Handmade, Natural & Cruelty Free… Bath & Beauty by BEE BEAUTIFUL

There’s nothing more satisfying than coming home after a loooong hard day and stepping into a hot, soothing and enticingly scented bath to soak away your troubles. Of course now that the darker nights have firmly taken hold, a bath-time treat feels somewhat ritualistic to warm the bones on these chilly autumn evenings. And if you’re anything like myself, you could end up going slightly OTT when it comes to stocking up on an array of yummy smelling bath goodies *happy sigh*

So for those of you who adore the mere thought of hoarding a stash of sumptuous bath bombs & other scented beauty goodies, I simply must insist you take a virtual trip over to the folks at Bee Beautiful to check out their incredible range of handmade products… all of which I’m pretty sure you’ll fall in love with just as much as I have ❤

 

“Bee Beautiful is a new company based in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria. It has developed over a number of years from a cottage industry using beekeeping products from our own hives.

Our creams and lotions were first tried by family and friends and were met with great enthusiasm. It’s these good results that have encouraged us to go further and form Bee Beautiful Ltd.

Why not try our range of exciting bath bombs, lushious smoothies, refreshing soaps, creams, household polishes, all where possible made with natural ingredients and the added benefits of bee related ingredients which are sure to create a buzz.

All our products are hand-made using the purest of ingredients a full list of which can be seen on each of our product’s pages. We believe you should know exactly what we put into our products.

To ensure all our products are safe we send a samples for laboratory tests to receive certificates of safety.”

*Extract from Bee Beautiful website*

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So how did this little Irish clan come to know all about Bee Beautiful? Well, as most of you already know it was my daughter Emma’s 10th birthday a few weeks ago, and one of her (many) gifts was this gorgeous selection of the mini bath fizzies from her big sister Hayley… how cute are these? 😀

Of course being a craver of all funky little bath treats myself, I couldn’t help but get intrigued – especially on whiffing the amazing selection of scents! Here’s what Emma received in her gift bag…

Blue Lagoon (Banana)

Charlie Bear (Baby Powder)

Parma Delights (Parma Violets)

Bizzy Bee (Honey)

Green Apple

Very Berry (Strawberry)

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“Our Bee Beautiful Bath Bombs and Smoothies give you a different experience in your bath, whether it is fruity freshness, spicy sensations or sweet scents of honey. They are all handmade, using pure ingredients and the finest essential oils.

Drop a Bee Beautiful Bath Bomb into a bath of warm water and it will fizz vigorously, releasing its perfume and essential oils, while the Bicarbonate of Soda softens the water and the almond oil and honey moisturiser help to smooth and nourish your skin. Rinse bath well after use.”

*Extract from Bee Beautiful website*

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All sounds rather tempting, however the real treat begins when you pop just one of these fizzy little fella’s into your bath & watch it fizzle furiously as the room fills with your choosen delicious fragrance. Emma opted for testing one of the Parma Violets whereas I haven’t been able to resist recently trying out the Green Apple – what a scent to savour!

I have to admit, it doesn’t just stop at a great smelling bathroom as they leave your skin feeling incredibly soft, supple & silky smooth. Considering price tag for their larger bath bombs starts at only £1.99, this is most definitely a pocket friendly treat or gift idea – particularly coming up to the jolly hols!

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Handmade

Pure Ingredients and finest oils

Huge range of scents and products

Against Animal & Bee Testing

Affordable

Beautifully presented

A great selection of sizes available

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Nada, zilch, zero… yep, they’re that good.

So if beautiful smelling bath treats for super-soft skin is your thing then get yourself over to Bee Beautiful and check out their impressive range of natural beauty products, I’m pretty sure you’ll love them every bit as much as we do!

What’s your favourite bath-time scent? Are you a fan of bath bombs, creamy smoothies & fun fizzies? Whatever your thoughts do stop by and say a quick hello in the comments below, y’all know how much we enjoy a good beauty chatter here on Confetti & Curves. Have a fabulous weekend 🙂

Cheerio chums…

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Battle Of The Tan: Drug-store Vs High-end…

Hey Beauty Buddies…

It has literally poured out of the heavens this weekend. Shockingly enough I even had to dig out one of my winter woolly jumpers to keep the goosebumps at bay *sob* On the other hand when the sun does decide to make an appearance I’m often found parked in a little shaded spot of the garden to avoid getting burnt to a crisp… as I’m sure you can imagine I’m not exactly the most sun-kissed of beings *sigh*

With a craving to enhance the shade of my insipid limbs I decided to embark upon testing out a few new products that have recently graced my beauty shelves. Of course with so much tanning choice out there it’s a bit of a toughie deciding on whether to splurge or save… so being the curious little kitty that I am I decided to give one popular drug-store & a raved about high-end daily tanning lotion a whirl to see if there really are any major differences when it comes to parting with more or less of your hard earned cash.

Sitting comfy? Time for the reveal…

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Product

Dover Summer Glow Nourishing Body Lotion

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What’s The Hype?

“Dove believes having a fresh, sun-kissed look should not be reserved just for the summer. Dove Summer Glow Nourishing Lotion with a subtle gradual self-tanner nourishes your skin whilst gradually enhancing your natural skin colour, for a beautiful summer glow all year round.”

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What’s The Pocket Damage?

RRP is usually £5.25 however it’s on special offer for a mere £2.62 in Boots at the moment so get your skates on if you fancy bagging a bottle!

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Pros

Let’s start with the obvious: it’s super affordable! Even at a RRP of just over a fiver it is an all year round bargain. Apart from pampering my purse strings, the bottle size is pretty darn decent at sizeable 250 ml so there’s plenty in it to keep your bronzed buns topped up for *most* of the summer. It’s also super easy to apply, leaves no visible sign of streaking & is incredibly easy to build. For us bestowed with virtually translucent skin it’s the perfect way to gently build a seemingly natural summer glow – without looking like you’ve accidentally stood behind a muck spreader. It also leaves your skin feeling incredibly soft and supple too!

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Cons 

That damn biscuity smell just lingers in the air, especially if it’s a warm day and you’re prone to getting a little hot under the collar. This was the major turn-off for me! Seemingly though I have the scent detector of a well trained hound dog as after launching my arm towards Steve’s nose and insisting he sniffed, he (initially) reassured me he couldn’t smell a damn thing… until a minute later when he enquired if anyone was eating digestive biscuits *sigh*

Another grumble was the drying time. It states clearly to allow the product to fully absorb before dressing. Ten minutes after applications & I was still feeling a tad tacky, however as I was fearing hypothermia was slowly creeping in I threw caution to the ‘self-tanning lotion laws’ & swiftly stepped into a cosy pair of pj’s. Needless to say I don’t think it had any bearing on the finished look whatsoever.

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Result On Skin

Setting the nose twitching smell to one side I actually adored how this product looked on my skin. It left such a lovely soft glow that seemed to omit a healthy dewy look it certainly didn’t have before. After a few applications I really began to notice the subtle hint of colour that looked so darn natural. Okay ladies, its unlikely to leave you looking like J-Lo but it doesn’t claim to be an ‘all bells & whistling’ bottled bronzer… however if like myself you just need something to warm your starky white limbs then this more than adequately does a super job!

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Where Can I Buy It?

Pretty much everywhere – Tesco’s, Sainsburys, Asda, Superdrug, Boots etc. However to take avail of that super Boots special offer then just *click here* to check it out!

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Product

Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster

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What’s The Hype?

Add customised radiance and a healthy glow to your daily skin care routine with Clarins new Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster.
Simply mix the self tanner with any Clarins face care product to add an extra self-tanning benefit to all of the hydrating, anti-ageing and firming actions of your usual day and night creams.

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What’s The Pocket Damage?

Okay, £18 for 15 ml might sound like a tad steep but considering you use such a small amount each time it’s actually not so bad –  it could take quite a while to get through this neat little bottle depending on usage levels!

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Pros 

Firstly the packaging: it simply oozes quality. Having been a fan of Clarins for quite a few years now I have to say I love the simplicity of their packaging – basically does what it says on the tin/bottle/tube. Being an odourless formula that’s to be mixed with your everyday moisturiser there’s absolutely no nasty biscuit smell whatsoever, a  HUGE win in my book considering that I have no desire to omit wafts of ‘Eau de Hob-Nob’. This is ideal to travel with too, the teeny bottle makes it more than easy to slip into an over night bag (or an embarrassingly large travel trunk in my case)

Being able to mix it with my normal moisturiser means my skin has already adapted to the main base of the formula that’s being self-massaged into the pores, no risk of nasty break out surprises as my body is more than used to what’s being smothered on it. The fact that you can add anything from 1-3 drops depending on the results you’d like to achieve is a great idea too, especially for warming the complexion so it doesn’t look like you’ve mistakenly smeared yourself in Marmite.

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Cons

I have to admit this took quite a few days to produce any kind of  glow, after getting a tad frustrated by the third night I stepped up the application by adding 3 drops (instead of 2) to my usual dose of body moisturiser… finally after a few applications it started to bear its fruits. If you’re expecting to wake up with your limbs oozing summer sassiness then you’ll probably have to wait a few days before actually noticing it.

Another (albeit) teeny niggle is that being a bit of a lazy daisy (when it comes to moisturising) I have to say I’m a fan of something that I can literally apply and go. Mixing formulas together just seemed like extra faffing that I couldn’t be bothered with – the quicker the better in opinion.

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Result On Skin

When the result was *finally* obvious I have to admit it left such a natural looking glow on my skin. Nothing too deep, just a warmth that seemed to make my skin really hydrated & healthy looking. Being completely buildable I could’ve continued to keep it up to achieve the level of warmth I wanted, it never looked streaky and merged really well into my daily moisturising cream (Dove Pro.Age lotion)

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Where Can I Buy It?

Just take a virtual trip over to Clarins website by *clicking here* or you can call into any of the big department stores such as House Of Fraser, Debenhams etc to pick up a bottle of you own!

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Overall verdict:

Honestly ladies I’m not overly impressed with either & am still on the hunt for the perfect gradual tanning pal. Neither of these are a re-purchase for me. The distinctive biscuity smell of the Dove is just too much for my senses to cope with yet the lack-lustre results of the Clarins just seems a little overpriced and faffy for my liking 😦 It’s a meager 6/10 for both these products.

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Have you found a must-have gradual tanning lotion? Would you go high-end or drug store? Whatever your thoughts do let me know in the comments below!

Wishing y’all an awesome Monday chums…

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The Summer Skin Care Edit…

Hey Beauty Buddies…

I don’t know about you lovely lot, but here at Confetti & Curves HQ’s Friday night IS pamper night! Oh yes, it’s that delicious little evening where I turn off all technology, run myself a delectable bath filled to the brim with exquisite bubbles & simply immerse myself in aromatic goodness for an hour – surrounded by Yankee candles, glossy mags & a WHOLE host of beauty goodies of course 😉 However as it’s been so ridiculously long since I’ve updated what fabulous little lotions & potions I’ve been loving lately and now summer is in full swing, what better time to share my the contents of my cosmetic shelves with you guys! Sitting comfy? Then let’s get started…

Olay Essentials Refreshing Cleanser: I can literally feel my pores happy-dancing with delight when I pop the lid on this scent-sational tube of  refreshing facial cleanser. Even sensitive skin (such as mine) doesn’t remotely feel hot, tight or in any way aggitated by this gentle night time cleanser.

Nivea Gentle Effect Eye Make-Up Remover: Although I’m not a huge wearer of waterproof mascara, I still like to dress my lids in lashings of professional liner, long-lasting primer & my beloved Urban Decay NAKED shadows. Known for their durability, my eye products are easily removed with this gentle eye cleansing lotion. Just don’t forget to shake the formula well before applying to a clean cotton pad!

Boots Botanics 3 in 1 Micellar Water: I’ve only just started using this particular brand of Micellar water but so far it’s been such a treat to use. Within a few swipes I’m saying cheerio to tired looking make-up & hello to a fresh new face.

Nivea Refreshing Toner: I’ve always under estimated the power of a great toner until I made it an essential step in my daily skin care routine last year. This particular one from Nivea has such a delicate fresh scent coupled by an incredibly soothing feel on the skin. I’m always amazed at the residue and nasties a good toner manages to pull out from the pores – even after cleansing well beforehand!

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Derma Vio Coconut Body Butter: Nothing SCREAMS summer than a waft of coconut infused in a rich body butter & this one from Derma Vio is rich, moist, hydrating & leaves your skin feeling silky smooth.

Garnier Moisture Restore Night Recovery Gel Cream: Nothing to date has hydrated my face as much as this little pot of lilac colour wonder potion. The intense re-hydration formula is like a looooong nightime cocktail for my skin. If you’re mad into scents you’ll adore the sweet aroma of this too = heaven in a little purple pot.

Nivea Rich Moisturising Day Cream: Of course it’s not just during beauty sleep that skin should be treated to a moisture rich lotion, this day cream from Nivea works wonders under my foundation to ensure I maintain a dewy, fresh complexion throughout the day. It’s perfect for dried out pores in need of some serious pampering.

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Dove Go Fresh Deodorant with Cucumber Extract: Words cannot fully describe how much I ADORE this pocket-friendly roll on. The smell is intensely refreshing and lasts for hours on end. I’ve had countless compliments on what delicious perfume I’m wearing when in actual fact it’s this savvy little underarm secret.

Original Source Tropical Pineapple Shower Gel: If your goal in life is to departing from a misty shower smelling exactly like a pineapple lolly then congratulations – you’ve just achieved it with this little bottle of fruity goodness. Probably one of the most intensely mouth watering shower gels that’s ever graced my shower-shelf. The only draw back is trying NOT to taste the damn stuff!

Avon Naturals Pink Daisy & Sicilian Lemon Body Spritz: Considering I cough, wheeze & splutter like a vintage tractor when it comes to canned deodorants or body sprays I tend to stay well clear of investing in them, however this beautiful range from Avon is perfect for a quick refreshing spritz throughout the day. Okay, it’s doesn’t last anywhere near as long as most canned body sprays but it does smell incredibly beautiful & all without filling your lungs with powdery fume filled canned air.

Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion: Yet another new addition to my beauty shelf! This. Smells. INCREDIBLE. Okay it might be a little bit on the fruity/sweet side for some but in my humble opinion it smells a WHOLE lot better than the nasty biscuity smell of other daily gradual-tan moisturisers. It dries super fast, leaves your skin feeling baby soft & at the pocket-friendly price of under £5 you can’t go wrong. If you haven’t gotten your mits on a bottle already then be quick ladies! Looks like we have a summer best-seller with this one 😉

Balmi Raspberry Lip Balm: Who doesn’t love a cute little cube of raspberry goodness? Seemingly a mini dupe for an EOS style balms this perfect little pot of pout-putty leaves lips feeling smooth, supple & ready for summer. With Vitamin E, Shea butter, Jojoba oil, SPF 15 & UVA protection it’s all you need in a balm. Pick up a range of delicious flavours online or in your local Boots store NOW.

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub: It ‘just’ may very well be a little pot of fruity flavoured sugar but my-oh-my how I love scrubbing my lips with this gorgeous little pot from Lush. The smell, the taste, the refreshing feel…. if you haven’t tried it already then bump that bad boy to the top of your wish list. Your lips will love you for it gals!

What’s YOUR favourite skin care goodies this summer? Have you uncovered any great drug store finds OR are you itching to give any of the above a test run? Whatever your thoughts do let me know in the comments below – we do adore a juicy beauty chatter here on Confetti & Curves.

Wishing y’all a fabulous Friday & happy weekend…

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