What's In My Handbag

Exams are officially OVER! The blog's been a little quiet over the last few weeks as I've had my head buried in books, however I am making my comeback with a review of a little box of goodness from online beauty product website, What's In My Handbag. WIMH offer exclusive samples of products from some of the leading beauty houses in the world. During a particularly slow day in the library an email from them caught my eye. They were offering a box of dreamy pocket-sized luxury products for the equally dreamy price of £10. This happened to fall a few days before my birthday, so I rationalised that I would reward myself for all my hard work and treat myself to a little birthday pampering.

On queue, the box, named 'Get Up and Go', arrived on the morning of my birthday. The black raffia made for a pretty and chic opening, whilst the free Travalo (a pocket-sized perfume atomizer) was a big plus which the kind people at WIMH throw in for free for anyone who spends over £10.

 

My skin (and beauty routine in general) has been largely abandoned and left to fend for itself over the weeks of revision, so these little pots, bottles and tubes of luxuriance were extremely welcome.

The Green & Spring Relaxing Shower and Bath Foam is silky smooth and as you lather it over your skin the soothing fragrance gently wafts through the air, making even a grotty student shower feel like a spa. It blends the gorgeously relaxing scents of chamomile, lavender and comfrey, with undertones of rosemary, geranium and marshmallow, to create the feeling that you have just stepped out of a country kitchen herb cupboard. The scent lingers on your skin better than your average shower gel and leaves it smooth and supple. I used it in the shower but I imagine it is equally as gorgeous used as a foam in a hot, steamy bath with a cold glass of wine and Ludovico Einaudi serenading you in the background.

The Triple Action Cleanser by Alpha H combines cucumber, aloe vera and thyme to refresh and balance the skin. A nice change from heavy exfoliating or foaming face washes, this beauty has a light, fresh fragrance to match its light treatment of your skin. The skin on your face is very delicate and I feel that some of the high street face washes and cleansers blast it too harshly with various exfoliating beads and overpowering fragrances. This cleanser removes make up, minimises excess oil, balances and cools the skin preventing unwanted breakouts, without all the pomp and pageantry of similar products. It also leaves the skin firm but not too tight, which is something I really dislike about some other cleansers. Recommend.

Now this next one may well be my favourite product of the bunch. The Satin Perfection BB Cream by Ren is a brilliantly light alternative to foundation, especially in these summer months where a thick foundation feels heavy and smothering. Ren's BB cream has colour-adaptive technology so it can blend into a range of skin tones. The cream allows your skin to breathe whilst evening out the tone and leaving it looking flawless and glowing in a way that foundation does not. I am a huge believer in protecting your skin from the sun and when in hot countries I often put factor 50 on my face, as it is so exposed. Obviously this is a little much for your everyday, but applying a low SPF to your face daily is a good habit to adopt. Ren's BB cream handily has SPF 15 built in, providing that much needed protection whilst avoiding the oiliness you get from sun cream. It also has photo-rejuvenation technology which tones, firms and has anti-ageing effects. The only problem I have with this product is that the sample tubes were too small and the fun was over too soon. Will definitely be buying the full size version for my summer travels.

The Korres Wild Rose Lip Butter is a beauty of a lip balm. The combination of shea butter and rice wax means that the gel-like quality of the balm melts into the lips and doesn't leave you with a sticky residue on either your lips or index finger, instead offering soft and hydrated lips with a gorgeous hint of rose pink. As opposed to many lipsticks, which sit on the surface of your lips and seem to require reapplication every 4 seconds, the natural pretty pink is light and long lasting. Despite being an iconically Athenian brand, this little pot of loveliness will leave you feeling like a quintessentially English rose.

This was my first experience of a WIMH offer and will certainly not be my last. Their exclusive samples give you the freedom to try out luxury beauty products without having to break the bank with the risk of it not living up to scratch.

My skin has been rescued from abandonment and is ready for the summer of fun and adventure to come. Watch this space, I'm back and armed with a beauty cabinet to kill.

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