finish an evening of pampering.  Now that Autumn is here and the weather is getting colder, it’s time to step away from the cooling masks and use something a bit more seasonal…  So, what’s better than a self heating mask?  Montagne Jeunesse’s Hot Chocolate Self Heating Face Mask is currently top of my face mask list as everything about it is luscious and screams ‘me time’!

I used this mask last night and couldn’t get enough of it.  The formula is fairly thick, basically like melted chocolate, so it is a little bit difficult to apply but it is well worth the effort.  As soon as it touches your skin it heats up to a comfortable temperature which feels incredible and helps to soothe tired skin and muscles.

The mask is scented with cocoa and orange – a winning combination in my eyes (and nose).  The orange cuts through the sweetness of the chocolate to give a decadent scent which makes for a delicious fifteen minutes of wear, and a good few hours of gorgeous smelling skin.

The mask stays wet and doesn’t dry like a conventional clay mask so it is quite easy to wash off, but its deep colour can make a mess so make sure you use an old towel!  Like all of Montagne Jeunesse’s products, their Hot Chocolate mask is vegetarian and natural, and it contains orange oil which is refreshingly moisturising.  As such, the mask is extremely nourishing to the point that you don’t need to use any moisturiser after wearing it.

Montagne Jeunesse’s Hot Chocolate Self Heating Mask is available on their website for £1.09 per sachet, but I’ve also seen it in Wilkinson, Asda, Superdrug and Boots.  I only used half a sachet for one application so you could get two uses out of it if you’re lucky, which is always a bonus.

The Last Rolo…

The Last Rolo is where I hand over the last few words of each Chocolate Treat Week blog post to another blogger.  In the run up to Chocolate Treat Week I asked five of my favourite bloggers a couple of questions about their favourite chocolate treats, and today’s answers come from Donah of Sweetjellybean.

Can you recommend any chocolate scented, flavoured or themed beauty/fashion products?

Although I try to not use any products that are chocolate scented (as I’ve had enough of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter when I was pregnant!), these days, I’ve been indulging myself with Leor’s Chocolate Truffle Body Lotion. Surprisingly, this doesn’t smell as strong as Palmer’s but still has that lovely chocolate aroma that isn’t distracting. so yes, I definitely would recommend this to anyone, who can’t stand Palmers’ but still love to indulge themselves in a chocolate-flavoured product.

What is your favourite chocolate treat to eat, and why?

Toffee Crisp! Can’t get enough of this when I was pregnant (a hush-hush since I was not supposed to eat this, so this is my guilty pleasure haha) But I definitely don’t mind having one bar or two every week.

Thanks for reading my first Chocolate Treat Week post – I hope you enjoyed it!  If you did, please come back tomorrow to read all about chocolate hair products.

Naomi x

*I was kindly gifted the Handmade Soap Bath products and the Betty Buff ‘Scrummy Choco’ Sugar Scrub by their respective companies for review purposes.  All thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Montagne Jeunesse Moisturising Lip Balms

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As Summer moves into Autumn it’s a good idea to start protecting your lips from the damage that the chillier months can bring.  Cold weather, harsh winds and even central heating can cause your lips to dry out and become sore and chapped, so to keep them hydrated and soft regular use of a good lip balm is essential.

I was recently lucky enough to be sent the full range of Montagne Jeunesse’s moisturising natural lip balms to try out, which I was very happy about as they are one of my favourite skin care brands, and as usual they really didn’t disappoint.

From left to right, the lip balms pictured above are:

  • Pressed Cherry & Cocoa Chocolate Balm
  • Wheatgerm & Shea Butter Weather Screen Balm
  • Aloe Vera & Spearmint Healing Balm
  • Shea Butter & Mango Sore Lips Balm
  • Cranberry & Aloe Vera Cracked Lips Balm

Not one of Montagne Jeunesse’s lip balms contain petroleum jelly, so they aren’t greasy at all.  Rather, they are made from 100% natural beeswax and olive oil and are lightly creamy but intensely moisturising.  The beeswax forms a protective layer on the lips making them long-lasting, and the olive oil gives them a subtle shine.  As such, they look great layered over (or even under) lipstick for a glossy yet protective finish.  Each lip balm also has a delicate but uniquely sweet scent, which makes a nice change from the waxy undertone smell you often get from balms containing petroleum jelly.

Each balm contains different ingredients which are suitable for protecting against different lip damage problems, and will carry you from Autumn through until the end of Winter.  At the moment I am using the Weather Screen balm to protect my lips against the late Summer sun and early Autumn winds.  Towards the end of Autumn, as the weather gets colder, I will be using the Sore Lips balm, and into winter when the temperatures are particular harsh I will use the Cracked Lips balm for deep, protective moisturisation.  Then, as Winter draws to an end and the Spring sun rises I will use the Healing Balm so combat any damage left over from the Winter (although I doubt I’ll need it after using the other balms!)  The Chocolate balm is a nice little treat which I have plans for, so watch this space…

As with all Montagne Jeunesse products, their full range of Lip Balms are ‘caringly made in the UK’, and are vegetarian and animal-friendly as they are BUAV approved.  They’re also almost 100% natural so are extremely kind on the skin.  The Lip Balms cost just £1.99 each, which is very reasonable considering their high quality, and are available from Montagne Jeunesse’s website.

Have you ever tried any of Montagne Jeunesse’s Moisturising Lip Balms?

Naomi x

*All five Moisturising Lip Balms were sent to me by Montagne Jeunesse for review purposes.  All thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Montagne Jeunesse Glacial Clay Spa Fabric Mask

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You may remember that last month I introduced you all to Montagne Jeunesse’s new range of Clay Spa fabric masks.  I wrote an in-depth review of the wonderful Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask, and today I will share my thoughts on the Glacial Clay Spa mask!  I’d been saving this one to use on a day when I felt I really deserved a treat, so after a feeling stressed and poorly earlier this week I decided to indulge.

Like the Dead Sea Mud mask, the Glacial Clay Spa is a fabric mask, but this one is infused with ‘Real Clay, Arctic Cloudberry & Red Grape’.  The active ingredients are specially chosen for their cleansing and anti-oxidant properties and are all vegetarian and animal friendly (Montagne Jeunesse are approved by PETA, BUAV and the Vegetarian Society).

Out of all the masks I have used, this is the quickest and easiest to use, and probably the most effective.  It comes in one fabric piece, with eye, nose and mouth holes already cut out, so all you have to do is place it on your face, press it down and relax for 15 minutes.  Who knew effective skincare could be so effortless?!

Now, I know you all want to know what it looks like, so I have put my reputation on the line to show you just how silly it makes you look!

Gorgeous, right?  To be honest I find it pretty hilarious (not that it gives you much freedom of movement to laugh haha).  Anyway, onto the important stuff…

The glacial clay that forms the basis of the mask is fantastically cooling and makes your face feel instantly refreshed.  The coolness also tightens your skin and soothes any soreness or redness, which does wonders for your complexion.  My face didn’t feel irritated at all whilst wearing the mask, so I was able to completely relax and enjoy the beautiful scent of the mask (my mum says it smells like summer).  After 15 minutes, I removed the fabric and washed any excess clay from my skin with warm water, massaging in a circular motion as I did so.  I didn’t even need to use any moisturiser after wearing the mask as it didn’t cause any dryness.  Rather, it made my face look visibly rejuvenated.

I can’t recommend these fabric masks highly enough and I’ll definitely be purchasing some more.  If you want to try anything from Montagne Jeunesse’s Clay Spa skin care range, you can purchase individual masks for £1.49 each (BARGAIN) from the Montagne Jeunesse website, or they are now available in Boots.  They’ll also be in ASDA as of September.

Have you tried these masks yet?

Naomi x

*I was sent this Glacial Clay Spa Mask by Montagne Jeunesse for review purposes.  All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.  Some affiliate links have been used.

 

Introducing… Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Spa Fabric Mask

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Behold!  The best Montagne Jeunesse face mask that I have ever used (so far) – the new Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask.  Earlier this week I received a rather exciting skin care package from the lovely folks at Montagne Jeunesse, containing two of their brand new face masks – the Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask and the Glacial Clay Spa Mask.  I was really looking forward to trying these masks as they’re not like any other I’ve ever used before.  Rather than the usual peel-off or wash-off products, the Spa Masks are made of bamboo fabric, which is coated and infused with naturally sourced mud and clay.


Yesterday evening I tried the Dead Sea Mud Spa mask, which uses ‘Real Mud, Dead Sea & Sea Kelp’.  I haven’t yet used the Glacial Clay Spa Mask so I will review that at a later date.  Each sachet contains one single use mask, and it is quicker and easier to use than any other Montagne Jeunesse mask as it comes in one ready to use piece that you just lay on your face.  As you can see below, it looks a bit freaky, but also quite funny!

The sachet says that the mask provides a ‘satisfying boost for thirsty skin’ as it contains ‘invigorating & revitalising Dead Sea minerals’.  The directions for use are as follows: Cleanse, Apply, Relax for 10-15 minutes, Massage and Rinse – Simple!  I found that the best way to apply it is to lay it on and then press the edges down so that it smoothes to the shape of your face and doesn’t fall off.  Since these are ‘one size fits all’ I did have to fold the edges inwards slightly to fit the shape of my face, but that’s not a problem really.  Better too big than too small!  And the moment you’ve all been waiting for – this is what it looks like on…

I know!  Don’t laugh!  I look absolutely ridiculous, which caused much amusement with my family, but when you’re wearing a mask that feels so amazing you really don’t care haha.  Before I opened the sachet I noticed that it felt really cold to the touch, and as you can imagine the mask itself feels quite cold too.  When it’s on your face the cold feeling really penetrates your skin making it tingle slightly, which feels really refreshing and, as the sachet says, invigorating!  I felt so relaxed wearing the mask that I almost fell asleep – it was almost like having a face massage.

The mask doesn’t dry like other masks, but it isn’t messy.  After 15 minutes of absolute bliss I removed the mask with no trouble – it came off in one complete piece, and because it was still wet I let my mum use the other side and it worked just as well on her!  Two uses for the price of one – bargain 😀  (I don’t know if sharing the mask is a good idea or not, but she wanted to haha).  I was left with a bit of dry clay on my face and hands afterwards, but it washed off easily with warm water.  I will say that my face felt a bit tight after which I didn’t really like, but that was soon solved with my favourite moisturiser.

Both Clay Spa masks cost just £1.49 each, which is a bargain in my eyes.  You can already buy them over at the Montagne Jeunesse website, and they’ll be available in Boots from mid-August and ASDA from September.  Though these masks were gifted to me by Montagne Jeunesse, I also buy their products regularly with my own money.  I like to use Montagne Jeunesse masks over any others as they are vegetarian and animal friendly, paraben-free and made from natural ingredients which don’t irritate the skin.  And to quote the company itself, ‘Montagne Jeunesse is proud of its uncompromising natural credentials and ethos for ‘Conservation of Energy, Protection of Animals and the Environment’ – something which I 100% advocate!

Will you be trying the Clay Spa Masks too?

Naomi x

Montagne Jeunesse Travel Pamper Pack

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It may be dull and rainy outside but, believe it or not, it’s July, and for a lot of people July means a holiday in the sun!  It’s always nice to pamper yourself whilst on holiday, but there’s not always room in your suitcase for all of your lotions and potions.  That’s where Montagne Jeunesse come in with their new beauty travel product – the Travel Pamper Pack!

Montagne Jeunesse are one of my favourite skincare companies as their products are all vegetarian friendly, mostly made from natural ingredients and smell absolutely divine, so when I was asked to review the Travel Pamper Pack on my blog I jumped at the chance as I’d been eyeing it up on their website for ages!

The pack contains six lovely treats for your hair, face, feet and body, which come in a handy little folder which is the perfect size to tuck into your suitcase.  The six items that you get are these…

Though I haven’t been on holiday to use this in a ‘travel’ situation, I had a serious two day pamper session last week and got through most of the pack!  So, since I’ve tried almost all of the products, I will now tell you about them :)

Body Wash

As you can see, you get two sachets of the same orange body wash in the travel pack.  When I first opened the sachet I found the smell to be quite overpowering, but it soon calmed down and lingered on my skin for a long time.  Quite pleasantly, the orange scent smells like real oranges, and not artificial at all.  There is plenty of gel in each sachet to cover your whole body, and it lathers up nicely and feels creamy and soft on the skin.

Foot Cooler

This was my favourite product in the whole pack.  The foot cooler is a lovely shade of blue and quite runny.  The sachet contains enough cream for both feet…  When you rub it in, it turns into a silky powder which instantly cools your skin and makes your feet feel soft and tingly.  The cooling sensation lasts for a long time as well, even after washing!  The cooler smells amazing… It’s a mix of blueberry and mint and is so refreshing.  My only complaint is that I was left with a white residue on my hands and feet after using this which didn’t wash off easily.

Passion Peel Off Masque

The Passion Peel Off Masque smells quite strongly of pomegranate and consists of a clear, pale pink gel.  The gel smooths onto your face easily, but it’s a bit messy – it kept sinking between my fingers and getting everywhere!  The sachet says that the mask takes 10-15 minutes to dry but it actually took a bit longer on me.  After 20 minutes I started to peel it off but some of it was still wet so I had to do it in stages.  The mask didn’t irritate my skin at all though and it didn’t dry my face out like a lot of masks do – it felt like a nice little treat of an evening!

Skin Smoother

I used this last night when I had a bath.  It smells lovely, like apricot and mango, and it looks a little bit like apricot yoghurt, but it is full of micro beads which exfoliate the skin.  As the sachet suggests, I rubbed this into my feet, elbows and knees and then washed it off.  It definitely made a difference to my skin, leaving it feeling smooth, but I wouldn’t say it was much different to any other exfoliating product that I’ve used.  It reminded me of St Ives Apricot Scrub.

Intensive Spa Hair Masque

I haven’t got round to using this yet, but if the rest of the pack is anything to go by then it won’t disappoint!  I’ll update this post once I’ve tried it.

I think the Travel Pamper Pack is a great little product.  I’d definitely invest in one if I was going on holiday, or even if I just wanted another pamper weekend!  If you want your own Travel Pamper Pack, they are just £5.00 each on Montagne Jeunesse’s website.

Naomi x

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Shine Control Mud Mask

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After some delay, here is my final review in the Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes series, and today I’ll be reviewing the Shine Control Mud Mask.

The sachet contains two different products – An Argan Oil and Acai Berry deep cleansing mud mask and a balancing moisturiser.  The mask (left) is beigey orange in colour, almost like a foundation, and quite thick in consistency, and the moisturiser (right) is also quite thick, and has the appearance of an average white moisturiser.

The mask applies pretty much the same as any other mud mask – slap it on, leave for 15 to 20 minutes and wash off.  What makes this mask special though is the added moisturiser.  This mask targets greasy skin and helps to combat shine.  You’d expect such a formula to leave your skin feeling dry, and you’d expect a moisturiser to add too much grease, but this isn’t the case.  The moisturiser is perfectly formulated to hydrate your face without making it oily.  You really get the right balance with this treatment!

My favourite thing about the Shine Control Mask is by far the scent.  It’s hard to describe as it’s unlike any other product I’ve tried, yet it still smells familiar.  It’s sweet, earthy and fresh all rolled into one and I couldn’t stop sniffing the sachet!  I even got my mum to sniff my face haha.

I wish I could say I’ve saved the best mask until last, but I’m afraid I can’t.  The sachet says to leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes, which I did, plus an extra minute or two, and I really wish I hadn’t!  The mask was really hard to remove, even with warm water, and it made my face go red and feel really sore and horrible.  Even now, almost an hour later, my face still hurts :(  Maybe it’s because I don’t have greasy skin so it was a bit harsh on my skin type!  Even so, my skin feels nice and soft.  I’d advise washing this off before it dries completely though, or you’ll probably have the same trouble as me.

Overall, I still adore Montagne Jeunesse skin care products.  They feel like a real treat after a long day, and for just £1.49 you can’t go wrong!  These masks are available online or in ASDA stores, and to top it all off they’re vegetarian and animal friendly – excellent!

Naomi xx

 

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