Duty free shopping - MAC, Boss Orange, Sanctuary Spa

Anyone that follows me on twitter will know that before I went on holiday I had a list as long as my arm of the things that I wanted to get in duty free!

I spent an AGE on the MAC website sorting out the 4 shades of eye shadow that I wanted to get to put in to a palette.  I finally settled on Contrast (blueish purple), Fig. 1 (aubergine matte), Copperplate (smoky grey matte) and was going to pick a lighter one at the stand although Vex (green/peach duochrome shimmer) was of interest.  Quick note: MAC aficionados please excuse my gauche descriptions of MAC eye shadow finishes, I have no clue!

My plan was to pitch up at the MAC stand at some ridiculous time when the scary, snotty over made up SA was half asleep.  So as soon as I cleared security I grabbed Em and hauled her off to duty free at 5.45am.  I needn't have worried, seriously the SA was so lovely it was like she had been meant to go to Illamasqua and just ended up on the wrong concession!  She was incredibly helpful and chatty and didn't seem at all put out that a crepey eyed old bag was waving a print off of the four shades of eye shadow she wanted in her face. Yeup, I was that tragically over prepared!  Of course I didnt realise that they don't have the pro palettes in duty free, which rather put the mockers on my plan, didnt really see the point in paying more in duty free for shadows in a pan than I would have paid for them ready to go in the pro palette if I bought them in Selfridges, even if I did have to weather the disdain of the SA's to do so!

I was also hugely glad that I had done my homework. There is something immensley under-whelming about a stand full of MAC eye shadows. None of them leap out and yell buy me crepey eyed one, they all just look a bit meh.  I knew I wanted Copperplate more than I wanted to go on holiday, well almost, so I nabbed that and then having had a play decided that as I already had a matte blue (Revlon one) that it would be wiser to get Fig. 1 to have a matte purple that I couldnt get on the high street than to buy Contrast. So that was my decision made; Copperplate and Fig. 1.

Copperplate and Fig. 1 both from Matte 2 collection

Fig. 1 and Copperplate in shade, fairly heavy swatches

Same but in direct sun

I used both on holiday, in the evenings and I think Fig.1 is great for a wearable smoky eye on my blue eyes, will have to take a pic next time I do one.  I think I do actually prefer it to Copperplate now that I own both. Haven't been totally wowed by these tbh, they are a bit powdery and can a pain to blend.  Will do a more detailed review of each with an eotd post.

That job done I headed off to purchase the Hugo Boss Orange shower gel and body cream I had been wanting since my birthday. Never, ever want something, it will pretty much make it unobtainable!  They did have the body lotion but not the shower gel, so I purchased that and decided to head to Boots for a shower gel for my holiday as was so convinced would be purchasing in duty free hadn't bothered to pack anything (there is an irony to this which will become apparent by the end of my "holiday" posts!).

This is delicious, so glad I got it, sinks in quickly, leaves my skin glowing and soft and smells like heaven. Added advantage is that it makes my Orange Sunset last longer too!

Nothing in Boots, unless I fancied taking Sanex on my holidays. Was almost despondent so had to go to Frankie and Bennys for breakfast, pancakes cheered me up!

So on the plane perusing the in flight duty free and there like a shining beacon was a Sanctuary Spa gift bag with body butter, scrubby shower gel, bath float and body exfoliator in a lovely zingy orange bag for £10!  

Bright enough?!

Couldnt get the money out fast enough - so my bathing needs were fully taken care of before we even landed!

Quite a bargain for a tenner don't you think?

Sanctuary Therapists Secret Facial Oil & Mir Argan Beauty Oil joint review

If you are a regular reader you will know that I have really dry skin.  I was recently going through a really dry phase when I was in Boots with a £5 voucher off facial skin care burning a hole in my pocket when I spotted the Sanctuary facial oil.  Without the voucher this would have been £17 which isn’t bad, for £12 it was a steal!

The oil is in a nice glass bottle with a pipette top, which initially I really liked – very apothecary. Reality is if you are as cack handed as me, a glass bottle, a tricky top and lashings of oil are not the best combination!  I did eventually work out that if  you hold the bottom of the bottle your left hand you can unscrew, suck up and drop a couple of drops of oil onto the palm of the left hand using your right, but that entailed a good few near misses.  

The Sanctuary oil is a blend of Essential oils of Frankincense, Jojoba oil, Rose, Rosehip seed oil, Sunflower oils and wheat germ oil – the fragrance, which is very delicate but rather lovely, clearly comes from the Rose and Frankincense.
 
Whilst I have had the Sanctuary oil I have also tried a small sample of the Mir pure Argan oil which was part of a Mir Sample set that I purchased to try, the full size bottle of this comes with a pump  - much less dangerous!

Photo borrowed from www.mirskincare.com

The two oils feel quite different. The Sanctuary oil is much denser and as such feels a little as if it sits on the skin more, the Argan oil is a lighter oil and did seem to soak in very much more quickly.  The Sanctuary oil is more fragranced than the Mir pure Argan and if you are a very sensitive soul this might warrant bearing in mind.  My skin has relished both.  I use a couple of drops of whichever is closest to hand morning and evening, after cleansing and before moisturizer – it is an option to add a couple of drops of oil to your moisturizer but my skin seemed happiest when I applied the oil direct.  My skin feels nourished and plumped up and once it got over a major hormone induced blip recently has had a much more even tone and less visible redness. 

I am rather partial to a good exfoliate before bed and again the oil has been lovely smoothed into my buffed face, on the nights I have exfoliated I have been a bit more liberal with the oil and applied it more as a mask rather than a base for a night cream – the Sanctuary oil may be better for overnight as it is more heavy weight.  It is lovely for a pre-sleep facial massage too as it gives nice slip and the fragrance is soothing. The pure Argan is my preference in the morning under my moisturiser as my skin just mops this up.

Will I buy again?  Absolutely. I have to say I love the convenience of being able to nip into Boots to pick up the Sanctuary oil so it will probably win out but I think the Mir is actually better for your skin, not least because it is so easily absorbed.

The Sanctuary oil is £17.35 for 30ml and available in Boots.

The Mir pure Argan oil is £17.50 for 30ml and available here (although you will need to add p&p to that too!)

Sanctuary Mela Amla & Cardamom shower drench

Spent ages in Boots today trying to find a shower gel that seriously floated my boat, I hate smelling of fruit or flowers which reduced my options by around 60% and am not a lover of all things Soap and Glory, no reason they just don't set my world on fire and actually I don't think I like the packaging enough either.  Which didn't really leave me a whole big lot to choose from!

This leapt out at me, I like the purple and gold packaging and was intrigued by the idea of a Cardamom scented shower gel and I have to say I have not been disappointed, this smells wonderful, quite an unusual rather sensuous frangrance that lingers on the skin and leaves your bathroom smelling pretty lush too!

I hope you can read the ingredients, as I know some people like to know whats in their stuff - it isn't SLS free so that will right it off for many I know.  I love the description "fragrant jasmine & aromatic cardamom" actually starting to sound like something of a thai menu, maybe thats why I love it!

Sanctuary Mela Amla & Cardamom Shower Drench costs £5.87 and I am really annoyed to have only just noticed the 3 for 2 on this, could have got the Rose and Pistachio body butter and had the Black Pepper and Ginger body scrub too! Did notice a £20 gift set of this which I might just nominate as a Mothers Day pressie, if I cant convince them I am worth a Tom Ford perfume!