Origins GinZing Mascara

A couple of months ago I had one of those disastrous makeup moments. You know the ones, where your whole face turns into a melting mess and theres nothing you can do to stop it. I had a very sudden reaction to the mascara I was wearing and from being perfectly normal suddenly my eyes felt like they needed to be scratched out of my sockets, they ran like a river and spilled my mascara all over my cheeks. Fortunately I was at a friends house and she had makeup wipes on hand to sort out the mess, and she also had a recommendation for me.
Try Origins.

Origins? For makeup? I mean, obviously I know they are great for skincare but I had never even considered them for makeup before. She swore that their mascara was wonderful if you had sensitive eyes, so I stored the little nugget of information in my brain until I was next near a counter.

A few weeks later I popped over to York for a spot of shopping, and in their outlet is a Cosmetics Company outlet store, which stock Origins! Naturally while stocking up on my favourite face masks I had a gander at the mascaras they had. Origins actually make two mascaras that I have found, but in this shop they only had the GinZing mascara. It was nicely discounted being £12.50 as opposed to the £17.50 you pay in Boots, so I decided it was worth a try. I bought a tube and couldn't wait to get it home.

Touted as a brightening mascara that lengthens and lifts lashes, I have to agree with its claims. The product is slightly wet to give your lashes a smooth gloss like finish, while also being not so wet that your lashes clump together. This mascara has a pretty hefty brush in its arsenal too, the bristles separate lashes creating a fan effect that is natural and fluttery, while still retaining enough body to create impact.

The formula of this product is so incredibly gentle I wish I had come across it sooner, this has yet to cause my eyes to run, itch or need some serious massage at the end of a long work day. I can confidently wear this when wearing my contacts and not worry about it sticking to my lenses or irritating my eyes. After a month or so of use I generally have to dispose of mascaras because they begin to cause my eyes to sting, my ultimate signal for a mascara that is getting stale, yet three months in to this tube and it is neither dried out or funky smelling, and although it will be binned because Lisa Eldridge tells me to, I feel like I could keep using it for a little while longer.

The product stays on all day and holds my lashes in their imposed curl without effort. There has been no flaking, and it doesn't melt onto my lower eye lids until I give it a good rub, yet it removes easy as pie with my balm cleanser in the evening, further cementing its position as being anti-irritant (nothing worse than having to scrub at sore eyes).

Although I paid less than standard for this product, I am without a doubt going to be buying it again. Even if I have to shell out the full price, it is worth it for a product that lasts all day without leaving me with bloodshot eyes, I highly recommend it!

Have you ever tried any Origins makeup before?

Emma Hardie Natural Lift and Sculpt Body Treatment

I've been dying to talk about this product for a while, but I am lazy and I have to admit I don't use body scrubs anywhere near as often as I should, which somewhat limits how much you can write about a product! I've had this for a while now though and given it a thorough testing so I feel like I can harp on about it.

Let me start by telling you that I am generally a fan of cheap and cheerful body products, I like the Body Shop, and recently I have ventured into Philosophy and Lush products, but generally I don't spend too much on them. Being a fan of the Emma Hardie facial skincare range though I spotted this in TK Maxx a couple of months ago and I just had to give it a try.

Emma Hardie has done wonders for my face, and although I don't feel like there is a lot that the skin on my body requires (It is pretty normal, maybe a little dry from shaving) I wanted to see if this product could benefit me even when I didn't think it was necessary. I have to say, this has become a bit of a staple for me now, and I use it at least once a week to reinvigorate my skin after a week of shower gels and razors sap some of the moisture out of it, and it just feels like I am treating my skin.

This is no normal body scrub, it is a scrub and mask in one. The idea of a mask for the body at first confused me a little, as I couldn't really understand the benefits but Emma Hardie recommend it as a detoxifying treatment if you have body acne, which I have been a sufferer of in the past, and I occasionally get a few blemishes on my upper back. The rose and china clay smooth onto the skin and even a thin layer feels like it pulls out impurities. I also recently used this on an ingrown hair that had gotten a little infected on my leg (why are they always on my calf?!) and this layered fairly thickly for 5 minutes in a steamy shower pulled out all the bad stuff. Pretty impressive.
The scrub is mild because it is encased in the creamy mask, but still has enough buff to it as it uses Himalayan salt and red corn granules to still take off that dead skin.

The real selling point for me with this product is the almond oil. I smooth this onto my legs while I rinse my hair out and by the time I come to buff it off my legs feel really moisturised. I don't have really really dry legs so using a thick body cream or lotion is far too much for me to use regularly, and it is a complete pain waiting for it to sink in. This stuff manages to moisturise me while in the shower but without leaving a horrible residue like the Nivea in shower moisturisers do.

I have been using this once a week for a couple of months now and the pot is 200ml so there is still loads of product left. If you can find it in TK Maxx I would grab a tub to give a go as it is less than half the price in there, but if you can't find it, then it is available in the new packaging from Emma Hardie stockists including Feel Unique. It isn't cheap but it does multiple jobs for me and ticks several boxes so I think it is worth it.

Have you ever tried luxury body scrubs before?

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Face Cream

The Goat Milk Face Cream by Kate Somerville is a bit of a cult skincare product. You know how it begins, there are whispers about it from the pro's singing its praises but not too loudly because it is oh so difficult to get hold of and is super pricey, and then the really clued up followers pass on the message via YouTube or their blogs as they give it a go and stamp their approval all over it, and eventually it trickles down to little old me, searching for a new night cream and fancying a bit of something special.

I first heard of this through Caroline Hirons, and then through Anna of Vivianna, and after two big endorsements for the cream, and the news that it could now be shipped to the UK I went searching for more info. I wanted to know what was supposed to make it so good!

When I went over to the Kate Somerville website I wasn't disappointed, the product sounded like it was perfect for my recovering from acne abused skin, it talked of being restorative and gentle, while also using lactic acid to get rid of any rubbish while maintaining pH balance (something I am striving hard for at the moment). I popped it into my basket, hit purchase, and thought nothing more of it.

This is when the problems started. First, I didn't get a the little despatch notice I was expecting within a few days, I thought oh maybe they don't do them, but I could really do with knowing when it will be here what with it being international. Time passed (almost a whole month) and I hadn't had a dispatch email, but I did get an email asking how I had liked my product, which I hadn't received yet.
I sent an email off to them asking where it was as they clearly thought I should have it by now, and I was told it was en route to the UK, but that it was only just on its way because they had been restocking. I was never notified that they had been restocking or that there would be any delay.
Great! I thought, it is on its way, it will be here soon, a bit late but better than never.

The little pot of loveliness made it fine from the west to the east coast of the USA, and swam over the Atlantic alright too, but when it hit British shores I started to have trouble. Kate Somerville had missed a whole line out of my address, a whole line, that line had my village on it.
My pot of face cream very nearly went on someone else's face in the next town over. That second line is verrrry important around here.
My address was inputted perfectly on the website, and on my order details, but not on the label. I at first thought it was the delivery company, but when I finally got hold of the package, the address had been transcribed incorrectly on the invoice too. I had to alert the delivery depot to the problem when I spotted they had apparently "attempted delivery" but there was no card at my house, it was a bit of a palaver.

When I alerted Kate Somerville to this new issue, I was told there was an issue with their system, and they offered a $25 gift card to make up for all the hassle I had had to deal with, I thought this was pretty reasonable and at that point I was pretty OK with things. That was the beginning of November and I hope they are a bit ashamed that I now have to say that it was only when I emailed them a few days ago to ask where the gift was that it materialised. Overall my opinion of their customer service is that it is pretty poor. Throughout the whole process I have felt like an after thought, almost as if they aren't bothered about reaching out to the UK.

So what about the actual cream? Was it worth the hassle? It is hard to judge this, because I am using a routine which is pretty good for my skin anyway at the moment, but I would say that this is a good product. It keeps me hydrated but I do think it is a little light, my skin feels like it could drink some more of this in after maybe an hour of wearing it so it is maybe better suited to being a day cream only for me. I have had a reduction in blemishes recently, and although I can't attribute this solely to the cream I imagine it is a contributing factor, it definitely helps reduce redness though and is cooling and calming meaning I wake up fresh faced instead of puffy.

The packaging is wonderful, it has a pump that is ridiculously difficult to photograph because the whole top of the pot is the actual pump, but it makes for a really efficient and clean dispensing solution which I was really impressed by. I like the aesthetics of the design too, the matte finish and light pastel shades.

I want to make it clear that I really wanted to love this product, and maybe if I had had a bit of a better experience with the company I would think it was worth the hassle, but honestly I just don't know that I would bother again. I love the effect on my skin that this has in conjunction with my other products but I don't think that it is so life changing that I would consider buying directly again and paying full price, which is a shame as I believe that since they have begun shipping directly the product is no longer available through other UK based suppliers. I will probably re-stock using the gift voucher they sent me, but I shall be doing so well before my current pot runs out just in case it all happens again!

This is a really conflicted review I know, but I have always said I want to be completely honest when it comes to reviews and I think it is important to share the bad and the good.

Do you have any nightmare stories regarding overseas shipping?

Burts Bees Beeswax and Banana Hand Cream

A couple of months ago I was in need of a new intense hand cream. I didn't want anything light, I was looking for something thick and nourishing. When browsing Waitrose I came across this beauty from Burt's Bees. If you have been a reader for a while you will know that while being treated for acne I swore by the Burt's Bees lip balms to prevent my chapped lips, but other than those I hadn't actually tried any of the brand's other products so i was excited to give this a try.

The Beeswax and Banana hand cream is an incredibly thick, nourishing cream which is honestly a bit more like a paste. In the jar it feels fairly solid and there isn't much whip to the consistency.



However, despite its heavy begininngs It only takes a pea sized amount for my hands to be completely nourished after being wind chapped and dry. The product is mainly made from sweet almond oil and when warmed between the hands it melts to a slightly oily, balm like consistency. It takes a little while to sink in, but not so that you can't function. I am typing away without worrying too much about smudging my keyboard with this cream applied. The beeswax ingredient provides a protective balm which prevents your skin from becoming further ravaged by the elements while the oils get to work with nourishing. When looking for an intensive treatment I want a bit of a protective layer to my hand cream, if it sinks in too quickly I tend to think it isn't rich enough to do the job!

The scent is very synthetic despite the product being 100% natural, it reminds me a lot of banana Nesquik, which I personally am a fan of so I don't mind but it could be too strong for some. If you think it might be I would consider the Almond and Milk hand cream, which appears to be very similar (and which I am considering purchasing for keeping at work!)



A pot of 57g is £9.99 from John Lewis (not currently on the Waitrose website) which when I first purchased it I thought a little expensive but this jar will last me a lot longer than I had first anticipated, this image above is after about 3 months of regular use and it isn't even below the thread on the jar so it is actually a better deal than buying a squeeze tube of my old hand cream.

Have you ever tried Burt's Bees skin products? What is your favourite hand cream at the moment?

Treacle Moon Shower Gel

I think I have mentioned in the past that I struggle with soaps, I am allergic to a lot of synthetic scents and colours and get a rash if I use a wide range of products, I'm talking Johnson's baby all the way to Fairy liquid. When I find a nice scented shower gel that doesn't leave me with hives I get very excited, and when they are cheap as chips too? Well that just leaves me with a grin on my face.

A while ago I tried Treacle Moon's range of body scrubs, and had some success, no rash, nice scents and a decent amount of exfoliation for the price. After a bit of research I also discovered that they are very ethical about production and do not test on animals or use animal derivatives. Win! I was a bit reluctant to try the shower gels though because they lather, and typically lathering products produce more of a reaction for me, however I threw caution to the wind a while ago and picked up a couple of bottles of their bath and shower gels while they were on offer in Tesco.

They have a range of scents including some nice wintery ones such as Warm Cinnamon Nights, and a  ginger/gingerbread scent called One Ginger Morning. I was so tempted by these for the cold months ahead but I ended up plumping for the two above purely because I am a bit picky about the colours of shower gels (I know, its weird). As much as I wanted to grab the ginger one lime green just didn't work in my head so it stayed on the shelf and instead I went for a nice sweet Iced Strawberry Dream and the fairly autumnal warming That Vanilla Moment.

In the end I have actually been so glad that I grabbed these scents, they are lovely and fresh without being too cloyingly sweet. They help wake me up in the morning and still feel a bit like a treat even though they are cheap. I do find I have to use a fair bit of product each day to get a decent lather but the bottles on these are huge so it doesn't feel like a waste. I love the packaging design which reminds me of Philosphy's shower gels for a fraction of the cost, but I do have issues with shower space when one of these is in there so if you are severely limited for space this might be an issue for you, currently I don't mind sacrificing another product to make room.

For someone who used to shell out large sums on shower gel from The Body Shop because it didn't give me a rash I am glad to have found these gems. I imagine they will be staples for a while!

You can find all of Treacle Moon's products to buy at Tesco, currently the bath and shower gels have 1/3 off and are only £1.99 for 500ml!

Karin Herzog Oxygen Face Cream

Today we are going to talk skincare again for a second, but bear with me while I talk about royals.
When Prince George was born, The Duchess of Cambridge was of course all over the internet again, old links for her beauty regime and fashion choices were cropping up everywhere as all relevant content was pushed into our faces. Being a bit of a Kate fan (man would I love to have her hair!) I had a browse back through some of those posts and came across one about her skincare choices. It was reported that she had been a great fan of the Karin Herzog Oxygen Face Cream until she got closer to thirty.




Being in the market for a new day cream I decided that if it was good enough for Kate it was worth a try so I ordered a tube. Lets take a second to admire the packaging this tube of heaven arrived in shall we? Just look at it! I thought I had mistakenly ordered a collectible or something. Big points for the "special factor" upon opening the parcel.

I ordered from Feel Unique and got 50ml of product for  £31.45, which is pretty good considering it is usually £38 per tube. Feel Unique had it to me within a couple of days over a weekend, just in time for my old day cream to decide it was completely empty, it couldn't have been more perfect in the timing.


Tubes that are only 50ml for a good chunk of money always make me squirm, and my boyfriend exclaim "how much!?" and I have to admit, when buying this with my night cream too I did feel a bit guilty knowing how quickly my normal 50ml bottles of day cream disappear. However I really needn't have worried with this. The texture of the cream is incredibly light, in a way it reminds me of Steamcream in that it feels whipped. However unlike Steamcream, a tiny bit of this product, I'm talking a pea sized amount, will hydrate my whole face and neck and it even feels then like I maybe have a tiny bit too much on. This tube is going to last me ages so it is definitely a good investment.

When you apply this, Herzog recommends using a brush so that you don't waste active ingredients on your fingers, and I have to admit I don't bother, I make sure my hands are really clean then slather it on. Another application tip she gives which I do pay attention to though is not to rub it in, but let it absorb on its own. This is something I had to get used to as I am notorious for being a bit rough with my face, but it helps it feel special to use, I feel like I am pampering myself every morning.

Now a bit about what is supposed to make this so special, it is an oil free formula which contains 2% active oxygen. What has oxygen got to do with good skin other than helping us stay alive? Well Herzog claims that it penetrates the skin to neutralise bacteria that cause acne and help clear out toxins. I honestly don't know if this is true, but it sounds good, and I imagine the oxygen content is what makes it such a dream to use.

The real bit that got me interested however was that this product helps balance the hydro-lipid film of the skin, it is effectively a sebo-regulator, it balances your natural oil production. Now I have been reading up about this layer that protects our skin and how acne is often caused by it being damaged, having seen huge results when on Roaccutane (which inhibits oil production just in case you aren't aware) I know now that the majority of my acne is oil based. Get rid of the oil and I don't get the spots. Obviously I can't stay on that treatment forever, and my skin seems to go back to a bit of oiliness once I come off it so I have been trying to find ways to regulate, rather than attempt to dry up all of my natural oils. If your hydro-lipid layer is damaged, you produce more natural oils to protect your skin from harm, so preserve that layer and your sin will naturally go back to being a "normal" type. I love this theory, and I really am noticing that my skin is a little less oily throughout the day, I am not glow free, but I feel less grubby by home time. I have also been experiencing less acne breakouts and my skin looks and feels much healthier than it has done in a while.

All in all, I am so glad I gave this a try, it is a little tube of luxury for my morning routine and I am so far reaping the benefits. I will obviously continue to use it and see how it goes, but I have a funny feeling it will be sticking around in my skincare routine for a long time.

Updated Skincare

It is autumn, the transition between seasons, which means it is time to change up our skincare a little bit.

Skincare has always been a bit of a battle for me, with my normal/combination very acne prone skin, which has also undergone roaccutane treatment so can also be very dehydrated.
I don't like to change up products often but there were a few items I had been lusting after for a while, I had heard about them all over YouTube and other blogs, so I knew I wanted to give them a try. I had been studying the skincare guru Caroline Hirons' blog religiously to try and gather information about the sorts of products I should be using and I settled upon the following.

Cleanser:
The Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm has become a bit of a cult product. A thick balm that melts to an oil when rubbed into the skin this balm feels very luxurious. I massage it into the skin, heat up a flannel and steam my face before buffing lightly to both remove the product and gently exfoliate. I love how this makes my skin feels, it is fresh feeling as it has a slight herbal scent, and generally leaves my skin feeling glowy and clean with no residue.

Toner:
Caroline recommended an exfoliating toner followed by a hydrating toner. I couldn't get my mitts on some of the London based ones, but I do have a Clarins counter in my town so I picked up the Gentle Exfoliator, which I sweep all over my face after cleansing on alternate days. It leaves my face feeling fresh and smooth, but is a little expensive for the size of the bottle. I would love to get some Pixi Glow Tonic at some point.
I follow this up with the Dr Jart+ Moist Moist Water Act Skin Mist, this is a spray toner which just helps rehydrate a little after the exfoliator and sure up the skin's barrier. This is may be the step I am least comfortable with as it involves spraying it on and leaving it there, which feels wrong to me, but spraying it on a cotton pad and wiping my face also doesn't feel right with this product. I may change this when I have finished the bottle. I also use this one in the morning after cleansing.

Serum:
I am a big fan of the Dr Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream, which is what inspired me to look at the skincare from the same range, the Most Moist Water Up Serum is a light gel formula that is marketed for tired and stressed skin. It has a triple act formula with three active ingredients, plus it is packed with hyaluronic acid to plump up the skin's hydration levels. This serum has Oat extract which helps to soothe irritation and okra extract to soften skin and provides cactus flower extract for anti inflammatory properties.
I pop this on morning and night and it feels very refreshing, prepping my skin perfectly for my moisturiser.

Treatment:
Alpha H Liquid Gold has a huge cult following, and for a long time I have resisted purchasing it, selecting other high street products which claimed to do the same thing instead. Well unfortunately with this one it isn't just hype, I use this on alternate days as a treatment, applying after cleansing and leaving it on with nothing else and it leave my skin looking radiant, clear and soft by morning. I would go so far as to say this is addictive, I have to stop myself using it all the time.
I got my huge bottle from QVC on offer  and I recommend that you do also, as the normal bottle is not much cheaper, and half the size. I have very sensitive skin and I haven't reacted to the product, it leaves my skin tingly in a good way, it is very satisfying to use.

As you can see I haven't included my moisturisers or masks here, thats because I am not sure which ones to try for next. I need a new set of moisturisers for autumn, and am considering the Karin Herzog Oxygen Face Cream (if it is good enough for the Duchess, it is good enough for me!) but for the time being I am using Bio Oil in the evening (trying to shift those acne scars) and Eucerin Aquaporin Active Light in the day time. For masks I shall be visiting the Origins counter, I have heard so much I can no longer resist!

Do you have any recommendations for good day and night moisturisers?

Autumn Winter Nail Polish Picks

Long time readers of my blogging antics will know I love to paint my nails, for a long time I tried all sorts of art and colours, and you may have been wondering where those posts have gone. Well, unfortunately I fell foul of the damaged nails problem. I am not sure if it was my Roaccutane treatment that did it or removing polish with a cheap remover a lot but all of a sudden they lost all their strength and started peeling.

This means that nowadays I am much more sedate with my polish painting, I don't have nail polish on all the time, giving my nails a polish free break of a week or so between reapplications, and I usually go for something that can blend easily with outfits or make a bold statement, but which ultimately I can get wear out of for at least a week before having to break out the nail polish remover.

Before my nails weakened, my brand of choice was OPI, and I had only tried other brands a little bit, but in the interim I have become a huge fan of Essie's diffusion line polishes, and they are now my go to for all my polishes. On my nails they last for an unbelievably long time (we are talking getting on for two weeks with only a bit of tip wear) and they apply smoothly and easily.

I thought I would show you the four shades I have picked out for autumn/winter this year. I may add a shade or two to this line up, but these are the ones I think I will be applying on the regular.




First up, my autumn pair. For my fingernails, it has to be Eternal Optimist, I have been wearing this for a couple of months now after picking it up as a cross between a neutral and a pink. I hate the mannequin hands look, as I have awful circulation in my hands so need a bit of colour to pep up my skin tone. This blush pink is just the right shade to look neutral but not cold.

For my toes I have been going with a vampy red in the form of Fishnet Stockings, When I bought this I got home and had a D'oh moment because in the bottle it looks very very similar to my brighter red Apertif, but once painted this dries as a very deep berry red, perfect for autumn when you want your toes to match the fire they are warming up near.




For winter, and by winter I really mean getting closer to christmas, I will probably switch it up but stick with the same colour palettes. For fingernails, I will be reaching for Tea and Crumpets, which I mentioned in my September lust list. I have been eyeing this shade up for ages, and although it looks a bit nothingy in the bottle it is really very pretty. Closer to christmas when there will be festive decorations around I will want a little shimmer and this provides just that, subtle shimmer which still looks classy.

On the toes I will probably go deeper in tone, this time reaching for a true plum in Bahama Mama. Although originally sold as a summer shade I believe, this immediately sang to me as perfect for winter, it is worth noting too that Essie shades last so long on my toes (they never ever chip, I only reapply because of nail growth) that I may only need to reapply these a couple of times, and they always still look glossy and freshly painted. Nothing better than your toes looking smart for the winter season.

Have you chosen your autumn/winter nail shades? Or do you prefer to just switch it up?

Just Call Me Pandy

I have recently discovered something about myself, I hate waterproof mascara!

I had been wondering lately why I didn't wear waterproof mascara, with the weather getting hotter, and hayfever making my eyes itchy and watery, it seemed like the logical thing to do. Wear waterproof and it solves my problems!

I bought the L'Oreal Telescopic waterproof mascara after Anna of Vivianna Does Makeup had raved about it so much thinking that it would surely be the one to try, but alas I am afraid I have to disagree with her. Now don't get me wrong, I like the telescopic range, I love the brush for its separating capabilities, I just hate how much effort it takes for me to get the damn stuff off. Even using my Micellar Solution following Lisa Eldridge's instructions and then following with my Hot Cloth Cleanser I struggle and end up losing at least one lash. 

After making my eyes even more sore using this for a few weeks, I caved and went and bought a different, plain old lets the water make it run mascara and I am now much happier. Waterproof simply isn't for me it seems, I'd choose panda eyes any day over red sore ones! 

And which lesson has this taught me? If I don't use something and haven't for a good long while, there is probably a reason for it, and just because I can't remember that reason 

doesn't mean I should question it!!

Now, what to do with the second one I bought as part of the offer.

Do you wear waterproof mascara?

xo

Review Avene Cleanance Line

Recently I have decided to have a little overhaul of my skincare routine. I have stuck with Cetaphil as my morning cleanser, Sanctuary Hot Cloth Cleanser as my evening one, and Micellar solution to remove my makeup, but there are a few steps surrounding those that needed a little change.

I mentioned in an empties post a while back that I wasn't enjoying the Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion as my facial moisturiser anymore, and since finishing my Roaccutane treatment I have tried several other day moisturisers, all of which haven't really felt right. They were either too dry or too slick, they left me oily or clogged my pores, some even gave me an allergic reaction. I was getting a bit frustrated by it all when I walked into boots and decided to have a look at some French pharmaceutical brands, ones which were more into treating sensitivity as well as other complaints, and I settled on Avene.

I picked up a mattifying cleanser, the Cleanance Anti-Shine Regulating Lotion, and a chemical exfoliant the Cleanance K, both of which are highly recommended by various YouTubers and Bloggers. The moisturiser is described as a lotion, but is more of a gel formulation, as is the exfoliator. This means that they both feel incredibly light and don't leave my skin feeling tacky, a big no no for me. Both products are specifically targeted to reduce oil by drawing it away from the skin and trapping it in special microcapsules within the formula, and the exfoliant uses both glycolic and salicylic acids to get rid of dead skin cells that cause clogged pores in the first place. 

I have been using both for a few weeks now, and I have noticed a big difference in the amount of oiliness I get during the day, especially on my forehead which is a real problem area. I haven't noticed a huge difference using the exfoliator, but I have to admit I haven't been religious about applying it, it does recommend you use it every evening, but I have used it on average once a week. I will be more strict with myself from now on and see if I can spot any noticeable changes. I don't think I would completely swap from a physical exfoliant to a chemical one, but careful combination of the two within a set routine would be ideal I believe, and is something I hope to achieve.

Both of these products cost £10.50 for 40ml, not cheap when you consider they are to be used every day, but as they are available from Boots there is always the chance to say a bit of money with an offer.

Have you tried Avene before?

xo

June Empties

I am trying to get back on track with posting these Empties, but I always feel like they don't need to be as prompt as say favourites posts, probably a completely whacked out way of thinking, but then it is me!

Anyway, a few items last month, a couple of long time workers too!

Original Source Vanilla Milk and Raspberry Shower Cream
£2.30  from Boots

I grabbed this when I was taking advantage of a buy one get one free offer and had been drawn towards a pineapple scented shower gel (definitely in next months favourites!) I wouldn't say this is as nice as the pineapple one, though being a shower cream it is more moisturising. It is a nice scent, but probably more for winter than summer, and as always it is nice to see Original Source using plenty of natural ingredients. If I was stuck for other scents, and I was getting one free I would grab this again, but my top choice would be Pineapple!

The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask
£12  from The Body Shop

The first of the long time workers, I have been trying to finish this pot of mask for about a year, I believe I wanted to finish it when I first started my project 20 pan. I have nothing against this mask, it is just messy. The tub it comes in allows it to dry out over time, so you have to rehydrate it to get it to spread evenly over your face, and it is harder to get off your skin than other clay masks I have used, especially if you have any opened pores, I always seem to end up with seaweedy bits stuck inside them.  I think this si a great mask for drawing out impurities, though it takes a day or two before they all come to the surface, but I would only repurchase if the packaging improved.

OPI Start to Finish Base and Top Coat
£13 from Sally's

I've had this a while and really didn't like it, there's a bit left in the bottom but it is too gloopy to get out. It didn't help keep my polish on or prevent chipping, which I find odd as the OPI Natural Nail Base Coat is fab, I definitely wouldn't buy this particular one again.

MAC Studio Moisture Tint SPF 15 in Light
£20 from MAC

The second of the long time coming products, I have been trying to use this tinted moisturiser up forever, and now I wish I hadn't! After using my Laura Mercier I have decided this one was a little bit better, being slightly stronger pigmented and thicker. I wouldn't repurchase however as I am trying to move away from MAC products as much as possible (I want to try other brands a bit more) but I am glad this is finished as I can now get a free lipstick!

The Sanctuary Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser
£10.50 from Boots

This is the second of my holy grail skincare items, and I absolutely love it. I had the old formulation in one of my past empties posts and I really wasn't that keen on it, it did the job but I am so happy to be back to using the new formula, it leaves my skin beautifully smooth and soft every time I use it.

Have you tried any of these products before?
xo

Review: Essie Nail Polishes Old and New

As I am sure you all know, recently Essie released a difusion line of their most popular nail polish shades in selected Boots and Superdrug stores across the UK. When i heard about this I got very excited, as I have ordered a couple of shades from eBay before and in general I quite liked them, and wanted to try more. I already had Mint Candy Apple and Marshmallow, which can be seen above, and I love the shades. However the application has a little bit to be desired, they could be a bit hit and miss and often took three or four coats rather than two to be opaque.

However my hopes rose a little bit when lots of bloggers began talking about them and how great the new brush is which supposedly improved application no end, great I thought, problem solved! But when I saw that brush, my heart began to thud with dispair. It looked exactly the same as the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polish brushes, which I am not a fan of!

A couple of weeks ago while in Lincoln I decided to bit the bullet and try a couple of shades I had been admiring anyway, Splash of Grenadine and Lilacism, and risk hating the brush. However I am really pleased with these! The previously thought of as awful brush actually works wonderfully with the quite thin formula of the polishes, a combination which Sally Hansen didn't achieve, and application is really quick and easy because of it. The brush is a standard length and density bristle brush, but the bristles are arranged flat, with ever so slightly curved ends, which generally just means less streaks!

I will definitely be picking up a few more of these next time I am in Lincoln, top of my list are Tea and Crumpets, Merino Cool, and Angora Cardi.

Have you picked up any of the Essie Diffusion Line polishes yet?
xo

Holy Grail: Sanctuary Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser

"Here may be found the last words of Joseph of Aramathia. He who is valiant and pure of spirit may find the holy grail in the Castle of Aaauuuggghhh... "

Whenever anyone in beauty land mentions a Holy Grail product I always think of Monty Python, does anyone else?

Anyway, this Grail is that of The Sanctuary, their Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser to be precise. Usually when you see Hot Cloth Cleanser and Holy Grail next to each other you will see "Liz Earle" somewhere near by, but I am afraid that you wont find a rave about that product here. I have never tried it, and at the moment I don't feel the need to because I am put off by the scent. The Sanctuary is plenty enough for me. 

I have read posts where people have compared the ingredients lists of the two products and found barely a difference, but I haven't got access to them myself so I can't speak on that point, but it certainly seems to me that this is a cheaper, more accessible version of a hot cloth cleanser that may or may not do exactly the same thing. I can tell you that the Sanctuary cleanser contains several naturally derived oils, such as beeswax, cocoa butter, hops, coconut, jojoba, chamomile, grapefruit, and flax seed oils.

Now I have talked about this before but I felt it needed a shiny post just because it is so awesome. 

This cleanser works the same as most hot cloth cleansers, you wet your face (or not, I prefer to dampen mine) and then slather some of the cream on, put the included muslin cloth under a hot tap and place it over your face for a few seconds to steam it, then buff off the product with the cloth, and rinse. 

I normally do this twice, just because I love the clean feeling I get, and because it is amazing at unblocking my pores when I do so.

That is the main selling point to this product for me, nothing else gets my pores so clean, I can physically tell if I dont use this for a couple of days because my skin becomes congested and I have to do the whole face mask shebang, which is more work than I can be bothered with normally. I also always use this as a second time run to take off my eye makeup even though it doesn't actually state that you can on the bottle, it has never caused me any adverse drying or stinging, so I will continue to do so as it always takes off every last scrap. I believe part of the reason I don't react to it on my eyes is because it barely has a scent, there is the faintest natural scent there, but it isn't overpowering and doesn't make me feel nauseous.  

This stuff is so easy to get hold of, it is stocked even in my little Boots near work, and often on offer which means I spend around £5.50 a tube on this stuff, an absolute bargain for a wonder product in my opinion.

I am tempted to get a Clarisonic to see if I can make this product even better, but at the moment I don't honestly need it so it would be an unnecessary expense, it would be interesting to see if it too is made better with the contraption like its herbal cousin.

The only negative I have so far is that I can't find a mini version for when I travel. There is one in a gift set, but I don't need the rest of the stuff, so it would be a waste of money. I am still searching though!

All in all, I love this product and will continue to use it for a while yet.

Have you tried this cleanser? Would you be willing to give it a go?

xo

June Favourites

I have decided to do my favourites on my blog this month, as it is a bit easier for me to do than filming and editing, and I have been rather busy lately.

I suppose really this should be favourites of right now, as I haven't done a favourites post for a couple of months. Unfortunately nothing much was sticking around enough to be a favourite, and I don't believe in just cobbling a list together if they aren't worthy!

There are quite a few things on here, so lets get started!

Aussie Luscious Long Leave in Conditioner

£4.99  from Boots

I got this ages ago, and in a bid to use up some of my hair products started using it instead of my usual serum, and now I am thinking of using up my serum and keeping this! It is fab for how I have been styling my hair lately, I have just been shoving it in a top knot when wet and letting it dry, or just leaving it down and lightly brushed through with a tangle teaser. Both of these easy, messy styles don't really require much effort, but can leave my hair a bit ratty without this spray which keeps my hair soft and smelling pretty.

Bare Minerals SPF15 foundation in Fairly Light

£24 from Debenhams

Another product I started using intending to use it up so I could minimise my products, and I have ended up preferring it to my MAC Mineralised Skin Finish, in fact I can safely say I wont be repurchasing that, but a BareMinerals product instead. It gives me a more natural finish, without being too powdery or dulling me down. After this is finished I intend to use up my mineral veil to see which I prefer!

Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart

£7.99 from Boots

This has been my handbag lipstick of late, it is incredibly pigmented yet easy to apply and not too drying so is useful for when I all of a sudden decide I want to brighten things up a bit or look a little more put together. It is far from the sort of lip butter that would replace my lipbalm, but as a go to grab on the go lipstick it is handy to have.

No7 Lash and Brow Perfector

£10 (or £5 with a voucher) from Boots

I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before or not, but this is the main way in which I groom my brows on a day to day basis. I avoid brow pencil unless I really need it, and this gel holds my naturally full brows in place for me all day. The main reason I would choose this over a cheapy one is because of the brush, it has a short bristle side and a long bristle side, which comes in very handy.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser in Nude

£33  from House of Fraser

Since I finished my MAC tinted moisturiser this month I have been cracking on with using this one, which has been waiting in my drawer for almost a year! I have to admit, I am missing my MAC one, as a smaller amount of it went a long way, where as this is a runnier formula (the mess in the lid is pushing my OCD a bit) I do like it though for being light and breathable, and not clogging my skin up, I also love their shade range! 

No7 Lash Adapt Mascara

£12.50 from Boots

I mentioned in my last empties post that I liked the No7 Exquisite Curl mascara, well I think this one might be my new favourite for soft volume. It doesn't hold my curl as well as Exquisite Curl does, but it makes my lashes full and fluttery without weighing them down too much or being flaky. So far so good!

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Bunny Hop

Discontinued, but other shades are £14 from Boots

This looks a right mess in that pot, but that is because it had completely dried up, and I followed the instructions on this blog to get it going again. Ever since I have been using it instead of my MAC paint pot, and although I like the texture for being soft and not drying my delicate eyelids out, the shade isn't flattering on me at all. It does seriously make me reconsider Benefit Creaseless Cream shadows in general though!

Lush Maple Taffy Lip Balm

£5.25  from Lush

This little pot of yum is awesome! I picked this up just to give Lush lip balms a go a few months back and I am glad I did. Although it would be too sickly sweet for some it reminds me of pancakes with syrup, and that makes it a winner. The texture is ever so slightly gritty too so I feel like it is ever so slightly exfoliating while I wear it as well.

The Body Shop Honey and Beeswax Hand and Foot Butter

£10 from The Body Shop

This stuff is great if you have a job that keeps you on your feet all day. I have tried several foot and heel balms, and none of them are quite so nice and luxurious as this one. I can put a bit of this on before bed once a week and my feet will still be soft by the next application. I use a small amount for general applications and it sinks in quick enough that I don't make my sheets greasy, but if I have missed a few weeks a thick slather of this and a pair of moisturising socks and my feet are in tip top condition by morning. It is great for hands too especially if you are prone to cracking between your fingers, and smells lovely.

Boots Spectacle Care Kit.

Not on the website, but the Lens Cleaner is £5.49  from Boots

Really this is about the cleaning spray, I got my new glasses last month and my old Specsavers lens cleaner just doesn't seem to do the trick. This Boots one, in combination with the included cloth really does get rid of all smears and specks. The little screwdriver is handy to have in my bag too.

What were your favourites this month? Anything I should give a try?

xo

April/May Empties

Sorry, sorry, blah blah. It has been over a month since I've written a beauty blog post, and it has mainly just been because I have been a busy bee. 

May was my birthday month, so I scheduled a post or two and then got swept away in having fun, I've decorated my room (all nice and neutral cream, loooovely) and spent some time fixing cars with my other half. I've also been working two jobs which is slowly picking up steam, but this week I am on holiday from them both, so I have jotted down a few blog posts and I am determined to post!

If you follow my youtube channel you might have noticed that it has been even longer since I made a video, and that is for the same reasons, it is simply very time consuming, so you might find that some of my normal video content will migrate over to blog content so that I can easily get it out there.

If you do like my ramblings and aren't limited to following beauty, you can find me on my other blog more frequently at the moment, as I am spending a lot of time reading, it can be found here!

Now throughout all this time being oh so busy, I have to admit I haven't bought many products, which rather stumps me on what I can write about, but I have used up quite a few which I am insanely proud about! I am all about clearing out the junk and clutter at the moment, selling things on ebay, trading in DVDs and using up loads of my products.

Without further ado, here are April and May's empties!

La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution

£11.50 from Boots

I mentioned this in my first ever empties post, and it has now become one of my constant repurchases. I have decided that I am going to give Bioderma a proper go once I have used up all my backup's of this stuff, but if it doesn't measure up I will be straight back to grabbing these on 3 for 2. The main reason I grab for it again and again is that it just works, it lifts my makeup and any grease on my face up and away leaving me feeling nice and clean without any residue, perfect for before a full face cleanse or even when I can't be bothered to do the full routine.

Weleda Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash

£8.95 from Boots

I received this in a Glossybox a while back, and at first I was sceptical. I don't really buy in to the whole luxury shower gel thing, I like to have one from The Body Shop or something, but nearly £10 a bottle is pushing it a bit. I did really like this though, it isn't for you if you aren't fond of the scent as it lingers a bit and definitely makes the bathroom smell lovely, but if you are after a shower cream that will leave you moisturised and feeling a little bit special then give this a go. I can't say anything for the anti-aging properties, but it is worth noting that when used to shave my legs, I didn't need to moisturise afterwards! 

Balance Me Rose Otto Body Wash

£12.26 for 260ml from John Lewis

Another shower gel from a beauty box, and this time one I really hated. I had issues with the Balance Me hand cream scent last time, and this time the scent really put me off. I am not a fan of roses, and my skin hates the scent from them and breaks out in little bumps. Turns out that applies to the rest of my skin too not just my face! I'm sure many people would love this product, and I have to say for a sulphate free product it did lather nicely and didn't require lots of product per use, but for me it just caused hassle.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

£8.99 from Boots

This is a holy grail product and I've even written about it, nuff said!

Simple Soothing Facial Toner

£2.99 from All good supermarkets

I always seem to pick up this toner, and it has featured in an empties post before, but I think next time I might branch out. I have my eyes on an Avene mattifying one, but if you are after a basic, cheap toner, this is a great one to try.

No7 Exquisite Curl Mascara in Brown/Black

£13 from Boots, or use a No7 voucher for £5 off!

I really enjoyed this mascara, which is why I was happy to pick up two, but it does dry out quickly, one tube usually lasts me about two months before I have to change because it is making my eyes sting.
 I can't honestly say that it curls my lashes as I always use an eyelash curler, but it holds them steady throughout the day without being too crispy and it is easy to remove.

Bionova Bioactive Cleanser

£29 from Bionova

I'm not entirely sure on the price of this one, as I got this sample in a Glossybox and although their website says £29, I can't find a product which perfectly matches this on the Bionova website (which is quite complicated) and so it could cost more. I wouldn't be repurchasing anyway as it left a weird rubbery feeling on my skin, and isn't suited to my combination skin type anyway. I think there are probably better known similarly priced cleansers out there if you wanted to splash out on a fancy one.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturiser

£15.50 from House of Fraser

When Kiehl's popped up in my local House of Fraser last year I really wanted to try the eye cream or the hand cream that I had been lusting after on YouTube, on discovering that they were US only, I plumped for trying their best selling all around suitor moisturiser. I liked it, but it was a little greasy for me, and when I was taking Roaccutane it stinged like mad, which doesn't fill me with confidence.
If you have dry skin, I say grab a sample, but otherwise, despite it saying it is for all skin types, I would maybe give it a miss.

Dermalogica Multivitamin Thermofoliant

£41 for 75ml from Dermalogica

Oh yes you read that right, FOURTY ONE POUNDS! For an exfoliator! This sample came from Glossybox and unlike the lipbalm which I really loved, this didn't stand out for me at all. I am currently using a similar exfoliator from The Sanctuary which is a quarter of the price, so no way in hell would I repurchase this. I know Dermalogica is expensive, but I honestly can't say that this worked any differently to my other heat activated exfoliators, so that would be a big fat no!

Sanex Dermoinvisible Antiperspirant

£1.55 from Boots, Supermarkets

I'm talking about another deodorant! I had to mention this one though because I wasn't particularly fond of it. It didn't seem to have as much product in it as other ones I have used, wasn't very moisturising, and it didn't have a nice accompanying smell. It did however work in the sweat stakes, and I was free of white marks while I used it. 

How many empties have you run up lately? I get a great sense of satisfaction when I pop another tub in my special empties box.
:) 

Oh NARS, I Love you!

From top to bottom, and left to right in the swatch, is Ashes to Ashes, 413 Blkr, and Lhasa

This post requires a large picture.

Last month I had a little splurge, I meant to post about ti at the time but forgot, typical, but I can't just let this one pass by, it needs to be documented because these are my first Nars Eyeshadow purchases and I believe they have stirred a passion within me which will cost me a lot of money. 

It all started when I heard about Lhasa, I'm not entirely sure where I first heard/saw it, it could have been any number of bloggers or twitter, but I saw it, and I knew I had to have it. I have a thing for taupes, I still haven't written the post about it, but I do love them. Lhasa is a perfect taupe for me. 

Then I saw a post comparing Lhasa to this shade I had never heard of before, 413 Blkr, a limited edition shade released to commemorate the opening of a Nars store in New York City. Oh now that was a pretty taupe with more grey, I love all taupes with grey, but I still loved Lhasa! I would have to bit the bullet and get both. You can only pick up 413 Blkr from the Nars website, and if you have used their service before you will know that they charge a ridiculous amount for shipping despite the items being TINY so of course I had to bump my cart up to get the free shipping, and I added Ashes to Ashes.

When they arrived I was quite prepared for Lhasa and 413 Blkr to be very close shades, but was pleasently surprised to find them completely different. The purple in Lhasa makes it a much deeper shade, much more like a crease colour than 413 Blkr which would be an all over lid colour for me.

Ashes to Ashes is simply a gorgeous brown, and one I think I have been searching for for a while, not too deep not too light, not too shimmery and doesn't make me look like I have an eye infection, perfecto!

The formula of these shadows is also fabulous, they are soft, easily blended, and richly, yet subtly pigmented. I am usually a staunch fan of MAC eyeshadows but sometimes find pigmentation and texture don't quite match up, but these shadows have a nice soft level of colour payoff when used which means it is hard to apply too much, and easy to blend them to the desired finish. They also aren't so soft that they go everywhere like my Urban Decay shadows do, which lord knows is good for me because I am awful at correcting mistakes with my eyeshadow application. 

They are the perfect shadow for me, and I can already think of a few more shades I would like, my purse is quivering with fear!

Nars Lhasa and Ashes to Ashes Eyeshadows can be found at a variety of retailers such as ASOS, House of Fraser and HQHair and are priced between £16 and £17, 

but 413 Blkr (£17) is only available at Nars Cosmetics

xo :)

Top Pout: Shy Girl

The sun is shining outside, that means I can write a top pout post about a very popular summer lippy, MAC's Shy Girl.

I haven't had this lipstick that long, or rather I have had it for a year but couldn't wear it because of my skin treatment, but oh do I love it!
This shade and MAC's ravishing are two of my favourite MAC lipsticks for summer and I think it is because they are peach. I have a bit of a love affair with peach when summertime comes around, I will maybe do a post on it. While typically someone with my fair skin should go for lighter pinks, once the sun is truly shining I shun most of my pink blushers and go for glowy peaches even though I have always been told that they weren't really right for me. 

Personally I think this lipstick, another of the Cremesheen formulas, is perfect for summer days when you don't want to look too done but also don't want to look like you haven't made an effort. Matched with a blush such as Vivo Peaches and Cream and a bit of bronzer this looks ever so pretty. I used to be petrified of shades like this, leaning far too orange for what I deemed acceptable, but these soft peaches are my attempt at doing something different.
Now my lips are fairly pigmented naturally, so this almost nude peach is very light on me, if I want more of an obvious peach that suits my natural lip colour better I go for Revlon Peach, and if I want a pop of colour I go for MAC Ravishing, or Ever Hip for a coral version, but for looking ladylike and pretty when you are around your grandmother and wearing a girly dress, Shy Girl is just the thing.

£14.50 from MAC Cosmetics

xo :)

March Empties

Apologies for the lateness of posting, again. I have been so busy with work I just haven't got around to blogging much lately, but I have taken loads of pictures the past few days while I can and hopefully should have a few posts to go soon.

So March was a very productive month on the empties front, finally I had a large amount of finished products, and my first makeup product! It made me so happy I instagrammed it.

Without further ado, here are the empties for March!

Body Shop Coconut Shower Cream

£4 for 250ml form The Body Shop

This is a product that is a bit of a staple for me, I mentioned in my January Empties that I keep a supply of Body Shop shower products in my cupboard because they are some of the only nicely scented ones that I can use without irritation. The coconut shower cream is my go to for when my skin needs a bit more nourishment, and I will continue to use and repurchase this for a while I think!

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water

£9 for 200ml from Boots

I grabbed this cleansing water after seeing it on a couple of blogs when the new No7 range first launched thinking ooo this could be a good alternative to my Micellar solutions. Boy was I wrong. I had never used any No7 skincare before other than the face wipes, and as all face wipes give me little allergy breakouts I didn't think anything of it when I had miniature mountain ranges on my face. But when I tried this product it because clear to me that No7 reacts the same as Clinique on my skin, it gives me awful hard little bumps all over and should be avoided. Thankfully I had used nearly 3/4 of the bottle when I narrowed the reaction down to this product, so I simply used the rest up sharpish and went back to my La Roche Posay. I was a little disappointed though as I quite like the pump (even if its closing mechanism is a little loose) and the price is cheaper than my standard cleansers. If you are ok with No7 products normally I would give this a try, especially if you have a £5 off voucher.

It is also worth noting that at the same time I purchased a night cream, and didn't use it as my other one wasn't finished yet, and Boots took it back for a full refund with no quibbles what so ever when I explained, I was really impressed with their customer service!

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Take The Heat Deep Treatment

£4.99 from Boots or any good supermarket

Now I don't heat treat my hair that often, but I do feel like the ends get a little ragged as my hair tangles very easily and gets knotty, so I grabbed this to help revive it a little, and while I got some lovely compliments about my hair while using it, it isn't a product I am loyal to. The product left my hair sliky and smooth but still in need of a serum during the day, while it felt moisturised while in the shower, once it had air dried I didn't notice a huge difference.

 I come back to aussie often because they are often on reduced price offers and things, but I think in future for deep treatments I will try slightly higher end products to see if they are worth it. 

L'Oreal Telescopic Clean Definition Mascara

£10.99 from Boots

I picked this particular mascara up after hearing the waterproof telescopic mascara raved about on YouTube, and Boots didn't have any in stock. I figured what the hell, clean definition is more my kind of thing anyway. I did quite like the product as it gave me nicely separated lashes, and it lasted a reasonable amount of time before drying out, but I wouldn't purchase it again. The steep price tag has put me off, I have used much better mascaras from other brands, and I would only grab it if it was on a decent offer.

Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion

£8.99 from Boots or Lloyds Pharmacy

The cleanser that accompanies this lotion is one of my holy grail products, but unfortunately for me the lotion isn't as great. I have used this both on my face, where it doesn't sink in quickly enough, and on my body, where it doesn't hydrate enough. However, if you are undergoing Roaccutane treatment it is amazing as it doesn't irritate at all or clog pores, and as your skin is very dry during treatment it sinks in nicely.

Sanctuary Spa Perfectly Polished Hot Cloth Cleanser

£10.20 from Boots

The tube pictured here is actually the old packaging, and I believe a different product to the new packaging currently available on Boots shelves. The new product is by far superior, so don't worry about missing out in that sense. I am a big advocate of the sanctuary hot cloth cleanser though because with my skin it does exactly the same as the Liz Earle one but without such a strong scent. This one is also a few quid cheaper, and you can even get it for an extra £5 off when Boots have those discount vouchers that print with your receipt, pretty good in my books! 

I already have a couple of bottles of the new packaging version of this in my cabinet and one on the go, I will be repurchasing this for a long time.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Cocoa Flower Hand Cream

£8 for 30ml from L'Occitane 

I received this in a magazine absolutely ages ago and am so glad I did. This product is amazing, it is hydrating without being greasy, sinks in quickly and smells divine. Think cocoa, but milder, softer, and more delicate. The ladies at work have all complimented the scent of this product and loved it when they have tried some, next time I am in Sheffield I will be popping in for another tube!

Bobbi Brown Oil Free Even Finish Compact Foundation

£29.00 from House of Fraser

This is one of those products that I have both loved and hated while I have used it. Initially I was thrilled with how it made my skin look, having found it difficult to get a decent shade match for a long time when I spotted a new Bobbi Brown counter I was in House of Fraser like a shot and getting my makeup done by Georgina, one of the head artists for the UK. I looked slightly radiant with a nice and even skintone and felt great. Then after a while it started to look awful and cakey as the product started to dry out no matter how thinly I applied it, and had completely slid off my face by lunchtime, it lost its lustre rather quickly. 

After giving it a break and coming back to the product intending to finish it up, I found that when applying it with the Cosmopolitan Beauty Blender dupe I liked the lighter application I got and actually found I could work with it.

 I will never repurchase as the price is exorbitant for not being completely satisfied, but it wasn't a bad product per-se.

Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream

£14.50 for 100ml from Balance Me also available in Waitrose

I received this hand cream in my first ever Carmine Box and at first I hated it. It took me some time to get used to the scent, and the cream is very thick so not great for while I am working (the main time I use hand cream), and while the density of the cream means it is deeply moisturising, it also means it leaves you a little greasy after application. 

I do love that the product is 98.8% natural, and can actually be used most places on your body for intense dry patches, not just your hands, but the scent is hard to get over. They use essential oils that have added skin benefits and while the reasoning behind it is sound, I just wish it didn't whiff quite so much!

So there you have it, a lot of empties this month and only a couple I would repurchase. 

How many empties did you rack up in march? I already have quite a few for April.

:) xo

Like Butta!

I got my mitts on some Revlon Lip Butter's yesterday, they were just sitting there in my tiny little Boots store (it's the one near where I work, and when I say tiny I mean tiny!) Obviously I tweeted straight away, and then applied one of the shades as I walked to work, I was that excited.

As you do when you buy something new and you have a blog, some photograph taking and swatching was in order, so here they are, I purchased some of the brightest shades, and all shades without shimmer. I've never been a huge fan of shimmer, so that was just a personal preference, and I went for bright shades as I was able to swatch them at different opacities on my hand so they seemed the most versatile. I am seriously looking forward to giving these a go this summer!

From left to right these are Tutti Frutti, Candy Apple and Sweet Tart, and these swatches are with 1-2 swipes. The colour shows up nicely and the texture is lovely and smooth as expected.

Again top to bottom these are in the same order, and these are a medium opacity swatch I would say. I could definitely build them up some more if I wanted, but this is probably how I would wear them.

You might just be able to make out that these do catch a little on any flakiness, and I wouldn't say that they could take the place of a lip balm, or my Korres Lip Butter, they simply aren't moisturising enough. For what is sold as a lip butter I think of them more as a glossy sheer lipstick, and would definitely put a balm underneath for everyday wear.

I haven't had a chance to properly test these out for wear, but I suspect they will need quite a bit of reapplying during the day. I am no stranger to this however, and the price isn't so steep that it would ever really annoy me.

These are £7.99 each from Boots 

(currently they are in the 3 for 2, and if you're lucky like me you might get a £2 off Revlon voucher with your advantage card leaflet this month)

I hope that Boots eventually carry more of the shades of these, my local store had 8 shades, though online there are more, and I know in America that there are many more. I know I would like to try a few more of them out. What about you? Have you tried any yet?

February Empties

This post is really late, I apologise, I have been a busy bee. If you follow me on twitter you might have seen the picture of a birthday cake I made for my boyfriend last week, in the shape of a particular car. I'd never made a proper shaped cake with fondant and things before and it was rather difficult but he loved it so I feel all proud :)

Anyway, you may have noticed I also haven't posted a february favourites video so far this month, and that's because I am not going to do one, there simply hasn't been anything stand out shout about favourite for me in february, and I'd rather not fib and make it up, so I decided just to do an empties post this month instead!

Only three items, AGAIN! I don't know how some people manage to use so much stuff up, because it takes me ages, but I have already used a few for March so I'm looking forward to that post.

Vichy Calming Cleansing Micellar Solution

£11 from Boots

I've mentioned before that I prefer the La Roche Posay Micellar solution, and I still stand by that, in fact I recently took advantage of the Boots 3 for 2 offer and bought 4 bottles, but if you can't get your mitts on that one, the Vichy option is a fairly good alternative. For me it doesn't feel as clean, as if it is lifting the dirt from my skin as efficiently, and it feels as if I need to use more product to get the same level of cleansing as the La Roche Posay, but it is a little bit gentler on my eye area.

Dermalogica Renewal Lip Complex

£22.50 for 1.75ml (1ml Sample shown)

I received this sample in my Glossybox, way back, and wasn't sure what to think of it as I knew the full size was so expensive. It is a lovely lip balm, and smells nicely fruity, a berry scent I think, but it is aimed at being anti-aging, and I think unless you can afford to happily shell out a ridiculous amount for a lipbalm it really isn't worth it. My Nivea SOS lipbalm has the same levels of hydration for a fraction of the price.

Lee Stafford Treatment for Hair

£7.99 from Boots

I've mentioned this countless times before in my videos, as it is a repeated favourite of mine, and a constant repurchase. I use this treatment, which is meant to help your hair reach its maximum length, as a root booster and moisturising treatment once a week. I usually slap this on the roots, and a deep moisturiser to the ends of my hair after shampooing. I then clip my hair up for a while and then wash out and follow with conditioner. It leaves my roots feeling soft and nourished, though a little weighed down, which is why I have stopped using it every time I wash my hair. 

You can usually get this with some money knocked off or on a 3 for 2 offer, so is worth trying out if you haven't before.

Have you tried any of these products before? Would you try them again?

:) xo