PureTan's light tanning range for a natural tan!

With summer on its way (well technically it should be here by now but let’s not get into the finer details of this (miserable) weather in London at the moment)…..I admit that I am definitely a girl that relies on a bit of ‘help’ to get myself looking more summer ready.

Living in the UK, there is a fine line between a nice and healthy summery glow and looking out of place 'oompa loompa' tanned. I like using the darker tanning mouses or lotions when it's the mids of summer or am going away somewhere hot but during the normal (average) weeks in summer I prefer a more natural light looking tan. Most of the time I use a gradual tanning daily moisturiser every few days to achieve that look. However recently I came across a new brand that offered a great light tanning range so I decided to give this go.

PureTan is a popular Australian brand loved by Miranda Kerr, the Minogue sisters and many other Aussie girls that prefer to fake it than burn in the strong Australian sun. PureTan provides light and dark tanning mouses and lotions that don't have that biscuity or coconut scent but actually smell more like a high-end body moisturiser!

Pure Bronze Light Instant Tanning Lotion -  £32.00

The Light Tanning Lotion is great for the fairer skinned amongst us for a nice buildable natural looking colour. The lotion has a slight shimmer to it and and moisturizes too,  leaving your skin feeling soft without any oily residue. I love that it has a super fast activating formula which means you can shower within an hour of applying, giving you speedy professional finish tanned skin.

Pure Bronze Light Instant Tanning Foam - £32.00

The The Pure Bronze Light Tanning Foam has an air-whipped moisturising formula that is super easy to apply (especially using a tanning mitt - link). This works more like a gradual tanner, but the natural colour forms quickly for a long-lasting sunless tan that is fast drying & streak-free.

Out of the two I probably prefer the mouse because I find this gives me a smoother and slightly faster natural finish. Overall I was really pleased with the results by the PureTan light tanning range. I think it's perfect for anyone that has quite a pale complexion because it is subtle enough not to look fake. So if you are quite fair skinned and have been too scared to try fake tanning in the past because of the dreaded orange look, I'd say give this a go :)

The full Pure Tan product range is available online at Cult Beauty now. 

My tan truth for wintertime...

In the cold winter months I hate looking white and pasty so my secret to getting some ‘sun’ during these months is using a daily gradual tan moisturiser. I have tried a few brands over time with some of my favourites being He-Shi, St Tropez and Garnier Summer Body.

Recently I got introduced to a brand called TanTruth  which have a lovely daily Gradual Tan called Secret Sun!

“Secret Sun is a luxurious body moisturiser containing just a hint of their dual tanning agents. Applied daily, it enhances your natural skin colour to leave a gorgeous sun kissed glow that can be achieve all year round. Enriched with Avocado and Shea butter, Secret Sun leaves skin soft, moisturised and hydrated. Excellent for daily use or after a holiday to help prolong your natural tan. Be gorgeous and glow all year round.”

Secret Sun is £5.19 per bottle (250ml) and can be purchased online here 

If I compare it to other daily gradual tan moisturisers I have used I found that the colour develops a bit deeper and stronger with Secret Sun but without looking a (dreaded) orange shade. The smell is very light and refreshing (not that horrible biscuity smelt that some fake tans can have!) and it actually is great as a moisturiser leaving your skin soft, hydrated and glowing.

The last few months I have just applied this lotion in the morning after my shower mainly to my chest, neck, arms and legs to give me a nice sun-kissed glow opposed to white vampire skin! Definitely liking this product :)

Do you use a gradual tan moisturiser in winter to get some ‘Secret Sun’; and if so, what products do you recommend? xoxo

December Glossy Box =

Only one week until Christmas! I however felt like it was Christmas already when my December GlossyBox arrived at my desk a few days ago! Seems the Glossy Box team are feeling the Christmas cheer because their last box of 2011 is a beautiful red instead of the usual soft pink and is packed full with lovely Christmas goodies. Think this is my favourite box so far!

This month everyone received a Rituals foaming shower gel, a Deborah Lippmann nail polish (plus nail polish remover mits) and a lipgloss by Cargo. The remaining two items were different in everyone’s box. I got the Blink+Go Hi Definition mascara and the MeMeMe Seventh Heaven FaceBase.

Here is an outline of the products I got:
♥ Rituals – Yogi Flow Foaming Shower Gel, 200ml £6.50
♥ Deborah Lippman "Razzle Dazzle" Mini (8ml) Nail Varnish
♥ Stripped To Go nail polish remover mitt (retails at £14 for pack of six)
♥ Blink + Go Hi-Definition Mascara
♥ Cargo Cosmetics Classic Lip Gloss (mini)
♥ MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Facebase

I was very excited to find the Rituals foaming shower gel in this box because my brother and his fiancé seem to be addicted to the stuff. They’ve raved to me about it many times and every year when one of the big department stores in Holland has their annual sale, they stock up on buying the Rituals foaming gels in bulk! So I was very keen to give this product a go and see what the fuss was all about. Now having tried it, I completely understand their love for this product. The foaming gel is just delicious!

It has a gel-to-soft foam formula which makes it feel like you are having a bubble bath in the shower. Very soft and creamy plus the Yogi Flow smells amazing. It has ingredients like Sweet Almond Oil and Indian rose which not only make your skin smell divine but also make it feel moisturised and luxurious.

Once this bottle runs out I am definitely buying more because am keen to try the other varieties. My brother seems to swear by the Hammam Delight!

I also love the Cargo Cosmetics Lipgloss. I hadn't really heard of this brand before so that does show the advantage of the GlossyBox concept, exposing you to great products you might otherwise not find.

The classic lipgloss (travel size) I got was in the shade 'Serengiti' which is a iridescent peach colour. It has a lovely shiny, sheer non-sticky formula and the colour is so pretttty!

The Razzle Dazzle raspberry glittery nail polish by Deborah Lippman also looks perfect for the festive season, cant wait to have a play with it :)

Did you get your December GlossyBox or do you spot some products in here you'd like to have??
A GlossyBox subscription is £10 per month (plus V.A.T and p&p) from Glossybox.co.uk.
You find my previous review of the Glossy Box Experience here.

Living, breathing, being: Pure & Natural...

NIVEA recently launched a brand new skin-care collection combining advanced skin-care expertise with effective natural ingredients to work in perfect harmony with the skin! I was so lucky to get to trail this new NIVEA Pure & Natural Face, Body and Handcare line over the last few weeks to see what my thoughts were :)

The Pure & Natural range basically means that 95% of the ingredients are of natural origin and are enriched with Bio Argan Oil & Bio Aloe Vera plus containing:

♥ No Parabens

♥ No Solicones

♥ No Colourants

♥ No Mineral Oils

The magic for this new range all lies in the lead ingredient of 100% organic Argan Oil. A natural source of Vitamin E, Argan Oil contains three times as much Vitamin E as Olive Oil and is a natural antioxidant. Rich in essential, precious fatty acids it provides effective and natural protection against free radicals whilst proven to create a skin smoothing effect.

So without any further ado: Introducing the new NIVEA Natural & Pure Range:

Face Care

♥ NIVEA Pure & Natural Facial Moisturising Day Cream for normal to combination skin

"With optimum doses of moisturising Argan Oil and oh so soothing Chamomile it naturally soothes and softens skin whilst hydrating and nourishing with 24 hour care. Chamomile is known for its protective and anti-inflammatory properties which restores sensitive skin’s natural balance while guarding against irritation."

My views: This cream is available for normal to combination skin & also for dry to sensitive skin. I got the dry & sensitive skin one and found it very soft and refreshing on my face. Not too greasy and felt light but still moisterising. Priced at £5.10 per 50ml.

♥ NIVEA Pure & Natural Facial Cleanser and Facial Toner 

"Used together these fabulous skin cleaners gently wipe away dirt and grime, whilst exotic Moroccan Argan Oil and Aloe Vera replenish and restore skin’s vitality, supporting cell regeneration and helping to protect against free radicals." 

My views: This toner is absolutely my favourite of the range. It really cleanses the skin and leaves it feeling so refreshed without being harsh on your skin. So fresh - I loved it! The lotion is lovely but I have to admit that 'milky' cleansers just aren't really my kind of thing. These are both priced at £3.36. I would definitely re-purchase this toner!

BodyCare

♥ NIVEA Pure & Natural Body Lotion for normal to dry skin 

"Enriched with our key ingredient Argan Oil, a natural source of Vitamin E, it has outstanding antioxidant properties and offers long lasting effective protection with plenty of moisture, leaving bodies everywhere silky smooth to the touch."

My views: Another favourite from this range! With the recent harsh winter weather my skin, especially my legs, has been pretty dry and flaky :( After using this lotion for a few days straight on my legs I noticed a real difference; reduced flakeyness and softer fresh skin! I like how it absorbes into the skin quite quickly as some moisterisers can make your skin quite sticky for a while after applying. The smell is also nice and fresh and not too overpowering which can really put me off some moisturizers. Priced at £3.57.

HandCare

♥ NIVEA Pure & Natural hand Cream
"The creamy formula sinks in immediately yet work intensively to restore the skin’s natural moisturising balance, protecting and nourishing dry hands all day long." 
My views: No major comments needed, just a fab little hand cream for a fab little price of £3.05. Like it promises it leaves your hands smooth but not sticky, it just soaks into the skin!

LipCare

♥ NIVEA Pure & Natural Lip Balm 

"This Lip Balm is overflowing with natural ingredients to intensively care for lips leaving them soft and nourished. Leading with Milk, a cooling and anti-inflammatory agent, and Honey, a hydrating ingredient that increases lips’ essential moisture, the powerful combination binds water to the skin moisturising lips to the max! Plus Shea Butter containing several natural moisturisers that are similar to the moisturisers produced by the skin’s sebaceous glands works with Jojoba Oil which is easily absorbed and protects lips, nature’s finest ingredients leaves lips with a soft supple pout."
My views: Great soft lip balm, a perfect hand bag winter staple to have. The milk & honey touch is lovely but not too overpowering. However, I have always been been a fan of Nivea Lip Balms so wasn't suprised that this one lived up to it's promises :) A bargain at £1.99

The Nivea Pure & Natural line will be available nation wide from the 20th February. 

For more information on this range or stockist details please visit www.nivea.co.uk

*the small print: this is a sponsored post via HandPickedMedia.