BOTANICS ALL BRIGHT - NIGHT AND DAY

I can't argue with budget skincare, especially if it works well for me. I adore my stash of Origins, but sometimes you can become a little heartbroken when something runs out and you are too broke to repurchase. I have resorted to finding drugstore staples that allow me to try even more products out and minimise the heartache.

The Botanics All Bright range is something Megan got me interested in, and as my day and night creams were hitting the last few days worth of product, I scoured the shelves Boots to locate the Hydrating Day and Night Creams, and it was worth it. They have that slight idea of a very gentle chemical exfoliant too, with the brightening hibiscus added in.

The Hydrating Day Cream SPF15 not only hydrates, but also protects the skin with the SPF incorporated in there. It is quite a light texture but when you work it into the skin you feel the hydration coming through - I'd say it'd work for most skin types. They are both quite salmony in colour and have quite a nice scent to them which I can't put my finger on, but nevertheless it gets some brownie points from me.

The Hydrating Night Cream ditches the SPF, is thicker, and is slightly darker in colour. The consistency of this is quite luxurious yet not too heavy at all, and you can definitely tell the difference between the day and night offerings.

For a mere £4.99 each (but often on some kind of offer), I would recommend trying these out for a purse-friendly kick of hydration, especially as the weather turns a little cooler.

NEW SKINCARE ADDITIONS

I think it's safe to say that I have an addiction to buying new skincare products. The amount of cleaners I have is unhealthy, and my eye cream collection is overflowing, but I always see myself buying more, and trialling more. Some have been good, some have made my skin go absolutely cray, but these are the products I have recently added to my stash. 

As the weather is warming up I decided it would be wise to incorporate a facial SPF into my routine. I have the Proactiv Daily Protection Plus Sunscreen SPF30* which I have only tried once but it isn't too bad. I feel like it could sink in a little better, but other than that it worked well under my makeup, so we'll see how it goes. 

A few days back I popped into Boots with my No7 voucher in hand, and I came out with the Melting Cleansing Gel. Don't be fooled by 'gel' - this is more like a balmy texture which once you massage it into the skin transforms into an oil, and rinses off as a milk. On first impressions, I really like this. 

As you know, I have troubled skin. I got the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ from Escentual in the hope that it would clear up some of the problems, as the original formula did good for me. After using this for a few days I have already noticed that my skin is looking clearer, so I am hoping it'll keep working further. 

If you are a regular reader, you will know that I got these two products in my 'Post-Spending Ban Buys' post. They belong to the Boots Botanics All Bright range, and they are the Night Cream and the Cleansing Toner. I think these work towards that whole 'chemical exfoliant' thang, and so I have been using these almost every night I think. 

What has your skincare routine included recently?

POST-SPENDING BAN BUYS

As my spending ban came to a close, I was browsing the aisles like no other. Luckily my ban ended just before the Boots 3 for 2 came to an end so I managed to get in on the deals, which I can't complain about. I definitely enjoyed spending some money on what I love after having such a break.

In the clearance of my local Boots, I spotted the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Timeless Black for £2 and I thought it would be a good choice for a gel liner-esque product. For another small £2 I found the Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Bellini which is a milky peach-nude. The other 2 items on the makeup front were a repurchase of the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, and a Rimmel Lasting Finish Blush in Santa Rose as a lot of people rave about this guy, and the colour is stunning and natural, perhaps a new everyday favourite?

Onto skincare, I got another Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser as it was on offer for £2.98 and I love this as my go-to cleanser. To prove my love for it, how about I tell you that this is my third bottle of the stuff. On the radiance path, I got 2 items from the Boots Botanics All Bright range. The first was the Cleansing Toner, as the whole 'chemical exfoliant' thang interested me and I thought I would start at the budget side of things. As well as this I got the Night Cream, and on first impressions this looks to me really hydrating as it is so thick, so I cannot wait to incorporate this into my routine properly.

Finally, I got the L'Oréal Studio Line #TXT Volume Supersizing Spray, as I am practically begging for some texture and volume in my hair, and from the first use I really like this, and for a budget price of £3.79 I don't think I could choose any better way to start getting into these products.

It's typical for me to have only just gotten off my spending ban and have a nice shop/splurge in Boots. Well... there isn't much that can separate a blogger from buying products...