Love–nspa Melting Cleansing Gel

After all the recent swatches I thought it’s high time I post about something I’ve been loving for the last month or so.
I do love skincare and there’s a few things in my routine I do enjoy using but really, as long as it does its job I’m not that bothered a lot of the time. A few weeks ago I was running low on cleanser, coinciding with a trip to Asda. I was planning to go to Boots after and find a replacement but something caught my eye in the aisles…

There was a little stand displaying nspa products – I can’t really remember what else there was because as soon as I saw this I snatched it up! I’ve been wanting to try a ‘melting’ cleanser since seeing reviews of the Elemis one months ago but that is a tiny bit out of my price range at the moment – this one was around the £5 mark. nspa products are “Created for you by the experts at Nirvana Spa – the UK’s No1 day spa” which immediately sounds appetising. Adding the ingredients of this; Ginseng, Vitamin E, Grapeseed Oil and Essential Oil of Neroli and the fact that this is paraben free, not tested on animals and made in the UK was already making this a winner in my books!


You massage the gel into dry skin before wetting your hands (making the gel milky as above) and massaging again before rinsing. It feels luxurious and my skin feels soft and clean, it has never felt dry after using this. The packaging does say suitable for all skin types – including sensitive – but I feel those with oilier skin may prefer something a little more astringent.
It isn’t suitable for use around the eyes so I remove eye makeup with Bioderma first (almost finished sob!) then use this and remove with a face cloth once rinsed.
I have seen on other blogs that there is supposed to be a bit of a range at Asda and I have to say after using this I am definitely interested in using more from the range.
Do you normally get your skincare in the supermarket? My local Asda is usually terrifying but it’s worth it for this!

A JadeyLou Initiative Numero Dos–Lip Products

Following on from my earlier post about rotating my products round during my weekly boring-as-hell work makeup routine – here is the lip products edition…
I don’t mean to sound like a dick but lip products – I have a million of the feckers so the aim of this game is to stop reaching for MAC Angel – or ‘Ange’ as she is now known – man up and use some other shizzle.


L-R: Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti, Rimmel Moisture Renew in Coral Queen, NYX Tea Rose, Wet N Wild MegaLast in Just Peachy and Dollhouse Pink, Sleek Sheen Coral Reef, MAC Ange (Angel), 17 Mirror Shine Beehive, Topshop Lip Stick in Coy and Barry M 147 Peachy Pink.
So operation Don’t Use MAC Ange was a fail from the off but I have used a few other bits since this programmes introduction two weeks ago.

Revlon, Rimmel, NYX, Wet n Wild Peachy

Wet n Wild Peachy, Wet n Wild Pink, Sleek, MAC

MAC, 17, Topshop, Barry M

Oh dear hairy arm swatches.
You can see there is a bit of variation, I had to use the Rimmel and Sleek lightly to be work friendly/not look like a clown. You can also see that the Topshop and Barry M are very similar. Unfortunately they both have a difficult formula as well and are impossible to wear alone, both of these I wore topped with glosses.
Bringing me nicely on to…

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Right Image, Clinique Superbalm in Raspberry (sample maybe from Glamour magazine?), 17 Va Va Voom in So Peach, Barry M 5, HEMA Lipgloss Shine

Same order as above

And one more for luck. I love wearing Right Image over Angel and So Peach over Barry M 147, those have been my favourite combination I’ve found since following this initiative but I will post these with lip swatches in a separate post
I know it’s a bit boring just swatching but I haven’t shown nearly enough of my collection and this is one way to plough through it!
I will update as I use more and more, 15 down ten million more to go!

Blusher Switch-up–A JadeyLou Initiative

Howdy doody ladies and gents? How are your Saturdays? I am still in my pyjamas at 5pm which in my book means a success. Of sorts.

I keep banging on, amongst other things, about using up the makeup I have, especially now I no longer live at home and have adult shiz like bills and car clutches to deal with meaning less geld for makeup.

One thing I have started doing alongside my Weekly Wear post (which has changed a little thanks to me finishing a few things yay!) is using a different blusher and lip product every day in a bid to prevent me reaching for the same 2 things.

Beginning with this weeks offerings…

Ein – NYX Cream Blush in Glow. I admit, I use this fairly regularly. I love cream blushers and with a light hand this is a really pretty colour.

Zwei – Laura Geller Blush-N-Brighten in Apricot Berry. I wasn’t really keen on this before and didn’t even bring it with me when I moved Dahn Sarf but I forgot to pack a blusher to take to Ireland (for shame!) so grabbed this when I was at my parents. I actually liked it but it’s not a fave.

Drei – MAC Cremeblend in So Sweet, So Easy. A MAC lady used this on me last summer and I loved it, went to purchase and they had sold out. A few months later I purchased it myself off their website but I can’t seem to get it to show up on me like she did. This is one I need to work with a little more.

Vier – Models Own Powder Blusher in Warm Glow. This used to be an old fave but hadn’t been reached for in a while. It’s really pretty and does add a ‘warm glow’, funnily enough.

Fünf – Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Rude. This comes up a little bright on me but again with a light hand is really pretty. If I do go overboard I just go over it lightly with the brush I used for my foundation and as I wear realllly boring makeup to work anyway I love something a little bright.

Swatches are in opposite order (sorry!) Illamasqua, Models Own, MAC, Laura Geller, NYX

Sorry the swatch shots aren’t the best quality…that’s what happens when you interrupt your boyfriend playing Uncharted 3 to help….

Hope your all having a lovely weekend so far, more productive than mine! I’m off to a work friend’s 90’s party tonight but what with being skint and all I’m wearing my Teenage Mutant Hero Turtle pyjama bottoms and taking some glow sticks I got from the pound shop. Classy.

Hope you liked it, I’ll post the lip products I’ve worn too :)

NOTD–Bunbuns

Oh herrow!

Seeing as my first post for weeks was photos of green stuff and sea I thought I’d better include some actual beauty bizzles somewhere along the line…

This is what is on my nails as I type, clearly a little late for Easter but I don’t care, I saw this mani somewhere and thought ‘Awwwww! I could do it brown so it looks like my Brownie bear!’ No joke that was the actual thought, I am such a crazy bunny lady.

Base coat – OPI Nail Envy. OPI – Steady As She Rose with 2 coats of Revlon – 261 Sparkling. Top coat – Save The Nail Wet Look Topcoat (LOVE this!)

You can see in the second picture the Revlon polish has different sized glitter including some larger hexagonal particles. You can also see in the third picture I didn’t manage to get many of those on my nails despite two coats :(

For the bunny…

Bunny – Nails Inc London. Inside of ears – Leighton Denny Babydoll. Nose – Rimmel Portobello Pink. Eyes – Models Own Nail Art Pen.

Finally, I can't do bunny nails with no bunny pictures…

Browner is a little bit blurry, she loves investigating the camera! Fluff is half asleep surprise surprise!

Have you done this mani before? Or are you going to try it? I love anything bunnies I’ll do it again!

Hollllliiiiidaaaaaayyyyy

One of the reasons I have been absent these past few weeks, apart from work and the fact that I am up there with world class procrastinators, is that I went away on holiday.

After last summers Paris/Eindhoven trip I swore never to go on a family holiday again. However I am getting more sentimental in my old age and ended up agreeing to go away with my 80 year old Grandad along with my uncle, dad, brother and sister to Northern Ireland where my Grandad is from.

I didn’t know what to expect aside from several new grey hairs and perhaps an early aneurysm (you haven’t met my Grandad) but it was great, aside from torrential rain and hail on a few days.

Beautiful scenery, the family I met are amazing and though it wasn’t relaxing as such, it was a great experience.

A few pictures…

Yes I crossed that rope bridge…luckily emerged pants unscathed.

This made me laugh, what is that kid doing with that can of Pepsi?! And since when has the term ‘snigger’ been used outside of the Beano?!

Bah coastal scene spam! I took so many pictures this is just a quick selection, I would have taken more if we could stop every six seconds on the Causeway Coastal route, SUCH a beautiful drive.

Conclusion: All about the staycation this year!

Has anyone got any recommendations for more UK destinations? Boyf and I are hoping to go somewhere pimping next year so are looking for places closer to home this year. I keep pushing the Dam for a little Euro-weekend but chances are I’ll spend our hard earned ££ on ladies.(JOKE)

Have you ever been to NI? I’m definitely going again next year!