Part 2 of the Marks and Sparks Beauty Advent Calendar begins! (please forgive the probable spelling mistakes, this post was brought to you by post-works-Christmas-do Jodie and I'm feeling pretty fragile right now, but less of that). We've got days 5-11 today so lets get started.
On Day 5 M&S gifted me a Leighton Denny Renovate Nail Repair Cream, now while I've mentioned on here before that I'm just not that into nails - I can get behind this. I don't like painting my finger nails as I work on computers and chipping is a big issue for me so this is great. You file the ridges out, apply the cream and then buff your nails to shiny perfection. The result? Nice, neat nails that are super low maintenance.
Day 6 brought me the Rosie For Autograph Nuit Parfum, now if we're being real, this would normally be a bit heavy for me. I like my light, sweet, fruity type scents. This is a little more sophisticated than that. It's still pretty sweet but the base is quite musk-y and it's like the light-floral lovers more evening appropriate scent. I do like it and I will wear it, it's just not the light spritz on all day type scent I'd normally go for.
Now Day 7 is probably my favourite so far: the Rituals Zensation Foaming Shower Gel Sensation. This stuff smells ah-may-zing. It's a light floral and it's lovely and calming and refreshing. The texture is lovely too, lots of lather and not too drying on the skin. Will definitely repurchase once the trial size is up.
On Day 8 I opened up a Pure Super Grape Day Cream. Now unfortunately, I've been having a major skin woe this week, and my advent calendar had 3 face creams in a row so I've not been able to give any of them a fair test, but this one smells lovely (not that you'd buy a face cream for the smell) and the texture feels nice and light from a back-of-the-hand test. Will have to report back when I've had more time to play with this one.
Day 9 housed a Filorga Time-Filler Absolute Wrinkles Correction Cream, which isn't something I really need yet at 23. Again, I've tested on my hand and it's quite silicone-y in texture, like a thin gel that sinks into the skin. I'll be passing this to the mother to test (not that she needs it either of course).
And our 3rd day cream of week 2 came on Day 10 with the Neals Yard Frankincense Nourishing Cream. Another one that I'll have to check back with. On first impressions the smell is very herbal and exactly what you'd expect if you've tried anything from Neal's Yard before. This seems a little heavier than the Pure offering so possibly a good one for those with a drier skin - I'll get back to you on this though.
So I hate to end a post on a downer, but Day 11 brought a Josh Wood Full Bodied Shampoo, which smells and looks lovely, but unfortunately contains Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLS). SLS is an ingredient I stay away from as my skin doesn't get on with it at all, but I'm sure my sister will love this so I'm donating it to her beauty stash, 'tis the season and all.
