Septemer Empties || Products I've Used Up

I've used the Boots Build Up Removal Shampoo which I use religiously every Sunday to remove any product build up that I may have built up during the week. It's really gentle on the hair whilst being effective too and for the price it certainly is a budget find gem! I've finished up the OGX Biotin & Collagen Shampoo + Conditioner which I didn't really get on with at all. The shampoo was absolutely fine however the conditioner was far too thick to use let alone get out of the bottle which is something that OGX need to address. I've used up the L'Oreal Fibrology Thickening Mask which I used whenever my hair needed a quick fix in terms of thickening up and hydrating and it certainly didn't disappoint! Another Sunday ritual product is the Dove Damage Solutions Intensive Repair Express Treatment Conditioner which I used as a hair mask to help hydrate and repair my hair after a weeks worth of heat styling which does the trick.

I've used up the Liz Earle Orange Flower & Chamomile Cleanse & Polish which is just like the original but with a different scent. This particular scent has an acquired taste but does a brilliant job at cleansing the skin. I've finally finished the No7 Cleansing Oil which I've been trying to use up for the longest time ever! I used this primarily as a first cleanse to remove the bulk of my makeup and it did the job brilliantly although I often got it in my eyes due to using it to remove my eye makeup which irritated my eyes. I've used up the Garnier Simply Essentials 2-in-1 Makeup Remover which is a brilliant budget makeup remover as it removes all makeup almost instantly with one swipe. I will definitely continue to repurchase this! I've finished up another tube of Hydraluron which long term readers will know that I have a long term love affair with and will continue to repurchase and reuse. I've used up two bottles of Lacura Aqua Complete Multi Intensive Serum which is a much cheaper version of Hydraluron so essentially I only need to use one but when you combine the two together, you get even better results. I've finially finished the Avene Cleanance K Exfoliating Cream Gel which was a very potent cream that I would only appear if I had any active blemishes as it quite literally stung them to high heavens. This has since been discontinued and replaced with Cleanance K Expert which sadly is not the same.

I've used up two packs of the Wilko Maxi Oval Cotton Pads which will forever be the only cotton wool pads I use as they're absolutely brilliant for the price. I've finished up the No7 Protect & Perfect Advanced Serum which is still far too early to see groundbreaking results from but I know that with continued daily use, the early signs of fine lines around my eyes will disappear. Speaking of eyes, I've used up the No7 Youthful Eye Serum which you apply before your eyecream which many may deem as an unnecessary step however it truly does help to hydrate the under eye area more when teamed up with an eye cream. I've finished up the Revlon Photoready Skinlights Face Illuminator in 100 Bare Light which I mix in with my foundation to give a radiant, dewy finish which I will forever continue to use. I've used up the Clearasil Superfruits Refreshing Pads which are a good product to use if you're just starting off with acidic toners as these liquid soaked pads definitely pack quite the punch and are truly effective! Lastly, I've used up a EOS Lipbalm in Pomegranate Raspberry which is one of my favourite scents they do and I will forever continue using their lipbalms.

Samples I've Used Up 027

Does anybody else have a stockpile of samples or is it just me? Despite making a conscious effort to use them over full size products, it appears that I haven't made any sort of noticeable dent in the stash so I'm hoping that after my holiday next month, I'll have used up quite a fair few.

I've used up a travel sized Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water which I absolutely love using to remove my makeup as it literally takes it off within a few swipes. I've finished up the Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment Lotion which I used as a refreshing toner after using an exfoliating toner. Whilst I didn't really rate the scent much, I absolutely loved what it did to my skin which is good considering that I bought the full size of this back in May without even trying it out first.

I've used up a wee sample of the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara which truly helps to define and lengthen the lashes whilst creating the appearance of false lashes. As much as I love what this mascara does to my short lashes, I cannot justify the price of it especially when I have so many new mascaras to use. I've finished up a sample of the Agave Healing Oil which I applied to my hair after washing it to help nourish it and hydrate and boy did it do a brilliant job! It didn't feel greasy at all and made my hair feel incredibly soft so I will definitely be buying this in full size.

I've finished up the Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment which just like with the Agave offering, I applied it to my hair after washing it. This also helped to make my hair incredibly soft and gave it a unbeatable shine which I will most definitely have to buy in full size once I finish up my current hair oils. I've used up the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair which I use most evenings to help transform my skin overnight as it helps with any blemishes I may have and helps with any dryness.

I've used up three samples of Lancome Genefique which helps make my skin soft and helps make any serums I apply afterwards absorb a lot better. I wouldn't necessarily say that I would repurchase this as it is rather expensive for what it is however I have started using a dupe of this which works just as good. Lastly, I've finished up the Lancome Genefique Cream which is essentially a cream version of Genefique but is much more nourishing on the skin. I didn't notice any groundbreaking results from this as I only got three full face applications from this but it did help with my dry skin.

The Only Electrical Toothbrush Worth Investing In!

I think that dental hygiene is one of those topics that isn't talked about enough on blogs which is funny because everybody including you and I brush our teeth twice a day amongst flossing, using mouthwash etc. I will admit that I didn't used to be a big fan of brushing my teeth whilst I was growing up as I would much rather spend those two minutes watching TV or playing on the computer than having to commit to cleaning my teeth. Nowdays, that's quite a different story and I enjoy nothing more than brushing my teeth however nerdy that sounds. I've tried various toothbrushes over the years ranging from the cheap manual toothbrushes that make your gums bleed to electrical toothbrushes which remove a lot more plaque for a lot less arm work! I'm rather lucky in my line of work as I'm given the opportunity to try all kinds of electrical devices so I was quite excited when I received the Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean Pink Toothbrush HX9361/67* (£249.99) which I've been using for the best part of three months now on a daily basis.

Firstly, I love how the Diamond Clean range comes in a variety of three colours (soon to be four!) where there is a colour to suit everyone or unless you're like me and instantly gravitate to the pink version of everything! Unlike some electrical toothbrushes that I've tried, this has to be the most comfortable one to hold with a sleek, modern look that wouldn't look out of place at the Apple store. Philips have really thought of everyone when it comes to the specifications of the product as you've got two different ways to charge it either with the charging glass; which is a more hygienic outlook on the traditional charging plug or through using the handy travel case that you can charge through USB. I much prefer the latter as you can store your toothbrush and up two heads in the case which is ideal for travelling. What makes the Philips Diamond Clean toothbrushes stand out amongst the likes of Oral B and Colgate is that one single charge will last for up to three weeks of brushing your teeth twice a day, for two minutes each time which is quite simply a life saver as with my previous electrical toothbrushes, I felt that I was forever charging them.

Unlike other electrical toothbrushes that may only have a few modes, the Philips Diamond Clean toothbrushes have FIVE modes which all vary in length of time as well as using a quadpacer which is an interval timer that beeps and briefly pauses, reminding you to brush all four sections of the mouth.. Clean is the standard brushing mode which is the ultimate option for plaque removal which lasts for two minutes; White helps remove surface stains for two minutes with an additional thirty seconds to both brighten and polish your front teeth; Polish is a quick one minute mode to brighten and polish your teeth; Gum Care has combined the clean mode with an additional minute to gently stimulate and massage the gums to improve gum health whilst the Sensitive mode is the extra gentle mode for sensitive teeth and gums.  Whilst I do have sensitive teeth, I do like to mix up my brushing by using three different modes; Sensitive followed by Polish for one minute, finishing up with White for one minute which means that I'm brushing my teeth altogether for four minutes. Four minutes may seem a little obsessive to most however I feel that this has truly worked for me in the long run especially thanks to it's 62,000 brush strokes per minute. Moving from a manual to an electrical or changing brands altogether can be a little scary at first when it comes to brushing your teeth however Philips have introduced an easy start feature that gently eases you into using an electrical toothbrush, gradually increasing the sonic power over the first fourteen brushings.

The Diamond Clean head comes as standard with all Diamond Clean toothbrushes which is a unique diamond shaped head that covers more surface area than other brush heads whilst giving you better brushing however you can opt to change it for any other head as they're all interchangeable with each other. I've currently got my eye on the new Adaptive Clean heads that have an enhanced adaptive brush head that helps reduce any brushing pressure which makes it more gentle for the gums which sound right up my street. As a side note, they all have reminder bristles on the heads which are blue to begin with but after three months worth of brushing, they slowly turn white indicating that you need to change it for a new one which is a genius way of keeping track. As you can see from my brush head, it's not as blue as it once was meaning that I've only got so much more brushing to go with this head before it needs replacing.

Whilst the price can put a lot of people off, including myself, I believe that it is definitely worth it in the long run as you only have one set of teeth to last you for life and you want to take the upmost care of them. It may seem like such a big cost at first but once you work out that it will last you easily three years if not more, it isn't such a huge cost spread out and is much more cost effective than a manual toothbrush. It's also quite often on offer at half price too which makes it even more worthwhile to invest in! Since switching over to Philips, I've  achieved a much whiter smile that has not only boosted my confidence immensly but I've found myself wanting to show it off which means that I'm now constantly smiling at both work and at home. I've even converted friends and family over to Philips and they've noticed such a huge difference in their smile too!

Benefit Gimme Brow Review

Eyebrows are the beauty world's marmite - you either love 'em or hate 'em. The days of having perfectly preened eyebrows are long gone and it's either go unruly or go home! I personally prefer going against everyone and the world by having them looking at least half decent without making them look too overdrawn/filled in. I used to fill them in with a powder whereas nowadays I strictly stick to two products - MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Lingering and Benefit Gimme Brow.

I never thought I would say this but I simply cannot live without Benefit Gimme Brow (£18.50) as it truly has changed the way that I fill in my eyebrows. It's a brush-on fiber gel that adheres to the skin to create naturally thicker looking brows. The brush itself is tiny in size with a tapered edge that means that you can really work it into the brows, filling even the teenist of gaps without the worry of spreading too much product around the surrounding area. Unlike the more typical larger than life mascara spoolies that most brow gels feature, this fits my brow easily and I find that just a few coats is all that is needed to give the appearance of fuller looking brows.

It is essentially a light tinted gel that can be applied in layers repeatedly until you've achieved your desired look. It quite literally glides on with such ease and it dries quickly without looking overly crispy too. It's available in two shades; Light/Medium which is a light ash brown that is ideal for most dark blondes/light brunettes and Medium/Deep that is a cool toned medium brown that is suitable for most brunettes. I got matched up to Light/Medium which matches my brow colour perfectly which for tinted brow gels is practically unheard of! Whilst you are basically paying for a mascara specifically for your brows, I believe that it is most definitely worth it especially if you've got the lightest of brows or invisible eyebrows altogether where you struggle to make them look as natural as possible.

August Favourites

Another month has passed us by and boy did it go quickly! Like most months, I spent it working and catching up on my sleep and I may or may not have bought my first christmas gift! For August, I stuck to what I know makeup wise with a few new additions that are fast becoming my all time favourite products, so let's see what I've been loving this month..

Just like in previous months, I've been going hard on the radiant front and making sure that both my skin and makeup is extra dewy and the only main product that I've been reaching for to achieve said radiance is the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water. I use this both before and after my makeup to not only create the perfect base but to set the whole look off too! Pictured above is my brand spanking second bottle of this which is only a matter of time until I start using as I'm going through my first bottle rather quickly!

Next up is a new addition to my makeup brush collection which is the Estee Lauder Blending Shadow Brush which makes blending out any smokey eye look a breeze thanks to its tapered shape and light, wooden handle. My beloved NARS Laguna Bronzer has seen a lot of love recently, so much so that I've started to hit pan on this bad boy! At first, I was sat on the fence about this bronzer but I've definitely warmed up to it and use it daily to both contour my cheeks and add some much needed colour. It's only a matter of time until this shatters completely and will need replacing but I'm hoping that won't happen until November time.

At this current moment of time, I'm not wearing any nail varnish however when I have worn nail varnish, I've been reaching for Essie's Saltwater Happy which is a beautiful sand washed, pale denim blue shade that is a part of the new Summer 2015 collection. Whilst I'm pretty sure I own a colour similar if not identical to this, nothing beats the formula of Essie nail varnishes and I will continue to rock this throughout the Autumn months.

I've been slathering my lips religously in the EOS Lipbalm in Pomegranate Raspberry that I've been using for well over a year now! I adore the formulation of EOS lip balms and have quite a few dotted around the house and in various handbags as they are definitely my favourite lip balms which are finally now available in Boots! Lastly, I've been rocking my MAC Lipstick in Creme Cup all month that is a pale pink shade that suits all skin tones without being too bright and overpowering. I'm actually trying to use this up entirely so that I can start using my brand new backup of it so I'm hoping that I finish it up real soon!