Review: Ahava Time to Hydrate Gentle Eye Cream

After kindly being sent this gentle, but moisturising eye cream and having used it twice a day for a number of weeks now I feel I can bring you an honest and in depth review. 

Ahava have become experts on dead sea minerals and their effectiveness in beauty products, creating products that include ingredients that are kind to skin, free of animal testing, paraben free and approved for sensitive skin (I was already liking the brand at this stage!) There are many, (too many to name!) natural additional key ingredients in Ahava's products, but a main one is the Osmoter; 'powering the entire product range' is Ahava's 'exclusive blend of natural minerals' which is obtained from Dead Sea saline water. 

I have sensitive and dry skin, and in particular, really dry under eyes. I have tried many eye creams, eye serums and creams over the years to hydrate the skin under my eyes and combat any dry areas that my foundation and concealer sometimes stick to, instead of blending in. The tag line 'time to hydrate' in Ahava's product time to hydrate gentle eye cream immediately interested me, and although I have tried many products, some better than others, I don't get tired of trying out new ones as I truly believe in the importance of skin care. 

This eye cream claims to 'deliver rich moisture' and give the skin 'a visibly younger appearance.' Now as I am still only 21 years old, I have not noticed any difference in my skin in terms of youthful appearances, however I can say that the product really does give moisture to the very delicate eye area. The skin under my eyes is calmer, much softer, dark circles are lightened and any puffiness I had has been reduced. I use it morning and night, and find that it works really well under make up. My concealer blends much better into my skin and no longer just sits upon it. Also, when this product is applied there is a nice cooling feeling to the skin. 

Ahava's eBay store is a great platform to browse all products, read reviews and find out information on the products they sell. The item was shipped to me in impressive, record speed and Ebay is doing an offer of saving £5 when you spend £100. At £22 the product is pricier than some drugstore brands, but a little goes a long way with this and I can see mine lasting for a long while. I'm not all that keen at having to stick my fingers into the pot, but that is just my pickiness with packaging, I use my fingers to tap in the product anyways!

I noticed immediate results with this eye cream, if you are after a hydrating, but non sticky and non drying eye cream then find the product at Ahava's easy to navigate, eBay store: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Ahava-Active-Dead-Sea-Mineral?_trksid=p2047675.l2563 

or click on the direct link to the item http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AHAVA-DEADSEA-MINERAL-GENTLE-EYE-CREAM-15ML-LIGHT-MOISTURIZES-AND-SOFTENS-SKIN-/121568565553?_trkparms=%26rpp_cid%3D55534e68e4b0595897aa2a53%26rpp_icid%3D555348ffe4b0e4c23410bdeb

Laura Elizabeth xo 

My Top Summer Nail Polishes

I still find painting my nails sort of a chore, it's safe to say I don't particularly enjoy the task; I either get impatient waiting for them to dry, think to myself why on earth did I pick this colour once it's on my nails, or I end up smudging them because I get an itch or I need to move - why does this always happen?!

However, I still buy way more polish than I need and get excited whenever brands bring out a range of new colours or finishes. Despite not particularly enjoying the task of painting them, I still do it, and enjoy picking out a shade suitable to an upcoming event or a season of the year to match an outfit or to make me feel happy. I love wearing bright colours on my fingers and toes in the summer, and wearing a pair of pretty sandals to show them off, or accessorise with some sparkly rings and bracelets to really accentuate my hands. 

In this post I share with you my favourite shades that will make you feel totally summery for this season. There are a range of neon, bright, pale, shimmery, matte and even scented shades so there are plenty to choose from. 

Barry M 'Eat My Dust' - Speedy Quick Dry

This is a gorgeous pale blue colour and as the name suggests it dries quickly to achieve perfectly coated nails efficiently. It has a flat brush to cover more of the nail with one coat and I find after two coats my nails are full of the colour and aren't streaky or sheer. Little to no clean up is needed after because of the style of the brush and this is something I really look for in a polish as we've already established my dislike for the task of painting my nails. I find one coats dries after about 60 seconds and I have touch dry nails within five minutes after using this polish. 

Maybelline New York 'Pink in the Park' - Super Stay 7 Days

Without a top coat this polish lasted four days on my nails before it chipped or started flaking. You can get an even finish quickly due to the flat brush as more polish can be distributed onto the nails. This a bubblegum pink shade that looks great with a tan, but is perfect for any skin tone. 

Sinful Colours 'Snow Me White' 

When my nails are well manicured I like wearing a white shade and for £1.99 Sinful Colours offers a great polish. It's not streaky or watery and opaque with just two coats. It is a little thick but for the inexpensive price it does the job. 

Rimmel London 'Goddess' - Salon Pro Kate Moss

This polish also has a flat wide brush to distribute a lot of polish onto the nail. I found it was quite sheer after one coat, but after about two or three coats there was a good amount of polish on my nails. The polish has a gel shine finish and I found that it didn't chip until about five days wearing it.

Barry M 'Guava' - Gelly Hi Shine

This polish has a very glossy gel like finish and is rich in colour with just one coat. It is a gorgeous turquoise blue colour and is bright and perfect for summer. 

Barry M 'Mediterranean' - Aquarium Collection

This a mix of a pink and copper to create a shiny colour that looks beautiful in the sun. 

Models Own 'Banana Split' - Fruit Pastel Collection

This polish is from a range of different scented shades from models own which are made up of creamy, pastel shades. Each has a different fruit scent and comes with retro scratch and sniff stickers on the lid. Pale colours tend to be fairly sheer but this polish can be easily built up with two to three coats.

Models Own 'Beach Hut' - Polish For Tans Collection 

New this year, this is the first of three in this post from this collection. This colour is a super bright, neon and attention grabbing orange.

Models Own 'Cocktail Hour' - Polish For Tans Collection

Definitely the brightest in this collection, this polish is a neon coral and I love wearing it with a lipstick I own which is an exact colour match!

Models Own 'Malibu Pink' Polish For Tans Collection

This is a bright, easter egg, barbie pink and would compliment any summer outfit. Two coats for this collection works best I find. 

Let me know what your favourite shades are!

Laura Elizabeth xo

GIVEAWAY - Phone Case from Zing Cases

Hello, 

There is a giveaway taking place on my Instagram account www.instagram.com/lelizaxo where you can win a phone case from http://zingcases.com/.

The phone case will be the one pictured in the above picture and will be available to win in iPhone models, Samsung Galaxy S5 and S6 and Xperia Z2, Z3 and Z3 Compact! If you would like a chance to win, head over to my Instagram account and comment on this post, tagging a friend who you think would be interested. You also have to be following my account and Zing Cases Instagram account found here. 

Winner will be announced Sunday 26th July, good luck!

Laura Elizabeth xo

My Current Favourite Blush Products

I never used to wear blusher often at all, it was definitely not something I grabbed for when applying my make up on a daily basis, but this year, and this summer in particular I have been loving wearing blusher to add some natural colour to my face. I now own a number of blush products but these five are my top favourites at the moment. 

Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush in Candy Glow | Too Faced - I best like to use this product by swirling a brush in all three colours for a really pretty, girly pink shade. 
Ultra Blush Palette in Golden Sugar | Make Up Revolution - The blushers in this palette are such pretty, light colours and so they are perfect for summer. 
Baked Blush in Luminoso | Milani - A lovely peachy shade which looks nice with a bronzer and highlighter. 
Blush in Pomegranate 923 | Sleek - A darker colour, maybe not one you would initially reach for in the summer, but I like to wear it with a minimal eye look, or in the evening. 
Blush in Rose Gold 926 | Sleek - A dupe for the Nars blush in Orgasm, this is my favourite of them all, it gives a peachy pink colour to the cheeks that looks really natural. 

Beau-Tea Tea Tox

I have recently completed a 14 day Tea-Tox as I have always been interested in how effective they can be. After discovering La Beautique UK and getting into contact with them I was kindly sent the 14 day tea tox package to try and test out. 

For £19.99 you get 28 tea bags, for two a day, morning and evening. These teas have been designed to flush out any toxins and boost your metabolism helping to reduce bloating and achieve a healthy glow from the inside out. It is recommended for best results to drink the teas as part of a healthy, balanced diet. 

There are many ingredients in La Beautique's tea, and after reading the benefits of each I was surprised at the amount of goodness and benefits that were in the tea as a whole when each ingredient was counted together! Sencha green tea, rhubarb, garcinia cambogia, celery leaf, raspberry ketone, lemon grass, dandelion leaf, goji berries, camomile and rose are what make up this tea to nourish and and cleanse your body. 

At first I was a little unsure about the dandelion leaf ingredient as having tried a tea with this taste before and disliking it, I knew that it could affect whether I liked these teas or not. When I received the package I could immediately smell the dandelion and the first few teas I drank I could taste it, but over time, I realised that this was because I was actively looking to recognise the taste of the dandelion. Despite this, I did not stop drinking them and found that they in fact helped with migraines that I get occasionally and so half way through the 14 days, I was already impressed with the tea and could see and feel a noticeable difference. 

I also occasionally add honey to my tea as a sweetener and often use it on my food, not just because I really like the taste but because this ingredient also helps with my migraines! Honey is rich in many minerals, potassium and magnesium to name a few, and these in particular help to relax arteries and allow more blood flow to the brain and so preventing the blood vessels from swelling and creating painful headaches. 


By adding honey to this already full of benefits tea, I was really finding a delicious remedy to soothe my headache. I found that the honey masked the taste of the dandelion leaf, but I did not add it throughout the whole 14 day process as I grew to love the taste of the teas without it. Dandelion leaf is a great benefit and is a very popular ingredient in tea for detox. Even though I am not keen on the taste, I can't deny that it is full of benefits. It helps regulate your appetite and promotes good digestion. 



As I haven't tried any detox teas before I can't compare this one to any other, and as I am fairly small as it is, I can't comment on whether it helps weightloss. Despite this, I noticed increased energy levels and I am sure that alongside healthy eating and exercise weight loss is achievable. 

Overall, this tea tox is a great addition to a healthy and balanced diet, the tea bag infuses quickly into boiling water and I still can't quite believe I can say that these teas very quickly reduce the severity of my migraines when I get one. I felt good and healthy whilst drinking them and would definitely consider doing a tea tox again in the future and in particular, ordering them from this company. 

Find La Beautique UK at 
http://www.labeautique-uk.com/
https://www.facebook.com/LaBeautiqueUK
https://instagram.com/labeautiqueuk/

and the Instagram for the teas at https://instagram.com/beau_tea_uk

Laura Elizabeth xo

June Favourites

Pink Shell Cross Body Bag | Skinny Dip London - I have been loving using this bag the past month, it's small but large enough to hold any essential items, and basically it makes me feel like a mermaid. It's metallic and looks really pretty when the sun shines on it, it also has a long, chunky gold chain. 

Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser | Liz Earle - My new favourite method of removing my make up! It's simple, quick and easy to use, and removes even the most difficult and stubborn mascara with just a few wipes of the muslin cloth. It leaves my skin feeling smooth afterwards and I just find it really satisfying when rubbing the cleanser onto my face with my fingers, starting to remove the make up, before wiping the rest away with the cloth. 

Aquarium Nail Mediterranean in Number 4 | Barry M - I bought this nail polish last year, but early on in June I picked it out of my ever growing collection of polishes and applied it to my toe nails and now my love for it has been renowned. The metallic shiny pink makes me feel like a mermaid, just like the shell bag, and looks really pretty with a pair of cute sandals on a sunny day. 

Colour Boost Lip Crayon | Bourjois Paris - Another product I picked up last summer after I watched Tanya Burr use it in one of her make up tutorial videos! It's another lip crayon product, and although there are many out there, and you may already own too many, this product is a lip crayon that should definitely be added to your collection. The formula is lovely, non sticky and not drying at all. It has a glossy shine to it and the colour pay off is really good. It's a lovely coral/peach colour and so it is perfect for a summer make up look. 

Gold Stack Rings | Primark - Gold stack rings are a great accessory and I picked these up in Primark for under £5. They fit nicely, and vary in band sizes but all are fairly chunky. They are simple, but eye catching and suitable for everyday or evening outfits. 

Make Up Setting Spray | Collection - Defnitely useful in the summer heat if you want your make up to last for a long period of time without moving or melting! With just one spray this product sets your make up, and leaves it in place for hours. This is another product I have purchased before, however I have started to use it more in the hotter weather and found that for £5.99 it is definitely a great product worth buying this summer. 

Silver Coin Necklace | LVBT.co.uk - I very kindly got sent this product a while back and have been really enjoying wearing it with everyday outfits and in the evening. I find that it works really well both ways, and is perfect for completing a great festival look. They look sophisticated and make any outfit look effortlessly well put together. 

zingcases.com

Zing Cases provide pretty much every product widely available in relation to your mobile. With a number of phone accessories for a range of different models, this company are great at providing high quality customer service and good prices. 

The fantastic characteristic of this company is that they donate to projects and charities, they have great morals and beliefs, and celebrate their own success by providing help to people in disadvantaged countries. I am very pleased to have collaborated with such a fantastic company. For more information on their charity work so far visit http://zingcases.com/pages/charity. 

Products |  Latest accessories, gadgets, chargers, and cases suitable for iPhone models, iPad Mini and iPod Touch 5G, Samsung Galaxy models, HTC and Blackberry phones.  http://zingcases.com/

I was kindly sent a pretty phone case and a very useful car charger for when you are on the go. I received the items very efficiently and am happy to say that I would definitely purchase from them in the future. 

 

iPhone Case

   

Car Charger

The phone case is a pretty vintage floral print hard back case which fits well to the phone, it is also easy to remove and clip on. There are a range of different colours available to choose from. 

The car charger is a double dual USB port and so two devices can be charged at once. This product also works with tablets and with any USB cable. All you have to do is simply attach your cable into the adaptor and connect to the device you wish to charge. I find that this charges your device at full speed and the small and sleek design fits well to the interior of your car. 

The website is well designed so it is easy to browse for the item you want. Plus, you can get 15% off with your first purchase!

Overall, this is a great company that provides great quality products. 

Find Zing Cases on social media: 
https://www.facebook.com/zingcases?_rdr=p
https://instagram.com/zingcases/

Laura Elizabeth xo