The Body Shop: A Few Favourites

For me, The Body Shop is one of my favourite places for skincare and the odd bit of makeup, as it's cheap, natural and really works! As a student, I find it hard to get effective skincare that actually works, but isn't super expensive, and as a beauty lover I often find myself pining after the expensive brands!

But the thing I love about the Body Shop is that a lot of their products match or even perform better than some of the prestigious brands, something that I love not having the money to spend on a £30-£40 moisturiser!

So here are a few of my favourite buys and essentials from The Body Shop, that I never seem to be without!

Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil- £10

This has been a more recent purchases but one I'd been lusting after for months, I finally picked it up a couple of weeks ago and I can honestly say it's one of my favourite skincare products I own! 
This so easily breaks down makeup with only a couple of pumps, massaged into the face and then wiped off with a warm flannel. It's lightweight, easy to use and leaves my dry skin feeling moisturised but clean. 

Even if you do suffer with oily skin, this is fantastic because it doesn't leave any sticky residue on your face and doesn't strip the skin. I actually look forward to the end of the day so I can use this product, which I never ever thought I'd say! I'm in love!

Tea Tree Cool & Creamy Wash- £5

This face wash has been in my collection for a while, and although I don't use this everyday, I always find myself reaching for this when I'm not sure what else to use. 

This face wash contains and smells quite strongly of Tea Tree- something I love, which makes it perfect for purifying clogged up skin, yet surprisingly it doesn't strip the skin or leave it dry due to it's creaminess. Therefore again this is another product that would be great for both dry skin or oily skin, as it isn't drying yet clears the skin nicely! This wash is also great if you suffer with blemishes and acne, as Tea Tree is a fantastic ingredient for clearing the skin, great for those cheeky breakouts!

Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil- £13

I love this overnight serum for a boost of hydration for when my skin feels dull and dry. This serum is a lightweight oil but gives a great amount of moisture to the skin. 
I use this before my moisturiser and after I've cleansed, and I really notice a difference in the way my skin feel the next morning. Vitamin E is also great for healing, so would be perfect if you suffer with breakouts and blemishes to help repair the skin. 

Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream- £13
On the same par with the serum, this moisturiser is great for dehydrated skin, as it's thick, rich but still sinks in quickly and doesn't leave any sticky residue on the skin. I reach for this more in the winter months when my skin is very dry, but I still love using it once or twice a week throughout spring and summer to help repair and hydrate my skin. 
The texture of this cream is very buttery and creamy and I love the feeling I get when I use this product, so overall it's perfect for those of you with dehydrated skin.

Honey Bronze Powder- £13
As I have very pale skin, I often find it hard to get a bronzer that gives me a warm glow, without making me look orange and fake- so when I found this I was so happy! It's a lovely soft powder that gives a nice, warm tone to the skin, without looking cakey or orange.
This has tiny flecks of golden glitter throughout, so its great for boosting radiance, but isn't so shiny that you couldn't contour if you prefer to do that! The colour range is also great, with 6 shades, so there's something to suit every type of skin tone too!

What are some of your Body Shop favourites? 
Have you tried any of the products I talked about? Let me know in the comments below!

Chloé
xo 

*This is not a sponsored post, all products were bought with my own money and all opinions expressed are mine.*

University 1st Year: A Look Back, Tips and Tricks

This year is honestly going so fast- I can't believe it's June already! 

So last week I officially finished my first year at University, it's gone so quickly and although at times it's been difficult, I've loved it!

I study fashion Marketing and Branding at Nottingham Trent university, and I'm honestly so glad that I took the plunge and went there, the city is amazing, I love my course and I've met some great people. I actually suffer quite badly with social anxiety, so for me going to university was massive step I was worried I wouldn't be able to do, but I feel so much more independent and happier for doing it. 

Here are some of the things I've realised from my first year of university:

It's not all smiles;
One of the main things I realised when going to uni, was that the experience wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, filled with an endless amount of new people to meet, and constantly doing exciting things. For a lot of my time, I found myself bored, as you have much more independent time to study and research work, even if that's something you do, you might still found yourself trawling through Netflix hoping to find something to watch!

Another thing I realised was that I really missed home, I'm really close to my family, and even though I was only around 45 minutes away from my family home, I still found it really difficult adjusting to being alone every day, combine that with not having tons to do in the day, it made me really homesick. 
If you're preparing to go to university, I'd really recommend getting some home comforts, like teddies, favourite foods and even decorations to help you feel settled in and less homesick when at university, it really helped me relax knowing I had a comforting meal and a nicely decorated flat!

Being alone really isn't that bad;
Another thing I really got used to was just having alone time and being independent, again being close to my parents, this was something I had to get used to! But towards the end, I really enjoyed shopping, sitting in coffee shops and even just doing work alone, its great for clearing your thoughts and just generally de-stressing if you're tense or worried. 

Budget buys are your best friend;
I can honestly say, that in times of need, supermarket own branded buys are going to be a lifesaver for when you run low on your loan or don't get much money from your parents. Things like pasta, noodles, and even meat and vegetables really don't have huge differences from being own brand, or the best branded product. So don't have any shame in getting some 30p pasta or 10p packet noodles, it'll save your life saving money on food, especially if your priority is going out and having a good time!

Another trick I learned was substituting certain ingredients for something else, the biggest example of this and something that I've grown to love, is Quorn. 
Now I'm sure you'e thinking that Quorn is something made by the Devil and that you'd never touch it even if you were dying (a little dramatic I know), and that's pretty much  what I thought, but one of my flatmates introduced me to it, and I've never looked back! It's much cheaper than chicken, stores amazingly and can go in pretty much any dish, so its perfect for saving you money, and gives you a decent meal for when all you've got is potato smilies and tomato soup- something I've experienced first hand! 

Everyone else is in the same boat;
If you're worried about going to university and not having friends, family or just anyone at all that you know, just remember that everyone else will be feeling the same! We all start out not really knowing anyone on our course, and even in the flat we live in, so don't be too worried if you're scared of not having any friends or having anyone to talk to. 
Within a week you'll have so many people to talk to, and it'll be likely that someone (whether on your course or in your flat) has something in common with you, that might be feeling homesick, your favourite book/film series, or just your love of a certain food. 

Have any of you been to University? Or are any of you going? What things did you learn? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Chloé 
xo