Poundland #6 Vit C Toner

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Poundland #6 Vit C Toner. Poundland is not the first shop that comes to mind when you think of skin care. But their #6 range is actually quite good. I tried a bunch of their products, and I don’t remember a single stinker.

When I saw this vitamin C toner, I had to have it. I love vitamin C in skin care, and this toner is a ridiculous £3, so why would I leave it on the shelf?

Looking at the ingredients, glycolic acid is the 2nd ingredient, and vitamin C is the 3rd – this is really amazing! This toner also contains aloe vera leaf juice and a bit of retinol. Wow!

I’ve been using this toner for about 2 months now, and I’ve loved it from day 1. It’s quite a powerful toner. It exfoliates and brightens the skin. I use it every morning, and I can feel its exfoliating power. This toner has made a visible difference to my skin, and I love it very much!

With respect to its strength, I think this toner is comparable to Superdrug’s Naturally Radiant toner. However, you should still patch test this toner before you use it. Glycolic acid is powerful stuff, so make sure your skin tolerates it.

If you’re interested, Poundland #6 Vit C Toner is availabe as 200ml for £3. On the back of the bottle is also says that the product is vegan and cruelty-free!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Poundland #6 The Mask Collection Aloe Vera Face & Neck Sheet Mask

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Poundland #6 The Mask Collection Aloe Vera Face & Neck Sheet Mask. This mask is aimed at all skin types, and it contains aloe vera leaf juice and a bunch of botanical extracts (green tea leaf, rosemary leaf, licorice root, chamomile, etc). This mask is a standard sheet mask – use it after you’ve cleansed your face. Leave it on for 15 – 20 minutes. And that’s it!

I’ve given this mask a try, and I didn’t like it. At all. There were 2 of these masks in the Poundland face mask set, and I’m not keen on using the 2nd one. Here’s why: The neck part of the mask is just as big as the face part – why would that be? I found that piece of fabric so irritating that I tore it off before putting on the facial part of the mask. I’m glad I removed the neck part because the mask is also quite sticky. I wouldn’t want sticky skin around my neck.

There’s more! This mask also has ear loops. I didn’t use them. I had just showered and washed my hair, so why would I want face mask essence in my hair? I folded the ear loops over, so that these bits of fabric would be on my cheeks. I don’t understand why this mask has ear loops in the first place. This mask is sticky. Who wants sticky skin around their ears, and who wants sticky essence in their hair? If you wore this mask as intended, you’d have to wash your hair immediately afterwards. I cannot imagine that anyone would resist the urge to wash the sticky mess away.

Based on my experience, I wouldn’t recommend this face mask. I’d say this is one to avoid. But if you’re interested, Poundland #6 The Mask Collection Aloe Vera Face & Neck Sheet Mask is available in a set of 6 sheet masks (2 vitamin E masks, 2 collagen masks and 2 aloe vera masks). I forgot how much exactly I paid, but this set was £5 max.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Poundland #6 The Mask Collection Vitamin E Sheet Mask

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Poundland #6 The Mask Collection Vitamin E Sheet Mask. Poundland has a new collection of 6 sheet masks – 2 vitamin E masks, 2 collagen masks and 2 aloe vera masks. I tried the 2 vitamin E masks first. The vitamin E mask is aimed at all skin types. And on the back of the pack it says “against animal testing”.

The vitamin E mask also contains bamboo lily extract, horse mint extract, golden chamomile extract, bourbon geranium extract, etc. You’re supposed to put the mask on after you’ve cleansed your face, and leave it on for 15-20 minutes.

After using 2 of these masks, I’m happy to report that they’re quite nice. The essence is very hydrating and it hardly smells of anything. Personally, I prefer scented products, but the next person might disagree. I found that the masks left my skin looking refreshed. However, they also left a bit of a sticky film on my skin.

Despite the stickiness, I’d still recommend the vitamin E mask. I think it’s good value for money, and I experienced visible results pretty much immediately after I’ve used these masks.

If you’re interested, Poundland #6 The Mask Collection Vitamin E Sheet Mask is available in a set of 6 sheet masks (2 vitamin E masks, 2 collagen masks and 2 aloe vera masks). I’m not 100% sure about the price but this set was £5 max.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Poundland #6 Anti-Ageing Retinol Day Cream With SPF 25

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Poundland #6 Anti-Ageing Retinol Day Cream With SPF 25 which I’ve been using since some time in May. This day cream contains 1% retinol, hyaluronic acid and green tea extract. And it promises to fight visible signs of ageing by firming and boosting skin texture, improving the appearance of fine lines and helping to prevent premature ageing.

Since I’ve been using this day cream for well over a month now, I can safely say that it’s great. This day cream is rich and hydrating, it feels good on my skin, and it plays amazingly well with my foundation. I’m enjoying it so much!

I can’t comment on whether it would blur lines and wrinkles. Since I’ve always drenched my skin in creams, oils and lotions, I don’t have any real lines or wrinkles. I guess I can actually thank my skin for being very dry and moody since this is what prompted me to moisturise like a maniac for the past 2 decades.

To sum it up, I think this is an amazing day cream! Based on my experience, I’d recommend it to everyone. And priced at £3, this day cream is ridiculously cheap! If you’re interested, Poundland #6 Anti-Ageing Retinol Day Cream With SPF 25 is available as 50ml at Poundland! Also, on the back of the carton, it says that this day cream is cruelty-free and suitable for vegans! 😍

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Poundland #6 Anti-Ageing Eye Cream

Hi there! It’s been a little while since Poundland launched its own skin care brand – so I’m a bit late to the party (as usual). However, I started to use Poundland‘s #6 Anti-Ageing Eye Cream about 3 weeks ago, and I’ve formed an opinion. 🙂

OK, let me tell you a little about the product first. This eye cream contains collagen, ceramides, algae extract and flaxseed oil. It pomises to reduce lines gradually. Oh, and this product is cruelty-free (all the products from Poundland’s #6 range are).

I think this eye cream is impressive! It feels light and non-greasy, and it doesn’t mess with my foundation or eye makeup. I’ve noticed that this eye cream is very hydrating. And looking at hydration only, I find it to be more effective than Superdrug’s Vitamin E (£3.49) and Naturally Radiant (£5.99) eye creams.

I have very dry and moody skin, but the skin around my eyes looks amazing. This is particularly surprising this time of year with the change of seasons. And I’m also not getting younger… so I’m wondering… is this what ceramides do?

Regardless of which ingredient does what – I’m blown away by this little eye cream, and I’d recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a hydrating eye cream, especially if you’re on a budget. Poundland‘s #6 Anti-Ageing Eye Cream is available as 15ml for £1.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Nail Of The Day – Christmas Nail Ideas / Ciaté Play Date & MakeUp Gallery 39 Rainbow Sparkle

Hi there! This week’s going to be nail week. I’ve done lots of christmassey manis, and I’d like to share all of them with you!

For this mani I painted my nails with Ciaté Play Date. I never liked this polish because it’s something between an unattractive pink and an ugly red.

However, this polish is also a low quality polish. It’s not well pigmented, and I had to apply 4 coats for a semi-acceptable finish.

Then I applied 1 coat of MakeUp Gallery’s 39 Rainbow Sparkle. This cute and christmassey top coat from Poundland contains gold micro glitter, gold and green hex glitter, and green and red bar glitter.

Whilst I didn’t love this mani, quite a few of my co-workers told me they loved my nails. I can only guess they liked this mani because of its simplicity. I’m not complaining! 🙂

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Wonder Woman Shower Gel, 2 In 1 Shampoo / Conditioner, Roll-On Eau De Toilette

Hi there! Today’s post is about 3 Wonder Woman branded products. These products were manufactured by H&A, a UK-based company that makes products for all sorts of different brands – they even made the Pusheen products I snapped up on Boxing Day!

Moving on… here’s what I’m reviewing today – Wonder Woman Shower Gel, Wonder Woman 2in1 Shampoo & Conditioner, and Wonder Woman Roll-On Eau De Toilette.

The shampoo is quite nice. It lathers up nicely, and it feels clarifying. The lovely sweet rose and powder fragrance is gorgeous! This product has no conditioning qualities, but that’s OK. I’ve already finished one of these shampoos a little while ago – this is my 2nd bottle! 🙂

I’ve finally tried the shower gel as well. It has the same wonderful sweet rose and powder fragrance, and it doesn’t feel drying. I like it very much!

The eau de toilette roll-on is simply awesome! Again, it has the same sweet rose and powder fragrance as the shampoo and the shower gel, and I think the fragrance smells a lot more sophisticated than what you’d expect from such a cheap item. And the roll-on looks great in my cosmetic bag! 🙂

Wonder Woman Shower Gel and 2in1 Shampoo & Conditioner are available as 100ml in a set. The Eau De Toilette is available as 8ml roll-on. I paid 50p each (clearance). I’ve also seen a full-size Wonder Woman fragrance (same design, same manufacturer) for £14.99 at Superdrug. I think that was a 30ml bottle (but I’m not entirely sure).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Battle Of The Base Coats – Nails Inc. Caviar Base Coat vs. MakeUp Gallery Well Polished Nail Hardener

Hi there! Today’s post is about 2 base coats I bought a few months ago. I’ve never reviewed a base coat or a top coat before. However, since I bought and tested these base coats at the same time (well, almost), I thought I might as well just do a product comparison. 🙂

Let’s start with Nails Inc.’s Caviar Base Coat! This product claims to be nourishing, smoothing and anti-staining. But it does the exact opposite! First of all, this base coat made my nails feel brittle. As soon as the base coat had dried, my nails felt like they lost their natural flexibility. Scary!

I also didn’t find this base coat to be smoothing. I had to apply 2 layers of base coat but that didn’t help. Actually, applying 2 layers of this base coat was the worst thing I could do because the base coat has a strong red tint which didn’t go well with the colour polish I applied on top of it.

When I took off my mani a few days later, I noticed that the base coat did stain my nails. However, a pinkish stain isn’t the end of the world. But I also noticed that the top layer of my nails seemed to start to peel. I was quite shocked because this only happened to me once before – back then I tortured my nails with acetone-free nail polish remover…

To sum it up – I found Nails Inc.’s Caviar Base Coat to be awful. I took the 2 bottles (yes, I bought 2 bottles) back to Poundland where I exchanged them for 2 clear Rimmel polishes. 🙂

I picked up Poundland’s Makeup Gallery Well Polished Nail Hardener for 50p (closing down sale). I didn’t know if it was any good, and I had no expectations. So I was happy when it turned out that this nail hardener makes quite a difference to my nails. It doesn’t have any lasting effect, so when I take off my mani, my nails are super soft again. But I’m glad this product doesn’t make unrealistic promises. And I really like how strong my nails feel when I’m wearing this nail hardener instead of a base coat or a regular clear polish.

Now let me compare the prices. I paid £1 for the Nails Inc. Caviar Base Coat and 50p for the nail hardenener from Poundland. However, the Nail Hardener is usually £1 (which is excellent value), and the Caviar Base Coat – which has been repackaged but otherwise seems to be the same product – is £15 (I just checked Nails Inc.’s web site). Wow! The difference in prices is almost comical! I know I will buy Poundland’s nail hardener again, but I wouldn’t buy Nails Inc.’s Caviar Base Coat again even if it were 15p! 😀

Well, the winner of this comparison is – obviously – Poundland’s Makeup Gallery Well Polished Nail Hardener! Try it yourself, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Weekly Recap 6 – 12 Mar 2017

Hi there! I hope everyone had a good week. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to comment on everything I wanted to comment on and to get back to everyone who got in touch with me. This is because my company no longer allows people to work from home. I enjoyed my two homeworking days every week because I could start at 6:00 and finish at 14:00 or I could start at 16:00 and finish at midnight – as long as the work was done, everything was fine. And I’ve always (ALWAYS!) been one of the top 5 guys and gals in the entire department (120 people), so you can be sure I always made the most of my homeworking days.

But the good (homeworking) days are over and I have to get up between 5:30 and 6:30 (depending on the ‘shift’ start) every day now. I know many people have it worse, and I know I’ve been lucky that I had the chance to work flexibly in the past. However, I’m not looking for sympathy, I just wanted to explain why I haven’t been in touch with you, my fellow blogging buddies, this week.

Alright, now let’s get to the actual weekly recap. Here’s what I’ve been up to on my blog this week.

Monday 6 Mar – Poundland Clearance Haul – New Stuff & 50% Off Everything!

On Monday I told you about my latest shopping spree. Click here to read Monday’s post.

Tuesday 7 Mar – Superdrug Raspberry Bubblegum Shower Gel
Wednesday 8 Mar – Nail Of The Day / Nail Art Challenge

Tuesday’s post was about Superdrug’s Raspberry Bubblegum shower gel. If you’d like to read my review, click here. And on Wednesday I showed you another mani I did recently. If you’d like to know which products I used, click here.

Thursday 9 Mar – Garnier Skin Active Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask

I finally tried this Garnier tissue mask – and I reviewed it just a few days ago, If you’d like to read my review, click here.

Friday 10 Mar – NSPA Fragrance Body Mists – Mango & Vanilla

Friday’s post was about 2 NSPA body mists. Click here if you’d like to read my review.

And this is it for this week! I hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend. And thanks for stopping by! 🙂

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Poundland Clearance Haul – New Stuff & 50% Off Everything!

Hi there! A week ago I mentioned that one of the local Poundland stores is closing down and that I might stock up on stuff… well, I did! The store is closing this Saturday, 11 March, and as of now everything’s 50% off! So let me show you what I bought. 🙂

Poundland had 2 eyeshadow brushes and 2 foundation brushes left. They’re mine now. I think Poundland’s make-up brushes are really good. I’ve been using all sorts of different make-up brushes from Poundland for years – and I have yet to come across a dud. I also bought 4 nail art brush sets, and 2 sharpener & eyebrow brush sets. I wanted the sharpeners, but I don’t need the eyebrow brushes. But I can see that these eyebrow brushes might come in handy for nail art…

Whilst almost all the shampoos were gone, the store had lots of conditioners left. I picked up 3 Gliss conditioners (I can pick up the matching shampoos elsewhere). They had all sorts of different conditioners, but I only bought conditioners that I actually like and use. The ones I got for myself are Ultimate Volume, Ultimate Colour and Liquid Silk.

I got myself another Daily Defense Keratin conditioner (bought at Poundstretcher) and Alberto Balsam’s Mandarin & Papaya shampoo and conditioner.

And there’s more hair stuff! I bought another Alberto Balsam conditioner – this one’s Stunning Shine. And I picked up another Harmony Hair Indulgence shampoo and conditioner combo. And I found one more L’Oréal Deep Conditioner.

I found a Wonder Woman shower gel and shampoo set – and the matching fragrance as a roll-on! And I bought 5 nail products – 2 L’Oréal polishes, 1 Poundland glitter topper, 1 Poundland cuticle oil and 1 Poundland nail hardener.

This is what I bought. I paid £14 in total for all these goodies!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde