Granite City Girl is on a break

                           

We were on a break!!! Is probably what you're going to be hearing me say when I return in a couple of weeks, no guys it's not you this time it really is me! But don't worry this really is just a break not a break up, honest.

 

As you guys know I have quite a few things and stuff coming up in the next few weeks, between work, photoshoots, meetings, preparing for our holiday next month as well as being asked to be Maid of Honour at one of my best friends wedding I really feel as though I have been burning the candle at both ends and I'm sorry to say that I feel as though my little corner of the internet has been falling to the wayside. Blogging has become a bit more of a chore as of late than I would generally have liked it to ever become and I have always said that if ever there came a time where I just wasn't enjoying it quite so much or perhaps I felt it was too much of a strain on my life that I would take a break, and that's what I am announcing today.

 

Fortunately guys this isn't forever, blogging and writing continues to be a great love and passion of mine and I do hope you don't miss my posts too much, I hope you understand and remember I'll see you in a couple of weeks as I return to my usual schedule. Of course I'll still be updating you on Twitter so you can always catch me over there if you miss me terribly.

 

Until next time folks, we are on a break!

 

H.Elizabeth x

Retail Therapy | Examples of Great Customer Service

Have you ever had an experience in a store or with a brand that has been so great you just had to give it a share? Well in the last four weeks I can safely say I have had the good fortune of having at least three experiences like this, I have encountered commited individuals who stand by the company brand, uphold their names and just take general pride in their work and what they do. Individuals who I have personally seen go above and beyond just for me, the customer, and you know I find that so often when we go online and confront the interwebs that we are shown such negative views, opinions and reviews and everyone is so quick to want to complain when they have had a bad experience, but very rarely do we read about these magnificent little moments in life where a complete stranger has made your day in the simplest of ways, and I really just want to contribute to that positivity today and share my recent experiences of fantastic customer service.

 

Lush, Union Street, Aberdeen
As some of you know I recently bought a shampoo bar from the Lush store in Dundee as part of my Dundee shopping splurge. Unlike my local Lush the ladies in that store didn't give me any extra information on the product I was buying which is fine because I thought I had an idea of how to use it anyway... well I was wrong. Within a week my shampoo bar crumbled to ginger nut biscuity consistency and washed away in my shower, to say I was a bit disappointed was an understatement. Undeterred I went to buy another at my own Lush and said I bought one the previous week and it crumbled (along with my hair hopes and dreams) Hearing this the shop assistant was incredibly shocked and extremely apologetic that nobody had shown me how to use this product, as compensation she gave me a freebie of a little round tin to keep my shampoo bar fresh, working and she also gave me a set of instructions on how to use the bar. To say I was chuffed was another understatement and today I wanted to recognise this young ladies generosity and thank her for not brushing me off or treating me like an idiot for my mistake.

 

Pure Spa Head Offices
To say I love Pura Spa does not do justice to how intense my feelings for this brand are, I have never had a bad word to say about them their facilities are always above par, their staff are so friendly and the atmosphere is nothing short of sublime in terms of relaxation. However as some of you know at Christmas I gifted my mum  a voucher which she wasn't too keen to cash in, so seizing the spa opportunity I have patiently waited for a package to come available that would suit my pre holiday needs, and I found one in the form of their Spring Spa Sensations, a foot ritual, booster treatment and use of the sauna for £49, a pretty great deal right? Well upon taking my voucher (which I paid £50 for) in to book this treatment I was turned away and informed that their 'seasonal deals' were vouchers and I could not buy a voucher with another voucher, and my paid for spa voucher was therefore exempt from any and all seasonal deals they may have (which sort of renders the voucher pretty useless for anything I ever book in for) I wasn't chuffed and spoke to their head office, who could not have been more helpful! The lady I dealt with via email said that it was not the case I couldn't also benefit from the Spa Sensations offer and booked me in fuss free online, apologised profusely and has said if there are any issues on the day to display my email chat with her (fingers crossed there won't be!)

 

So I know this post has been a little different to what you may be used to seeing here on Granite City Girl (mainly because I'm usually ranting or moaning about something negative... sorry!) but I hope it has made you feel the warm and fuzzies as much as it has for me. Have you ever found that an experience of great and attentive customer service has brightened not only your day but your entire week? I would love to hear all about your experiences in the comments below or Tweet the companies you just love the service of at me on Twitter! As always if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City posts you can follow me on Bloglovin.

 

Until next time folks, continuing to feel the warm and fuzzies.

 

H.Elizabeth x

Gym Time | Five Things Nobody Tells You About Going To The Gym

Back at you again today with another gym time, fitness and health post and this time I thought instead of telling you about how my classes are going or how I'm finding fitness recently I would share a few nuggets of information I have accumulated about the gym and some things I never realized before actually going. This isn't as a means to put you off of going to the gym so you guys balloon up with my homemade brownie recipe as a way to make myself look slimmer.... really it isn't, these are just some of the things that since going to my local gym have made me laugh, cry and overall cringe!

#1 Machine Rivalry is a thing

If you're a competitive person this will fit right into your category, I remember one instance a while ago when I was very into cardio and going on the treadmill etc that this man on the machine next to me kept 'casually' glancing over at my screen to see how fast I was increasing my speed to and funnily enough if I was at 9KM/PH he would increase his to 9.5KM/PH and so it went on and on until eventually he almost popped a blood vessel! And that ladies and gentleman is machine rivalry, and it's a more common thing than you realise.

#2 You will encounter excessive body fluids (of strangers)
You know those rules and guidelines you get when first attending the gym? The ones people very rarely read or take notice of? Well you'll find that nobody takes notice of them or carries a towel around with them for that matter, so unfortunately you will encounter far more bodily fluids of strangers than you would care to (ever in your life!) Really it's on the windows on the windows, on the walls on the walls and sweat drips down their... (you get the drift)

#3 Personal Space will be a much coveted commodity (and a thing of the past)
If you attend classes you'll hear the personal trainer ask everybody to find a space, which you will but give it about 30 seconds and you'll have a sweaty stranger at your shoulder attempting their jump lunges - my solution stand with your legs spread for more space!

#4 Weight hoarding is also a thing and it will be the bane of your fitness life

There's always one isn't there? Every time I go to my kettlebell classes I find it incredibly difficult to even locate the weights and some people have even started coming half an hour early just to hoard the weight by their side on the treadmill until they think they might use it.

#5 How awesome going to the gym actually is

There ain't nothing like endorphins to end the day or begin the day depending on when you go to the gym. It feels terrible at the time but there is nothing like the afterglow of a good work out / sweating session, it's true what they say, you'll never regret going to the gym but you'll regret not going.

So guys I hope you have enjoyed reading today's musings about the gym and the world of fitness, I'd love to hear any of your funny stories from the gym or perhaps just working out at home, be sure to leave them in the comments below, come share your thoughts with me on Twitter, or of course if you'd just like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl posts you can find me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, coveting my sweaty, personal space.

 

H.Elizabeth x

Smashbox Cosmetics | Contour Kit Review

It must be said, I am a sucker for sales dupes, particularly when it comes to make up sales reps. Now I like to think that I am a strong, independent, go-getter of a woman, so why is it when it comes to entering Boots cosmetics I'm as ill willed as Snow White - never mind taking a bite of the damn apple I'd make a pie and gorge on the thing! But I digress, today we're not going to be devling into my inner psyche and uncovering deep rooted psychological issues that seem to attract me to the 'shiny shiny' of life instead I'm going to make lemonade from my lemon of a cosmetic situation and share my latest impulse buy, the brand new Smashbox Contour Kit.

Granted now that the product has been out for a fair while it isn't exactly new, but at least this gives you a sort of time frame as to how long it has taken me to learn how to use this nifty little palette. I had some apprehensions about buying this product, I had literally gone in to buy a new primer and the sales rep convinced me that this palette was all that was missing from my life and make up collection (I caved, obviously) and as he mentioned it was a great kit for peely wallys  like me I near leapt at him! As you can see the palette comes with three shades, the contour, bronzer and highlight as well as a handy little brush (which isn't very good) and perhaps the best thing about this palette - a handy sheet detailing every face shape and where you ought to contour - needless to say my face  is in the 'round' category, soon all that was about to change.

Admittedly I didn't get on with the palette at first, mainly because I was so excited to get sculpted cheekbones you could cut yourself on that I clarted all of the things on my face only to look like I had been playing in the mud or been up a chimney (ala Bert from Mary Poppins) So it was time to take a step back and believe me when I tell you that for us pale girls, a little goes a long way! The diagram told me that as I have a round face I had to contour in a 3 shape from my temples, into my cheek hollows and down around my jaw line, as well as the sides and inner corners of my eyes, put the bronzer from my cheekbones up to my temple, and highlight the middle of my forehead, down my nose and in the centre of my chin. Previously I had been highlighting underneath my eyes and pretty much giving myself a moon face... also not a great look!

At first I really thought the powder was going to be flimsy as I don't usually get along with powdered products (so messy on your clothes!) but this was surprisingly dense without being heavy (in other words juuuust right) and so when applied correctly it will go exactly where you need it to. After blending the product with my real techniques powder brush (don't worry I'm going to invest in a buffer brush) I was pretty much good to go. The staying power of the product was great and I was chuffed to find that it didn't mattify my foundation or congeal as some products do. Overall I am quite happy with this contour palette, the instructions are simple, the forumla works right and it stays all day so they've got the makings of a pretty amazing product here.

I am most looking forward to perfecting my blending technique as that is where I am a bit sketchy, so if you have any products or brushes that might be able to help me out as always I am all ears. Leave your comments and suggestions below, come share your amazing ideas with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to keep up with my latests you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, sculpting my face to Kardashian perfection.

H.Elizabeth x

Social Media | Posting about Exercise and Weight Loss

I have never been one to document every detail of my private life on social media, god knows there are plenty of ladies and gents out there who over share and it has just never appealed to me to become one of them. Honestly who cares what I had for lunch or what kind of underwear my mothers cats aunt wears? However, having said recently I have become a bit more of a social sharer online when it comes to my health and fitness endeavours and I thought I would share an explanation as to why I find this helpful, productive and generally a great thing despite potentially annoying others in the social arena.

Throughout my life I have struggled with my health particularly when it comes to weight loss and healthy eating after adopting excuse upon excuse, and trust me I have used them all from 'I'm too busy' and 'I'm too tired' and even sometimes 'It just isn't practical for my lifestyle' and it wasn't until I reached a near 13 stone that I decided something had to be done and finally take my health a bit more seriously. So through a combination of a healthier eating plan and (VERY) regular trips to the gym I have successfully lost 3 stone and finally feel a bit more comfortable within my size 12 clothes and most importantly within myself, but today's post isn't about my entire weight loss journey, instead I want to share something that may seem so small and insignificant to outsiders looking in but that played a role in my own determination and drive in bettering my life and that is the use of Twitter and social platforms to keep me motivated.



 

Prior to my own experience I used to think people posting certain aspects of their lives on social media was obnoxious. My eyes would roll into the back of my head whenever I saw someone share a post workout selfie or document their salad choices via social media, that is until I became one of them. Everyday without fail I will probably note which physical activity I'll be doing that day, or perhaps a goal I have for the week (most recently that was an endeavour to cut caffeine down gradually) and I'm sure my posts, tweets and general musings about my new lifestyle have induced some eye rolls too and I don't blame them I found it annoying too. However social media might just be my greatest weight loss tool and motivator. Think about it, by posting your goals on social media you're not just making a pledge to yourself but you're putting it out to the world for all to see, so if you give up it isn't just you who sees it, the world does (don't worry I don't think 'the world' read my tweets but you get my drift) you set certain expectations for yourself and being able to go back in your Twitter history and see whether or not you met those expectations is a great thing.

In a mere 140 characters I was able to find and harness the support network and motivation I needed to keep going, not only do my followers and even strangers cheer me on but I am able to connect with like minded people who share the struggles I have faced in recent years and share tips, recipes and ideas on weight loss and fitness with them and if you are any of those people I have mentioned above I would here like to extent my thanks and gratitude. And of course if you're on the other side of the coin, those whose eyes are sick of rolling well, 'haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate'

Once again guys I hope you have enjoyed having a gander at today's post and I would love to hear your opinions on these sort of Tweets and social media posts, which side of the coin are you on? Perhaps you've found an even better way to keep yourself motivated to get up and go to the gym? As always I love to hear from you, be sure to leave your comments below come share your thoughts with my on Twitter or of course if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City posts be sure to follow me on Bloglovin.

 

 

Until next time folks, I'm just gonna shake shake shake shake shake...

H.Elizabeth x

Lush | Copperhead Shampoo Bar Review

It has been a good while since I have done a Lush post, if I'm honest Lush has been a bit of a sore spot for me recently as a while ago I bought two gorgeous face masks which I had intended to get into quite a routine of using however after a few weeks of hectic schedules and busy evenings I completely forgot about them only to discover them at the back of my fridge covered in mould and unsalvagable! Disappointed is not even the word (not with Lush but with myself, which feels even worse!) But on my recent journey to Dundee, who have a way better Lush than Aberdeen, I couldn't resist a cheeky Lush purchase, and determined to try something new I decided to be a bit more adventurous and buy my first ever shampoo bar.

There were so many to choose from but for me it wasn't a difficult choice. Since having my hair dyed last month the colour has faded quite a bit and I needed something that would lather a bit more oomph and life into it, and being a natural redhead Copperhead was the only way to go, and it smelt amazing to boot! Lush describe the shampoo bar feel, scent and qualities on their site as follows:

'Don’t be latte for work, invigorate with a double shot of coffee grounds and roasted cocoa extract. Persian red henna leaves hair feeling deeply conditioned and gloriously glossy. Escape the daily grind with Fair Trade vanilla absolute and vetivert oil for a rich, enticing aroma. Great for darker shades and those with red tones.'

As everyone undoubtedly has when confronted with a shampoo bar I was apprehensive, how does this thing work? Do I melt it on my head? Do I break bits off and use it that way? What if when I put it in the water it melts my £5 away?! But I really didn't have to worry, you simply wet the bar as you would with a bar of soap and lather it into your hair as you would with a liquid shampoo. It is surprising how quickly the bar lathers up, I expected to have to put in a great deal of elbow grease just to get a bubble from this sucker but nope, the bar was so easy to use and smelt even better when it was in my hair. The scent reminds me of a mans aftershave but not in a bad or hyper-masculine way, more in a way when you get a whiff you go 'oooh..' (but perhaps that's just me) 

Now I can already hear you all screaming, 'But does it make a difference!?' and having been using it for a week and a half I can tell you I have absolutely noticed a difference. First of all when I was the product out of my hair it actually feels clean (squeaky clean!) I say this as a big selling point because at times when you get a new shampoo, instead of actually stripping product from your hair it just feels as if it is putting a sheen or gloss over the top of you hair rather than actually washing it well that problem is over with your new shampoo bar! In addition to cleaning your hair properly it also makes your hair feel incredibly soft, which makes me wonder just how amazing their conditioning bars must feel (a must have on my next Lush trip) Lastly I have noticed the redder tones in my hair have been coming through much more, which is fantastic for me as sometimes the more yellow tones come through in summer which I don't really like so this is the perfect combating treatment for me.

In short I have loved using this shampoo bar and this could mark the end of all things liquid shampoo for me, who knows!? I think it all depends on how long it lasts, I have been using it for 2 weeks now, unfortunately I did run in to a spot of bother as it crumbled quite spectacularly and melted in my shower! Undeterred I have purchased another one and luckily the girl in Lush (Aberdeen) explained to me how I should be using it (i.e DO NOT immerse it in water!) and as an apology for not being told the first time I was given a complimentary tin to keep my shampoo bar in (aren't they so lovely?!)

Let me know if you have tried any of the Lush shampoo and conditioning bar range? What is your favourite or do you perhaps have an alternative that is EVEN better? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below, Tweet your thoughts at me or if you'd just like to see more from me be sure to follow the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm gonna wash that product right outta my hair.

H.Elizabeth x

Girls Day Out | Dundee Adventures

Hello everyone, it has been a while since I have done a post like this and this is mainly due to the fact that in my spare time I actually sit in a darkened room mulling over my friendless state... just kidding but today I am back with a special (to me anyway) edition of a day in the life with Granite City Girl centring around another girls day out. For me, and I'm guessing many others in my position, finishing university not only meant the ability to get out into the big wide world and pursue my chosen career path with confidence but it also meant that all of my university friends dispersed and returned to their respective home towns leaving me in the Granite City almost all by my lonesome so whenever I get the opportunity to go and visit them I jump at the chance. So after receiving an email from Dundee's Overgate shopping centre to attend a shopping, fashion, bloggery event last weekend I leapt and off I plodded to visit my good friend Lisa.

One thing I'll say about Lisa is she is never under prepared when I come visit, she has an agenda of events and a list of activities we could do for the weekend (which puts me to shame when she comes visiting me!) and because we had such fun that weekend I thought I would take you through a couple of the things we did that day and some of the places we went as a sort of day in the life of post, Dundee edition!

 

Tweet Chic at the Overgate

Promising days filled with fashion, shopping, discounts and fun, Tweet Chic did not disappoint. There were fashion shows featuring high street names such as New Look and River Island, impromptu dancing (which put me and my sweet sweet moves to shame once again) hair and make up demonstrations and a magic mirror which allowed you to virtually try on clothes (which unfortunately we didn't have the time to use) We literally spent hours in the centre just shopping and having a girly day and I came away with so many bargains that you'll soon be treated to another clothing haul. I'm looking forward to seeing what else the Overgate centre has up it's sleeve in the coming months because if this event is anything to go on then we are in for some retail treats!

Avery and Co
And now we come to the food portion of our girly day and trust me Avery and Co did not disappoint. I believe they are quite new to Dundee and as we don't have one in Aberdeen I was excited to go along and give them a go. Avery and Co have pitched themselves to online audiences as an independent eatery who provide a welcoming space designed to encourage people to eat, relax and linger, and my goodness did they deliver! First of all the food, oh  the food (can you tell I'm hungry as I type this?) As a starter we had the sweet potato quesidillas, and I do love a good sweet potato and for our main we enjoyed the tarka dal (which is a blend of lentils, onions, garlic and Indian spices served with cauliflower pakora and flat-bread) We must have spent a good few hours in there and it's not often I enjoy lingering in a restaurant post face stuffing but the tables are so openly spaced out, the staff were so friendly and the atmosphere was so relaxed that we didn't feel rushed out the door, the whole experience was just so pleasant, when I visit again I will definitely be pushing to go back there.

We did do a few other things that day such as visit the DCA for a drink (what a gem of a place by the way!) but I'm aware of my rambling on and on so I'll leave it there as two of the days highlights. I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into my life today these posts are quite few and far between but I really do enjoy writing them so stay tuned for more day in the life posts in the coming months, especially as I have some quite exciting events to attend shortly! But as always guys I love hearing from you so be sure to tweet at me or share your comments below, or if you'd just like to see more from Granite City Girl you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm going on an adventure!

H.Elizabeth x

Blogging | How often should I be posting?

Hello everyone, today I'm back with my (somewhat) fortnightly little snippets of information from the world of blogging, social media, writing and general unsolicited advice giving and given that you still have not shown any disdain towards receiving said advice I am going to continue on with this today and henceforth. So today I'm going to be chatting to you about something that is seen to be quite topical in the blogging world and that is the question of how often you should be posting. You'll know if you have read this segment before that I touched on this in my post which revolved around blog scheduling so I do apologise if I repeat myself here and there but I will try and avoid this just to make it a bit more interesting and informative for you. As I have said in the past with this post and all of my others this is purely of my own opinion and what I find works best for me and you should take this advice as my opinion as opposed to gospel.

When the question of how often a blogger should be posting comes up you will get a plethora of answers, opinions and people preaching to the blogosphere gods that their way is the correct and only way to run a successful blog that people will want to read, return to and perhaps follow. For many that involves being able to post on a daily basis in order to stay fresh and current on their social media and bloglovin feeds however for new bloggers this can be particularly overwhelming (heck I even find it overwhelming and I have been writing for a good year and a bit now) and it might not necessarily be the right route to go down. And for others that means posting one to two times a week or whenever they are able and guess what? That's fine too. Personally I think it's all about the individual, their time management skills and of course their goals.

For example if your goal is to be able to make money from your blog, receive PR samples out the whazoo and generally make a living from your blog (which I imagine is no easy feat and by no means do I do this!) then you should probably be posting on a daily basis to start out at least, but for others, us mere mortals that simply isn't practical. Granite City Girl began as a labour of love for me which in a dream world would be spun into  a full time career but I'm not naieve enough to think that's where we are at the moment and starting out I posted as often as I could with little to no schedule whatsoever, I felt overwhelmed and at times rushed and I really do think it came across in my writing and I like to think since establishing a more manageable routine that my writing quality has improved as well as the general content of the writing (guys?) So I suppose what I'm really trying to say is the tale as old as time, 'don't compromise quality over quantity' 2 to 3 times a week is just fine and very soon you'll establish a following and readership to be proud of because of your top notch content (which in reality is what matters most)

Posting on a regular basis (for me  3 / 4 days a week) has worked wonders not only for the blog but for my own peace of mind and routine. For more information on scheduling see my post on the benefits of a blogging schedule to help you scope your own post frequency. So as always I hope this has helped you out in some small way and has perhaps taken the pressure off of some of you newer bloggers or perhaps even made you rethink your own blogging strategy. Be sure to leave your thoughts on post frequency in the comments below or tweet them at me, perhaps you do post every day and have a great way to manage your time, if so I'd love to hear how you do it! Or of course if you'd like to see more from the Granite City Girl you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'll be monitoring your frequency (Trekkies will surely get that?)

H.Elizabeth x

Domestic Goddess | Creme Egg Brownies

Back at you today with a special Easter 'Domestic Goddess' post featuring the nations favourite sweet, the great British Creme Egg.  I saw this recipe in various forms across platforms such as Buzzfeed, Pinterest and it has even began to grace Facebook so being the budding baker I so truly am I thought I would do my own rendition of Creme Egg Brownies and share them with you here today.

This sweet is great for an Easter spread if you're not into the traditional hot cross buns or plain chocolate eggs we are so used to receiving, or perhaps you're just like me and have a serial sweet tooth and cake addiction, the first step to solving any problem is admitting there is a problem... step two for me is embracing said problem and baking myself stupid anyway! These (as usual) are really easy to bake, in complete honesty they are just a normal brownie recipe with a few sweet modifications, in fact if you're feeling super lazy you could even buy ready to mix brownie batter, but mine taste way better so please do try this before throwing the mitts in!

Equipment

Digital Scales
Saucepan
2 Bowls
Baking Tin
Wooden Spoon

Whisk
Seive

Ingredients
200g Cadburys Milk Chocolate (or your favourite brand)
6 Creme Eggs
275g Caster Sugar
40g Cadburys Coco Powder
185g Unsalted Butter
85g Plain Flour
3 Large Eggs
White Chocolate Chips

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C then melt your butter and Cadburys chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a boiling pan of water. When completely melted set to one side to cool.
2. In another bowl crack your 3 eggs and add your sugar. Whisk this until the eggs and sugar are combined and the mixture is a mousse like consistency (this will take a while and some elbow grease) Add your two mixtures together and mix well until fully combined.
3. Seive in your flour and coco powder then gently fold into the wet mixture. When the mixtures are to a thick, chocolatey consistency add in as many of your white choc chips as you like and mix well so they are evenly distributed throughout.
4. Pour the mixture into your baking tin (as you see mine is new and heart shaped from ASDA - which I love!) and bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes.
5. Remove the mixture from the oven and you're ready to add your creme eggs. Cut them all in half and place them on top of the mixture evenly spaced (they will sink in - this is fine!) Cook them for a further 10 - 15 minutes, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Serving suggestion:

Serve warm with some cream and strawberries on the side.

Your brownies if stored properly, covered in foil in a tupperwear box, will last around 3 or 4 days, but as this mixture makes a rather large amount of brownies I doubt you'll be able to finish them yourself (despite the fact I did) Do let me know if you give these a go I would love to see how you got on and of course if you loved them just as much as I did. Be sure to comment any thoughts, questions or general musings you have below, Tweet me your baking pictures or of course if you'd just like to see a bit more be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, happy Easter!

H.Elizabeth x

Move to Micellar | Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

As you'll know from my various postings, reviews and general endeavours for the last year I have been revamping my skincare routine. From  making the move from make up wipes (YUCK!) to a cream cleanser by Garnier to implementing various exfoliation and moisturising rituals week on week my skin has undergone quite dramatic improvements in the last year. It behaves much better, feels moisturized day on day regardless of weather and it's generally brighter (something I put down to lemon water too) But today I am making another move, taking the next step if you will in skincare evolution and that is the move from cream cleansers to micellar waters.

Now I'm sure you'll have seen micellar cleasners knocking about for a good while now and you'll have perhaps read that I have made the move when it comes to eye make up removal already and it's really my head over heels infatuation what that product that has made me rethink the way in which I have been removing my base make up. Finding a new cleanser was easy, considering I know what I love and I know what my skin loves I went for Garnier (because they have never really steered me wrong) and picked this little lovely up from Boots as part of an offer once again!

The product promises to be gentle on the skin, remove face, eye and lip make up as well as have hypoallergenic qualities, which is perfect for me, really sometimes I do think I should just live in a big bubble or incubator and bounce my way places, but I digress. I found the cleanser was much easier to handle than cream based cleansers mainly because it doesn't leave your face feeling greasy or as if it needs a good wash afterwards. As you'll probably have guessed it is perfume free just to make it that much gentler on the skin and really it sometimes just feels as if I'm reaching for some water to wash my face with (yeah, MAGIC water!) so it feels so much more refreshing and is going to be perfect for taking abroad in the muggier weather. The product also says it can last for up to 200 uses, I'm looking forward to putting this to the test, but I can completely see why they say that as a little really does go a long way.

Of course even though it does posses qualities I could only have dreamed of previously in a make up remover I'm not saying that it is perfect. You will obviously still have to implement a solid cleansing routine just to ensure you're not trapping any excess make up / dirt / dew of the day in your pores which could ultimately lead to nasty breakouts and potentially social suicide... nah just kidding... but seriously look after your skin. All in all though I do recommend this if you're looking for something a bit lighter on your skin that requires even less maintenance than cream cleansers do and I'm really looking forward to using this in the summer to help my skin stay, look and feel fresh as a daisy.

I hope you've enjoyed this general review on my new micellar and if you have any cleansers that you've been loving or even just want to share your thoughts on this one in particular be sure to leave a comment below, come tweet your thoughts at me, or of course if you just want to see more of my cleansed face you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, making the move to micellar.

H.Elizabeth x