December Empties

I've finished up a bottle of the Garnier Simply Essentials Soothing 2 in 1 Make-up Remover which has been removing everything from stubborn liquid eyeliner to foundation. I've thoroughly enjoyed using this so much so that I've already got another three bottles in my stash to get through. It's a bi phase product which you shake up to combine both the make up remover with the cleansing water which I urge everybody to try! The next product I've used up is the Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask which I've been using on and off to help clear up any break outs as well as help perk up my skin. This definitely did the trick in both cases and I would definitely consider repurchasing this at some point. I've finished up another bottle of Skinetica which after using up completely, I've changed my mind on. I do think that it is great for helping with breakouts but I think that after a while of using it, my skin got used to it which meant that it wasn't working for me. I've used up a tube of the Boots Vitamin E Gentle Eye Cream which has been the only eye cream that I've been using since I started blogging. Whilst I do think that it does the job at moisturising my eye area and removing any under eye dark circles, I do want to branch out and try others which may be slightly better than this. I've used up another tube of my beloved The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser which I use primarily as a primer as it makes my make up last a lot longer than without one. I cannot imagine my makeup/skincare routine without this as it also acts as a barrier between my skin and my makeup and helps fight any spots as well as help minimise my pores.

I've used up a rather sorry looking Dove Nourishing Oil Care Leave-in Conditioning & Care Spray which I've been using as both a detangler and a leave in conditioning spray. I spray this mainly onto damp hair before using my tangle teezer to help distribute it and I've noticed such a difference. This makes my hair feel so soft and look a lot healthier and I've noticed that my hair isn't falling out as much. This is a definite staple in my hair care routine! I've finished up a bottle of the Wilko Instant Hand Sanitiser which I didn't realise you could get in big bottles until I need to restock my stash. This leaves on my skin care shelf and gets a lot of use each day. It does the job at killing germs and bacteria as well as not drying my hands out like some hand sanitisers can do. I haven't quite finished up the Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner but I've been using it for longer than I care to admit. I don't think it's the blackest eye liner out there but it definitely did the trick. I also haven't quite finished up a little duo in the form of W7 Lashtastic Mascara and Rimmel Glam Eyes Lash Flirt Mascara but I think it's about time I threw them both out. This duo made my lashes look a lot longer than what they were especially after using eyelash extensions for the best part of three years. I would definitely repurchase the Rimmel one as it was perfect for seperating my upper lashes as well as for my bottom ones.

I've used up three packets of the Skin Therapy Large Oval Cotton Wool Pads which I must admit is quite a lot! These are the only cotton pads I use as they're larger than average size but are a lot thicker therefore I don't mind using up quite so much as they're only 65p a pack. I've used up a pack of Lacura 3 in 1 Facial Cleansing Wipes which I've been using to take foundation off my hands after I've applied it to my face. I use these wipes for literally everything but removing makeup and I will continue to repurchase them!

NOTD 009

Products used:
Sally Hansen Insta-Grip Fast Dry Base Coat
Nails Inc Porchester Square* // one coat
Rimmel Nail Nurse Nail Base & Top Coat

When I received the tiny little bottle of the infamous Nails Inc Porchester Square in my Boots Beauty Advent Calendar, I was over the moon as it is one of the most raved about Nails Inc nail varnishes. It's a greige lavendar that I've likened to be similar to Ciate Bon Bon in some aspects. One coat is all that is needed to get opaque coverage which makes it one of the best nude nail varnishes I currently own. With that being said, it sadly doesn't knock Barry M Gel Hi Shine Lychee off the top spot for being the best nude..

Christmas Haul 2013

You may notice that some of these presents featured in this particular haul but that's purely because I knew that I wouldn't be getting many presents this year from my Dad hence why I bought myself a few. The rest of the items featured in the picture above are from my Dad + Rebecca, my brother, my Grandpa, Jessie, Sophia and Sophie.

 The makeup brushes are from Liam, my boyfriend, and the rest are from my Secret Santa which was Liams' Mum which effectively I did buy myself in some sense.

What presents did you receive this year?

Merry Christmas!

image from weheartit

No7 Instant Radiance Blush Palette

I absolutely love applying highlighter to the tops of my cheeks to give the radiant, glowy effect that everybody spends ages perfecting. Despite using my beloved No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter which I've only been using for the last three weeks, I decided to try the accompanying No7 Instant Radiance Blush Palette after being bullied into buying it by one of my colleagues at work.

The No7 Instant Radiance Blush Palette was designed to create a beautifully sheer radiant look with a shimmering blend of colours. It is a finely milled powder which is ultra soft which means that you can easily layer it up and blend to your hearts content. I personally find that it's a multi use product which you can use in many different ways. Use the lighter shades for the perfect daytime flush, use the darker shades for the perfect evening seductive blush, swirl them all together to create a perfect shimmery pale pink blush or use them all individually as eye shadows.

Whilst I was bullied into buying this, I don't regret it one bit! It makes a nice change from my usual bronzer and highlighter duo that I've been sporting these past few years. I must admit that I find it to be far too pink based to be used as a highlighter alone but it's absolutely perfect as a blush instead especially when you swirl all the colours together. A little definitely goes a long way with this as you can end up a little Edward Cullen looking as it definitely packs a lot of shimmer in such a tiny blush palette. It's also very long lasting and I can still see it on my skin after working a nine hour shift which just goes to show how well made it is. You can purchase the No7 Instant Radiance Blush Palette from any No7 Counter at Boots for £11.50 but be quick as it's limited edition and won't be round for long!

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub

I think it's fair to say that I've tried almost every single face wash within the Neutrogena Visibly Clear range - some have been love at first use whilst others failed to help with my breakouts. Whilst it's all fair using products targeted at clearing up breakouts, I thought that I better start using something to help with the rather noticeable blackheads on my nose so here are my two cents on the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub.

I have used this on and off for the past two months switching between using this both morning and night to just using it every other night. I find that this is no where near abrasive as some of the other face washes I've used so it is suitable to use on a daily basis as the directions advise although that may not necessarily be the same for others. It's a rather thick, creamy scrub with tiny orange beads that gently buff away any dead skin to help unclog pores and remove any excess oil which will leave the skin looking brighter after each use.

I personally find that the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub is a bit of a con product as it claims to eliminate blackheads from day one although here I am two months later still with noticeable blackheads. With that being said, I will admit in saying that my pores do look a lot smaller especially around my nose area but the same can't be said for the actual blackheads on my nose. I do think that it does a good job at exfoliating the skin and generally help to reduce pore sizes but for in terms of blackheads, I would much rather start using nose strips. You can purchase this from Boots for £3.69 where there is nearly always a deal on the Neutrogena Visibly Clear range.

Primark Haul 001

Primark is one of those shops that I only venture in every so often as I find it to be a little too crazy in there for my liking as there are always so many people in there barging about. Recently, I've found myself popping in there pretty much every single day for the past fortnight purely to get my mitts on the festive bedding that everybody seems to have at the moment. Despite each trip being a failure, I can't help but find myself buying a few little pieces to help cheer me up hence why both pictures have been taken on different days.

On the first trip, I bought the gorgeous throw which has been featured as the backdrop in all my posts recently. It was rather pricey at £10 but I see it as a investment as it's been keeping me warm throughout the night and it matches my bedroom theme quite nicely. The other thing I bought on the first trip is a Vanilla & Coconut Creme Candle which smells so yummy! I haven't brought myself round to burning it yet as it looks rather good on my bedside table but for £2.50, I can't grumble!

On my latest trip, I bought a pair of their black ponte skinny leggings/jeggings for £12  which I've been wearing non stop! They're made from quite a thick material and have a nice seam pattern running down the leg which I couldn't resist. I also bought some of their £1 underwear which you can never go wrong along with their standard 5 pair of black socks pack for £2. I also bought some more essentials of the form of black hair bands for £1 as I seem to be running out of them constantly. I couldn't resist their festive pj bottoms which have little robins on them and at only £5, I think I might get the navy pair as well! The last item I picked up is a two pack of their fluffy socks for £2 - one being red and the other being navy with white stars on them. I wear fluffy socks all year round despite the weather so I go through them like crazy.

Have you picked up anything recently from Primark?

No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter

There is nothing I love more than applying a little highlighter to the tops of my cheeks to make myself look that little bit radiant and glowy. I've been using the same highlighter for the past year and a half which whilst I do still love it, I've been getting a little bored of it so when I had some of those infamous No7 vouchers in my purse, I couldn't help but pursue their items. I came across their Instant Radiance Highlighter which sadly is limited edition and won't be around for much longer.

The No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter is a wind up cream stick which is rather similar to a cream blush. Whilst it may be small and a little chubby, it is definitely one of those no fuss products that you can simply sweep and blend until your hearts content. The idea is that a little goes a long way so you sweep it gently across your cheek and brow bones and blend it in slightly to give an instant radiant glow. What draw me to this is the beautiful candlelit ivory/champagne colour it gives which doesn't contain any chunky glitter in the formula at all. I tend to switch between blending with my fingers and with the Real Techniques Duo Fiber Contour Blush as I find that both methods give the same results. I personally find that when I apply this after I've applied bronzer, I do need to blend and reapply a few times until I'm satisfied with it as it just disappears whereas when I apply it before bronzer, I only have to do a few sweeps and blend. I find that this lasts on my skin pretty much all day but I would definitely have to admit that it does start to fade after five-ish hours. I'm sure that for those with different skin types to mine, the lasting power will be different as I have dry skin. 

This has been the only highlighter I've been using since I purchased it a little over two weeks ago as I seriously love how radiant it looks on the skin. Whilst I have purchased a back up for it in my most recent Boots Haul, I think I might buy one or two more as I do really love it and I don't fancy running out of it any time soon.

Samples I've Used Up 006

Everybody has been raving about the L'Oreal Ever Riche range so when I received a sample of this in a magazine, I couldn't wait to try it! On first impressions, this is a very light weight, moisturising shampoo that left my hair feeling really soft and moisturised. It has a very subtle sweet scent to it which I could smell throughout the day after I had washed my hair. I will definitely be buying this in full size at some point but at the moment, I've got quite a fair few shampoos to be getting through.

Another sample I've used up is the Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser Skin Conditioner which I'm not sure if I liked or not. The whole concept of it is that you apply it after you've used your normal shower gel and then rise it off which apparently means that you don't need to use body moisturiser afterwards. I personally didn't notice much difference as I still applied moisturiser afterwards however I think I'll have to buy it in full size anyway just to make up my mind on it.

The next sample I've used up is a tiny pot of the Nivea Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream which is a light weight moisturising cream that it suitable to use on the face, hands and body. I personally used this on my body and I was quite surprised by how moisturising it was! I found that this sunk into my skin quite quickly and didn't leave it feeling greasy. It made my skin feel soft and supple which is what I always want from a body moisturiser. I think I will definitely buy this in full size at some point once I've gotten through my little stash.

The last sample I've used up is a little perfume vial of Nina Ricci Nina L'Eau which I've been wearing constantly since I received in my Boots Beauty Advent Calendar. With notes of frosted neroli, apple blossom, gardenia and white musk to name just a few this makes it quite a fresh, floral scent which I'm sure everybody will love. Despite it being £34.50 for a 50ml bottle, I will happily splash the money out on it as it is such a sweet scent.

What samples have you used up recently?

Boots Haul 011

This is just a small collection of what I've been picking up before/after work over the past two weeks so don't fret as I didn't buy this all in one go. I also did buy some more micellar waters and two of the Soap & Glory Yule Monty Gift Sets that went on star gift today which I haven't included in this haul.

Whilst purchasing said star gifts, I had to bump up my spend just so I can use some vouchers that I had lingering around so the Colgate Plax Sensitive and the Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal in 001 Black fell into my basket. As I'm no longer wearing eyelash extensions, I've been experimenting with liquid eyeliner which I'm slowly starting to get better at applying so I couldn't resist picking up the Seventeen Make Your Mark Precision Eyeliner Pen which is my go to at the moment as well as the Maybelline Eyestudio Master Duo in Black. I also picked up one of the Maybelline Color Show Brocades nail varnishes in Knitted Gold as well as the Maybelline Forever Strong Super Stay 7 Days Nail Varnish in Mint For Life which resulted in getting the Babylips in Cherry Velvet for free.

After trying a sample of the Estee Lauder Illuminating Perfecting Primer, I've fallen head over heels for it which resulted in me buying it in full size. I also picked up another primer in the form of Seventeen Stay Time Long Wear Primer which I've heard nothing but good things about. As my beloved Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer is running out, I've decided to buy a back up in the shape of the Seventeen Stay Time Concealer which I'm hoping I'll love just as much.

I decided to pick up a back up of the No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter as it's limited edition and I do rather like the effect that it gives. One of the girls at No7 actually convinced me to buy their limited edition Instant Radiance Blush Palette which I can apparently use as a highlighter and not as a blush which I will have a review of very shortly!

EDIT 19/12/13 - I HAVE SINCE RETURNED THE ESTEE LAUDER ILLUMINATING PERFECTING PRIMER DESPITE DECLARING MY LOVE FOR IT TO SETTLE ON SOMETHING THAT IS A LITTLE ON THE CHEAPER SIDE.

Lush Haul 001

Lush is one of those shops that I always walk past but never have the time to properly explore inside. I used to be obsessed with their products but these days, I much prefer a simple bubble bath. However, I couldn't resist popping in my local store on Sunday whilst I was doing some last minute shopping and came out laden with goodies a few minutes later. 

I picked up a Fizzbanger Ballistic which is inspired by Roald Dahl's BFG. It smells of delicious apples and cinnamon and it apparently creates the effect of a catherine wheel in the bath whilst it's doing its thing. I picked up a Blackberry Bathbomb purely because it smells exactly like blackberrys! This is meant to be one of those bath bombs that will uplift your spirits on days where you're rushed off your feet and can't think straight which I will definitely be having soon seeing as I work in retail. I couldn't resist the little guy in the form of Bombardino as he smells exactly like freshly made eggnog despite having never tried it myself. David, the sales assistant, mentioned that this is a very moisturising bath bomb as it contains cocoa butter and with the days getting extremely cold now, this little guy will come in handy for sure!

Another bath bomb I picked up is Cinders which evokes the feeling of being beside a crackling fire with a cheeky glass of warm fruit punch. This is one of Lush's bath bombs that is supposed to bring comfort at Christmas so I'm hoping that this will do the trick especially after a busy day at work. I picked up one of their infamous Ickle Baby Bots which I will definitely be using on Christmas Eve! This contains lots of sleep-inducing essential oils which helps you drift off quickly which I always struggle with as my brain always tend to over think things. I couldn't resist the Candy Mountain Bubble Bar which is a mixture of both the Rock Star soap and the Creamy Candy bubble bar. This smells really strongly of vanilla to me which I absolutely love! You can get roughly five bubble baths worth out of this so it's very good value for money!

I decided to pick up a Popcorn Lip Scrub as I want to look after my lips more and prevent them from getting chapped from these cold winter days. This smells and tastes exactly like buttered popcorn which may not be to everybodys tastes but to me, it sure does make me smile every time I use it. I also thought it would be rude not to pick up their Charity Pot Sample which is a hand and body lotion. It smells really strongly of cocoa butter so it should be really moisturising on the skin. I received a little sample pot of their Let The Good Times Roll Face Cleanser which helps to gently exfoliate the skin whilst cleansing and moisturising the skin at the same time. David gave me a little demonstration of this and all you do is add a little water to make a paste which you apply all over the face. I'm yet to try this but I'm hoping that it will be love at first use!

Boots Haul 010

I did a big naughty on Saturday and stumbled into Boots and may or may not have bought myself makeup which I didn't necessarily need but most certainly wanted! Excuses aside, I was actually returning a few presents I had bought people and exchanging them for better things but of course, one thing led to another and I came out laden with more bags.

The first counter I hit up was No7 and after getting colour matched to one of their foundations a few weeks ago, I thought I better pick it up. I'm in the shade Cool Vanilla in their Stay Perfect foundation which is medium coverage foundation that lasts for up to 24 hours wear apparently. It's always weather proof, transfer proof and won't look cakey or flakey. I also wanted a new mascara that didn't smudge on my lower lashes when things get a little hectic at work so I picked up their Stay Perfect Mascara in Black which is smudge proof, flake proof, humidity proof as well as tear proof. I'm hoping that this lives up to its bold claim as I will definitely be road testing this. I received a free gift with purchase as I bought two makeup items so I received a little gift box containing a sample of their Extreme Length Extend Mascara in Black, a full size High Shine Lip Gloss in Whisper, a Stay Perfect Eye Shadow in Sheer Brown as well as their Stay Precise Felt Tip Eyeliner which altogether is worth £29.

The next counter I went to was Max Factor and despite having already bought a foundation from No7, I got colour matched to their Face Finity All Day Flawless 3-in-1 Foundation which I'm in the shade Warm Almond. This is basically a primer, concealer and foundation all in one which helps to even out the skintone whilst giving full coverage. I noticed that they were also having a free gift with purchase when you buy two makeup items so I thought I better pick up a mascara so I decided to get the Clump Defy Volumising Mascara as it helps you to achieve perfect lashes without any clumps. In the free gift with purchase, I received a full size False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara in Black Brown, Lipfinity Lip Colour in 340 Essential Natural and a full size Glossfinity Nail Varnish in 140 Cobalt Blue which altogether is worth £30.

The last counter I hit up is Estee Lauder purely to get colour matched to the Double Wear Foundation which sadly ended up in me purchasing the foundation. The Double Wear Foundation is infamous across the blogosphere for being the perfect, long lasting, high coverage foundation with many declaring it to be their holy grail foundation. I was matched to the shade Bone which I'm not too convinced is the right shade for me. Luckily, I got a little sample pot to use first before I use the full size to see if it is the right shade and if it isn't, I can exchange it for a different shade. I also received a free sample of their Pure Colour Lipstick in 86 Tiger Eye which is a very shimmery gold shade which I doubt I would ever wear if I'm honest.

In all fairness, I didn't really need three foundations but I fancied a change as I'm a little bored of my Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation/Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum combo.

Garnier Simply Essentials Soothing 2 in 1 Make Up Remover

Back at school, I would always remember to take off my make up before bed using make up wipes although there were quite a few occasions where I would forget to do just very that. Nowadays, I reserve make up wipes for the sole purpose of getting foundation off the back of my hand/cleaning up spillages etc and use an actual make up remover to take off the days face. These past few months, I've been using the Garnier Simply Essentials Soothing 2 in 1 Make Up Remover to do just very that and thought that it was about time to share my two cents on it.

The Garnier Simply Essentials Soothing 2 in 1 Make Up Remover is a bi phase product which you have to shake up in order to use. It combines the efficiency of a make up removing oil (blue) with the freshness of a cleansing water (clear) which means that you wont have to rub it over your skin to get the make up off. It's enriched with plant extracts and pro-vitamin B5 which contains no perfume or alcohol which will leave your skin feeling soft and comfortable rather than that dreaded tight feeling.

I personally find this to be a good all rounder when it comes to removing makeup however it does require a little more work when it comes to removing any eye makeup. I only have two slight issues with this product that don't bother me as such but I'm sure that it would bother most. Garnier claim that this does not leave any residue nor does it require any rubbing which is simply not true as this does leave a slight oily residue on the skin and you do have to rub at your face a little especially when it comes to your eyes. Despite this, I will continue to use this and repurchase it until I find something that doesn't require quite as much work.

What is your favourite make up remover?

Night Time Essentials

There's nothing I love more than climbing into bed after a long day and getting ready to go to sleep. I have a few things kept next to me close at hand which I deem to be my night time essentials which I use religiously every night. These products help the whole drifting off to sleep process a lot easier and I feel a lot more relaxed after using these.

I always keep a lip balm at hand and the one by my bed is the Burt's Bees Lip Balm with Vitamin E & Peppermint which my friend Megan got me for my birthday. I used to be a huge fan of Carmex but after having a reaction to one of their products, I've had to stop using them and find a different alternative so this Burt's Bees Lip Balm has been living on my bed side table ever since. Due to it containing peppermint, it tingles the lips at first but the sensation does disappear after a minute or so. I've noticed that whenever I wake up after applying this at night, I can still feel it on my lips which means that it's definitely a keeper in terms of moisturising the lips.

Another Burt's Bees product that I keep close at hand is their Lemon Butter Cuticle cream which just smells divine! It smells exactly freshly squeezed lemons. This definitely does the trick at keeping my cuticles moisturised and it's great value for money. I've had this now for about a year and I won't be repurchasing it any time soon until I go to America next year. Whilst I like to keep my cuticles moisturised at night, I also like to keep my hands moisturised soon and the Organic Surge Lavender Meadow Hand & Nail Cream* is perfect for the job! As it contains pure lavendar and geranium essentials oils, I find that this comforts me and relaxes me whilst it absorbs into my skin. This doesn't feel greasy at all and absorbs really quickly which makes it the ideal hand cream to use before bed.

The last night time essential and also one which many may seem unncessary is The Body Shop Deep Sleep Dreamy Pillow & Body Mist. I spritz this roughly five times over my pillow and then fluff it up before putting my head on it as I find it releases the scent more. It contains jujube date extract, camomile and blended essential oils which makes it a very comforting scent before bed. I enjoy sniffing this on my pillow before drifting off as the scent is just so calming whilst not being too overpowering.

Those are my night time essentials, what are yours?

Boots Haul 009

No7 Illuminating Mirror || Oral B Professional Care 600 Whitening Electric Toothbrush || Soap & Glory Relaxstation || Sanctuary Absolutely Body Beautiful || No7 Radiance Restorer || No7 The Skincare Collection || Sanctuary Ultimate Glow Pamper Tin || Rapidlash Eyelash Enhancing Serum || Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift EDP 50ml || Nuit Pour Femme by Hugo Boss EDP 50ml || No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm || No7 Beautiful Skin Melting Gel Cleanser || No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter || No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Cheeky Chops

Last week Thursday was my local Boots stores' final advantage card evening where for every £50 you spend, you get £12 worth of points which is a very good deal! I took full advantage of this and I can proudly say that I've now finished all my Christmas shopping. I haven't included any pictures of items that I've bought for other people as I know that they all read my blog hence why I'm only showing you what I've bought myself. You may say that I went a little over board but I couldn't resist buying myself a cheeky christmas present or three. I managed to save quite a fair bit of money with the various deals that they had on including star gift, 10% off all electrical beauty when you spend £40 or more, 3 for 2, vouchers etc. I would just like to add that the reason why I haven't mentioned how much I spent on each item is because I get discount meaning that every item was already a bit cheaper before the various deals/savings/vouchers.

Did you take advantage of the Boots Advantage Card Evening last week?

November Favourites

 As I've been working a lot more hours at work this past month, I've been wearing makeup on a daily pretty much every week day so I've been removing it with the Garnier Simply Essentials 2 in 1 Make-up Remover which I've grown to love more and more with each use. It's a bi-phase product which has two different layers of liquid which you shake up to combine the two. I love how it just melts away my makeup and leaves it feeling clean instead of leaving it feeling tight which some make up removers in the past have made my skin feel. I know that I've only recently hauled the Super Facialist by Una Brennan Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask but I've been loving this so much! I apply this to my skin immediately after removing my makeup which means it's got a few hours to get to work before I cleanse my skin. I've definitely noticed a difference in how plump my skin looks now and you can expect a review up on this in January time.

Like I've mentioned above that I'm wearing makeup on a daily basis now, I've been using The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser to help prime my skin as well as reduce my pores and help with breakouts. This has definitely helped with any minor breakouts I've had this past month and its one of those staple products that I cannot live without. I've been loving using the Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer as an undereye concealer to help me look more alive. It doesn't actually illuminate my undereyes but it helps to conceal my dark circles as well as neutralise the area to reduce the appearance of them. The last product I've been loving this month is the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer which is my all time favourite bronzer! It's perfect for these cold winter months to give my cheeks some colour as well as to help contour them. It's definitely a cult product that everybody has to try out.

What products have you been loving throughout November?