Green People Oy! Organic Shampoo & Shower gel / Oy! Organic Cleanse & Moisturise cream

I was recently lucky enough to be contacted again by Green People to trial some of their Oy! range, which is a delicious collection of products specifically designed with young skin in mind, particularly teens and twenty-somethings who may still be battling with those oily t-zones and breakouts.

I was sent the Green People Oy! Shampoo and Shower and the Green People Oy! Cleanse and Moisturise.

Oy! Shampoo and Shower from GreenPeople.co.uk

RRP £10.20

The Oy! Shampoo and Shower is just delicious. It has a zesty, fruity smell to it and it lathers beautifully. Due to containing chamomile, marshmallow (yummy!) and aloe vera this would be perfect for anyone who suffers with skin complaints such as eczema or psoriasis, or breakouts on their shoulders/back which I know can be especially common in teenage boys. I am fortunate enough not to suffer from skin conditions but I do find that I can suffer from razor burn after shaving my legs in the shower, something which 'chemical' shower washes can aggravate. This product not only fails to aggravate my skin after shaving, but it goes one step further and soothes and actively nourishes any razor burn or tender areas! Yay for no more post-shave red legs!!

Oy! Cleanse and Moisturise from GreenPeople.co.uk
RRP £9.95

On to the Oy! Cleanse and Moisturise. I've been using the Green People Anti-ageing Facial Oil for some time now (utterly amazing - review coming soon!!) so already swear by the Green People Facial Range.
The rosehip scent in this product just reminds me of having a professional facial, whilst the green tea and mandarin really refresh and waken the skin.
As a make-up remover, this works very well. I find that most make-up removers can really irritate my senstivie eye area, which seems ridiculous since this is where the majority of my make-up is! Since this product contains no alcohol or artificial fragrances, and is a 100% certified product with 90% certified ingredients (all available on the product page on their website) this product is perfect for using on delicate skin and doesn't cause inflammation or redness.
As a moisturiser, the silky texture and refreshing scent makes my skin feel beautifully hydrated. A little does seem to go a long way, so this product would seem to be very good value for money. The product makes a good base for make-up (which may seem funny, considering it is also used as a make-up remover!) and doesn't clog pores. It has an active anti-acne formula, which is a great reason to wear all day beneath your make-up if you're prone to break outs.

I love Green People products, and these two are no exception. I'd recommend them to anyone looking for a refreshing range of eco-friendly products which don't break the bank.

As an additional bonus, these products are currently on promotion at GreenPeople.co.uk so don't miss out!

* For a limited time the Oy! Shampoo and Shower is on Buy One Get One Free Promotion*

*For a limited time buy an Oy! Cleanse and Moisturise and receive a Green People 'Hit The Spot' FREE*

Jump for Josie - charity skydive

For those of you who have taken a look around my blog you will have noticed that I am avidly trying to raise money for Cornwall Hospice Care - a charity who provide two hospices which care for terminally ill patients.

This is a cause very close to my heart and I would like to share my story in the hope that it just might inspire you to donate a small sum of money toward this fantastic cause.

Josie - before she fell ill

My younger sister, Josie, developed leukaemia - a blood cancer - at the age of just 18. She was initally rushed to King's College, London where she had to be put onto life support for a number of weeks with a 5% survival rate as her internal organs closed down. It was here she was diagnosed with leukaemia, and miraculously pulled through to come off of life support, only to have to face 2 and a half years of gruelling chemotherapy treatment, prejudice and ignorance from the public and her peers. She tried to live her young life as normally as possible, continuing to go to nightclubs with her friends and insisting on shopping for cute new outfits whenever she managed to muster the energy. These outings would take 4 or 5 days in bed to recover from, but it was her way of refusing to give up, to stick two fingers up at the illness and be as 'normal' as possible. When she lost her hair, she refused to wear a wig, instead donning punk boots and painting her nails red in defiance. When she lost her lashes, she would put on the biggest, most outrageous false pair she could find. She never was a shrinking violet.


Throughout her battle she remained courageous and dignified, never complaining or self pitying. She survived long enough to see my twin daughters come into the world, and was a fantastic, loving auntie. My son doted on her, and my daughters always smiled when she cuddled them from her hospital bed. I feel so grateful for these memories.

Josie with her nephew and nieces - Christmas 2011

Josie's final few months were spent at St Julia's Hospice in Hayle. She was provided with her own room, round the clock care and a team of nurses and doctors with whom she formed firm, trusting relationships. The staff would trick or treat her room at Halloween and came carolling at Christmas. She was made to feel as comfortable as possible, for the hospice to be as homely as it could be, and she knew that she was surrounded by people who cared deeply for her.

Josie passed away on 28th December 2011 aged just 21.


In her final few hours, as my family and I sat with her while she slowly passed away, we were all treated with the utmost dignity and privacy. We were given time to say goodbye without unneccesary interruptions, space to grieve and support when we needed it. For this I will be eternally grateful.



The work that Cornwall Hospice Care do is second to none. They touch the hearts of those suffering with horrific, destructive illnesses and those who they matter to the most.

Unfortunately, like so many amazing services, Cornwall Hospice Care do not receive funding. Instead, they must raise over £6.75 million per year in order to continue to care for those who need it most.

Me - jumping from a plane 10,000ft over the Cornish coast

On Saturday 8th September I jumped 10,000 feet from an aeroplane over Perranporth in Cornwall to try to raise money for CHC. Those who know me will testify that this probably wasn't the most amazing prospect to me, as I hate heights, I have a fear of flying and I had nightmares in the weeks leading up to this!! But I did it, and I hated every second, but to date I have raised just over £1,600!!



I am going to continue to raise money for Cornwall Hospice Care with a variety of findraising ventures over the coming months and years. I will be publicising these on my blog and also via my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-Memory-of-Josie-Brooks-fundraising-for-Cornwall-Hospice-Care/291389120933189?ref=tn_tnmn

If you can show your support by making a small donation toward this most worthy cause then you will be making a difference to so many people.

To donate simply visit: http://www.justgiving.com/jumpforjosie2 and give whatever you can spare.

Thank you xxx



Josie and I - October 2008 xxx

Monochrome mod meets countryside chic...

As much as I hate to admit it, summer is slowly drawing to a close.

With 'next season' emails creeping into my inbox and stores beginning to sneak the odd couple of rails' worth of browns, greys and ochres into the corners, everything is hinting toward the shift to A/W trends.
So reluctantly I have begun my wardrobe wishlist for the transition into autumn/winter.


Two of my favourite trends this A/W are mod and heritage. I absolutely love them both, especially the monochrome mod pieces and the luscious tweed and quilted detailing on the items in the heritage collections.

Below, I have put together a selection of items which I would love to add to my wardrobe as autumn draws in.







I love the tweed jacket shown here in the centre, which is from missguided.co.uk and sells for £34.99. It is a really versatile piece and could easily be worn causally or formally. The tweed hints toward the heritage trend without having to go down the check pattern and corduroy-elbow-patch route.


The white peplum top is from glamorousuk.com and retails at £22.99. I paired this with a skinny black waist belt from Warehouse for £12.00 and black jodphur style skinny trousers from River Island for £38.00 and then finished the look with a cute pair of leather gloves from boohoo.com which sell for £22.00.

The combination of the tweed jacket, jodphur trousers and leather gloves gives a real British countryside edge to an otherwise slick monochrome look, which in turn is a very 'mod' influence.

Finally, I added a simple quilted bag and shoe boots, all with gold accents to pick up on the buttons of the coat and buckle of the belt, to keep the look clean and structured.

I chose two options for the shoe/bag combo, a more expensive option and a cheaper high-street option. I think that if you choose a timeless look with shoes and bags then investing a little more expense can be worthwhile, however if money is tight then you can get the same overall result but at a fraction of the price! So here are my two options:



Option 1 - high street:





 

ASOS quilted chain strap bag - £20.00






ASOS gold heel shoe boot - £35.00








Option 2 - designer:






Marc Jacobs 'The Single' quilted chain strap bag - £440.00










Giuseppe Zanotti peep toe shoe boot - £494.00



I absolutely love the gold piping detail on these Zanotti shoe boots, and would love to add them to my shoe collection. Equally I think the flash of gold heel on the ASOS shoe boots would work just as well to tie in the gold accent details throughout the outfit.

The overall look would work equally as well with a sheer chiffon blouse and pair of flat, patent riding boots for the day time - again as a nod toward the heritage trend.

I hope that you like to combination of the two key trends in one, and hopefully think it works!

I'd love to hear which trends will be influencing your wardrobe this A/W.

xxx

Moroccanoil large (55mm) ceramic barrel brush review

For a few months now I've been searching for a fabulous new barrel brush. Mine gave up the ghost a while back and just wasn't performing the way I wanted it to.
I always seemed to get a perfect blow-dry from Matthew (my amazing hairdresser since I was about 17, love him) and believed that nothing could come close to his magical techniques.
I have always paid close attention to the fabulous methods that he uses to give my hair enormous volume and bounce, and have tried in vain to semi-replicate it at home. To very minimal avail!!

Matthew was also the man to introduce me to my beloved Moroccanoil (review and how-to post here) around 3 years ago - a nourishing and incredible product which has since graced my dressing table every single day and is my could-not-live-without hair product!! I also noticed one day when at the salon, that Matthew always tends to use snazzy Moroccanoil barrel brushes when blow-drying my hair.

When commencing upon my quest to find the perfect barrel brush, this fact completely slipped my mind and I went about blindly fumbling into the hair-styling world without any guidance or preference whatsoever. It was only when I was re-ordering my darling Moroccanoil hair oil from feelunique.com that I stumbled upon Moroccanoil's superb brush range.

The memories of Matthew's hair-wizardry instantly flooded back and immediately I slapped a large Moroccanoil 55mm ceramic barrel brush into the shopping cart and checked out, triumphant in my purchase! I opted for the free delivery option and waited by the letterbox with bated breath....

My brush arrived quickly, 3 days later, accompanied by a lovely little perfume sample which I wasn't expecting (thanks feelunique!!) and once again Moroccanoil hasn't disappointed!!

In fact, the brush has far surpassed my expectations. The barrel is large enough to give immense volume even without any product, and the overall effect after drying is a full bodied, healthy head of hair with a lovely bounce and lots of movement. I am able to easily section and dry wet hair without pulling or snagging as the bristles detangle and smooth my hair effortlessly. Drying time is vastly reduced (always a plus when it normally takes over 30 mins!) due to the ceramic body and ionic bristles and my hair is left smooth, shiny and soft as a result of the ions acting as a conditioning agent for my hair. The brush also conceals a handy little hair separator in the base which is perfect for sectioning off your hair when styling/drying.

I cannot recommend this range of brushes enough, so much so that I am returning to buy the medium 35mm barrel brush and the paddle brush this week!!
I only expected a slightly better effect from my home dries using this brush, but actually I have achieved massive volume, reduced drying time, conditioning nourishment for my hair AND a fabulous looking blow-dry every day for less than the cost of a single salon dry!!

The large barrel brush was just £16.15 from feelunique.com with free postage AND a surprise freebie (good huh?!).

This fab little addition to my dresser drawer was one of the best hair investments I've made, and if you're on the lookout for a new barrel or paddle brush I highly recommend you take a look! x

xxx

Feel great - look great

Hello lovely readers! I hope everyone is enjoying the blog and managed to take a look at the Auction for Danielle charity event which I highlighted in my last post. The organisers raised a fantastic amount of money to go toward the treatment for Danielle and I'm sure that everyone sends love and positivity her way throughout her battle.


So...today's post...

With All In The Smile I try to not write a 'run of the mill' beauty blog. I try to avoid simply jumping onto bandwagons and reviewing the latest fads, and instead I try to focus on ways to improve your lifestyle or enhance your natural look to result in you feeling good and in turn looking good.
With this in mind, today I want to introduce you to Cassey Ho - my latest 'beauty' obsession!!!

Cassey is a Pilates and fitness trainer, who runs Blogilates.Com and who also has her own YouTube channel where you can find a whole array of workout videos.

The videos are AMAZING!!! Cassey focuses on HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) which burns calories and builds muscle.

The majority of the videos last around 10 minutes so if  you only have time for a quick workout then you can just whizz through one of them. If you want a longer, more intense workout session then you can follow her workout routines and even tailor it to suit your timeframe / goals.

I've been an avid fan for some time now and her abs, bikini and thigh workouts are just incredible!! She even provides meal plans for those who are serious about shaping up - fast. The videos are easy to fit into a busy lifestyle and what's more, you don't need a heap of expensive equipment or a loud, smarmy instructor shouting instructions whilst drinking a protein shake and checking out his guns in the mirror! ;)

Cassey's recipe index has loads of tasty, healthy recipes to factor in and help those who want to achieve a healthier diet, whilst on her blog shop you can see a range of her stunning gym wear. I LOVE her train insane tank tops and will definitely be investing shortly!!


I really recommend Cassey to anyone who wants to shape up, firm up, lose that little bit of weight or just work out without having to find babysitters/time/money for the gym.

Perhaps you could do one video a day for a week and see what a difference it makes - but be warned - you WILL ache!!!! No pain, no gain though!!! My arms, abs and thighs are already notably more toned (and sore!) and the recipes really are delicious; the healthy eating plans really help you to feel a lot more energetic and revilatised.

Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think of Blogilates. I'm completely addicted!!