Hi everyone, today I have a few more reviews for you of skin care products.

I do try to keep these posts to a minimum since I realise they are not 'vintage' but since I have such sensitive and difficult skin, I feel like passing on my opinions of such products might help others who are in a similar position.

With that in mind, onwards to the reviews!

**Please note I am currently in the process of replacing some of the images in this post. In the meantime, you can view images of the products by clicking the links provided**

Garnier Simply Essentials 2-in-1 Make-up Remover



I bought this product in the hope that it would be a gentle and effective makeup remover. The idea is that you shake the bottle to mix the layers and then you get the dual effect of an oil-based makeup remover and a cleansing water. The product description claims that "your skin is perfectly cleansed with no residue" but although the reviews on the Boots website are largely positive, I haven't found that this product delivers as well as I would like. I have found that even after thoroughly cleansing my face with this product, there is still makeup coming away on the cotton wool when I use my toner afterwards. It does however seem to remove eye makeup much better than foundation, so perhaps the problem is the brand of foundation I use (Max Factor, in case anyone is wondering) rather than the cleanser). I find that it does also leave a slight residue although this is easily removed with your toner or just water. 

That being said, this product is definitely very gently and doesn't cause any stinging or itchiness when applied to the face or even the eyes. The price is really reasonable, and I have since repurchased this product.

Ingredients: Aqua/water, cyclopentasiloxane, isohexadecane, isopropyl palmitate, panthenol, rosa centifolia/ rosa centifolia flower water, dipotassium phosphate, poloxamer 184, polyaminopropyl biguanide, potassium phosphate, sodium chloride, CI 61565/ Green 6

Price: £3.25 for 200ml in Boots, I buy mine at a shop called Body Care for much less but they don't seem to have a website. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Gel-Cream With Grape


This is a moisturising "gel-cream" product which provides a very light and easily absorbed formula intended for normal to dry skin. Despite this, I find it performs quite well even on very dry and damaged skin. This is the first time I have used a product with this gel-cream texture, but I like it. The texture is sort of like a very soft gel and it not sticky or greasy. It feels very cooling and soothing on the skin.

I really like the light fragrance of this product, and I have not found that it irritates my skin at all.

Ingredients: aqua/water, paraffinium liquidium / mineral oil, glycerin, elaeis guineensis oil / grape seed oil , peg-100 stearate, dimethicone, cetearyl alcohol, benzyl salicylate, bifida ferment lysate, carbomer, citral, linalool, methyparaben, phenoxyethanol, sodium hydroxide, xanthian gum, zinc gluconate, parfum / fragrance (fil b50083/1.) 

Price: £4.99 for 400ml in Boots

Overall rating: 4/5

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Deep moisture body lotion


I have bought this product twice recently as I was very impressed with it the first time around, but as with many products on my skin it doesn't seem to be performing as well now that I've been using it for a while.

However, I have found the formula to be very moisturising and completely suitable for very dry and sensitive skin. It is fragrance free, so there are no perfumes to worry about. My skin feels very hydrated after using this product, and although I do keep it topped up throughout the day, I could probably get by with using it less frequently as the effects of it do seem to last well.

It is a little higher priced than some of the other moisturisers I frequently use, but it's not super expensive compared to some, and I do feel that the price is justified by the quality and highly moisturising effects of the product.

I have also recently tried the Norwegian Formula Intense Repair body lotion and I liked this one as well, but of the two I think I prefer the Deep Moisture lotion.

Ingredients: Aqua, Glycerin, Paraffinium Liquidum, Isopropyl Palmitate, Stearyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Methylparaben.

Price: £7.65 for 400ml in Boots

Overall rating: 5/5

Lush Sympathy for the Skin

I absolutely love this product! It smells amazing and the texture is light yet still very moisturising. It is non-greasy and easily absorbed. I prefer it to Dream Cream, which I have also tried recently.

Unfortunately I found that I needed to use a lot of this product in order to get the desired effect on my skin, and as such I used up the entire pot in under two weeks. It seems from reading other reviews and from speaking to staff in the shop that you should only need a small amount of this product to moisturise your skin - however that was definitely not the case for me. I should mention though that my skin is in really bad condition at the moment and requires a large amount of any product to try and keep it hydrated.

For me, the price of this was just too high considering how long it lasted me, although it is probably more cost effective if you have normal or less damaged skin.

Ingredients: Vanilla Pod Infusion, Almond Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Fresh Organic Bananas, Stearic Acid, Glycerine, Triethanolamine, Sandalwood Oil, Lemon Oil, Labdanum Resinoid, Cetearyl Alcohol,*Limonene, Perfume, Methylparaben, Propylparaben

My brother was home from university last week and although the weather was rubbish for most of it, we managed to pop out on Sunday morning before he had to leave. We went for a walk around Ashbourne, which it a nice local town with lots of antiques stores. We didn't stay very long because it was cold despite the sunshine, but it was nice to have a break from the rain we've been having recently.


I am hoping for some good weather this summer so that I might be able to wear the playsuit on its own, maybe with a cover-up of some kind. The back of it is made of lace, and it's too lovely not to show off.

In other news, I was contacted recently regarding applications for The Great British Sewing Bee. Apparently they have had a lot of applications from vintage enthusiasts who sew their own clothes or upcycle items for a vintage wardrobe. If you think you would be interested in applying, you can find the details here. Please do let me know if you decide to apply, I'd love to know how you get on.

Welcome to the first in this series of posts about 1940s re-enactment. I get asked on a fairly regular basis about re-enactment events that I go to. It's something I really enjoy doing and in this series I will answer some of these questions. I will be providing information and tips on all aspects of 1940s re-enactment including clothing, photography and transport which will hopefully help everyone to have a great time.

I am not part of an official re-enactment group. I generally go either with my family or on my own, so I can't provide much information relating to being part of an organised group, but I will try to share the things I do already know, or answer any questions that arise.

So, onwards to the topic of this first post:

How to find out about re-enactment events in your area

This is probably the number one question I get asked about re-enactment. These are the ways in which I find out about re-enactment events to go to. This article is mostly UK-centric because that is where I live, but many of the methods can be applied to other countries as well.

1. Rod's 1940s Events Calendar


This is a UK-based website which is my first port of call when I'm looking for dates for events. Each listing on the calendar has a date, a location and some information about the event, so it's easy to find out which events you are able to visit. The calendar is not restricted to re-enactment events - it also includes swing dances, themed dinners, dance band performances etc.

2. Ask other re-enactors



I've found that by connecting with other re-enactors, it's possible to find out about events which aren't listed on Rod's 1940s, or which might otherwise pass you by.

I used to keep up with fellow re-enactors a fair bit by using the 1940s Social Network but they seem to be revamping their page at the moment, so you might need to keep an eye out and join up when it reopens. Currently I keep up with several people on Facebook who usually know dates for things, and I also keep my own Facebook page fairly up-to-date with dates and information about events, so feel free to 'like' my page if you'd be interested in finding dates that way.

3. Keep an eye on local heritage sites, museums and National Trust properties



Some of the museum events are listed on Rod's 1940s, but I have found out about a few events by driving past a museum and seeing a poster, for example. Check the websites of NT properties for events such as 'Kedleston at War' which takes place at Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire. I also managed to find out about an event at a local castle from a work colleague (which I haven't visited yet but I might go this year) - so it's useful to check the sites in your area. Also try looking on the leaflet stand at your local library (also found at some pubs, universities, museums etc) for leaflets about events at these kinds of places.

4. Google


Sometimes I get emails asking me if I know of any events in a particular area. Unfortunately, unless you are looking for events in the East Midlands area of the UK, I probably can't help you. There's only so far I can reasonably travel to get to events, and I can't possibly keep track of all the events country-wide (and definitely not all the events worldwide!). My advice would be to try the methods I've outlined above, and also to use the Google machine. Googling phrases such as '1940s events [name of area]' or '1940s re-enactment events [name of area]' might find you some results. These events are sometimes called 'Home Front' events so try that too. Also don't rule out multi-period events, as these often include 1940s re-enactment.

I especially wanted to share this next elephant with you:

Recently I found this article entitled 'Building a Wardrobe and Demystifying Those Fashionable Girls'.

Personally I have never been a 'fashionable girl' in any sense. I made my way through several (mostly alternative) fashion style throughout my teenage years before settling on my current look in around 2011. I've never been a big fan of modern fashion - it's a bit too fast-paced and disposable for me, and although there are certain styles which I love on other people, none of the modern fashions have felt like a perfect fit for me. This is what led me to experiment with a variety of other styles and to express an interest in everything from goth to steampunk to lolita and a fair few in between.


At the moment I am the happiest I have ever been with my wardrobe, but I still don't understand how 'those fashionable girls' manage to put outfits together so well. How to you look so coordinated, so well accessorised, and yet still effortless? So far it's been a bit of a mystery to me, and I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard.

After reading the article I decided to try out the tips for myself. I started by putting together a Pinterest board  which I have called 'Styles I love'. I have been pinning any looks that catch my eye enough to make me stop and look. Anything that makes me think 'ooh, that's pretty' or 'I would wear that' goes on the board.


The main problem with trying to build up this wardrobe for myself is that the kind of styles I am choosing don't come cheap. Normally I can afford, say, £30 for a dress that I would wear for everyday. The prices for most of the items I have been looking at are more like £60 plus, with a majority being closer to the £100 mark or more.



Of course, any clothes that I buy don't have to be vintage. Reproduction is okay. Modern lookalikes are okay. I'm easygoing as long as I get the overall look that I want. I can also start to sew or knit items (although that's debatable considering my Knit For Victory cardigan).

At least now I am much more focussed, wardrobe-wise. I would love to hear everyone else's tips for building a great wardrobe and whether or not you like the ideas laid out in the article. I know this has been longer than most of my posts so thanks for sticking with me this far, if you've made it all the way to the end.

Because it was freezing today, I did have to wear a coat. If I'd thought about it, I might have taken the brooch off the coat in favour of having my little teddy bear brooch on my cardigan.

I am already choosing my next knitting project though I will probably take a bit of a break before starting it. If you participated in Knit For Victory as well, then I hope you enjoyed it. I will look forward to another knit along in the future.

Photos are by my dad. Don't forget you can follow me on Facebook, Bloglovin', Tumblr and now also on Pinterest.