March Empties 2016 || Products I've Used Up

I've used up the Revlon Photoready Skinlights Face Illuminator in Pink Light which I mixed in with my foundation to create a more radiant base which certainly did the trick! The No7 Velvet Lash Mascara has sadly dried up on me but I thoroughly enjoyed using it to create intense volume and definition on a day to day basis. I've most definitely finished up the No7 Extreme Length Extend Mascara as the tube itself is looking a little worse for wear! This is literally one of my holy grail mascaras as it separates the lashes to give intense definition as well as creating lots of length too. I've used up the L'Oreal Revitalift Miracle Blur Instant Eye Smoother which was okay but didn't notice too much difference whilst using it. Technically, I didn't finish up all of the Hylamide SubQ Anti-Age as I spilt quite a fair bit of it whilst using it which I'm rather annoyed at for myself. This when used in conjunction with Hydraluron helps to keep the skin hydrated for longer whilst also battling any first signs of ageing. I've used up the Superdrug Clearly Youthful Resurfacing Night Serum which may have looked pretty funky but it helped to even out my skin whilst I slept.

I've used up the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish in Orange Flower & Chamomile which I must admit isn't the best smelling of all scents! However it did help to cleanse my skin just as much as the original so I may consider repurchasing at some point if they ever come out with it again. I've finished up the Botanics All Bright Micellar Water which helped to remove all traces of makeup without any elbow grease. I've used up the Bioderma Sensible H2O which I can definitely understand the hype surrounding it! This helped remove all traces of makeup including eye makeup without tugging on the skin so despite how pricey it is, it's definitely worth it! I've finished up the Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser which is just as good as the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish but at just the fraction of the cost! I much prefer the Vitamin E version however this is just as good to help cleanse my skin.

I've used up another beloved Soap & Glory Clean On Me Shower Gel that long time readers will know that I use to shave my legs with as it helps achieve that really silky just shaved feeling. I've finished up the EOS Vanilla Bliss Shave Cream which as much as it helped to leave my legs silky soft after shaving, I didn't particularly like it whilst shaving as I had to keep on cleaning my razor after every shave. I've used up the Femfresh Daily Intimate Wash which every female should be using to keep fresh in those more intimate areas. I've finished up a Wilko Instant Hand Sanitiser which I have multiples of dotted all around the place so it feels like it takes forever to use up just one however it works to remove all traces of dirt and makeup so I can't complain!

I've used up two packs of the No7 Quick Thinking Wipes which I use for everything but removing makeup. I've used up four packs of the Wilko Maxi Oval Cotton Pads which long term readers will know are the only cotton wool pads I use as they don't fall apart and are cheap as chips. I've used up a few Montagne Jeunesse Face Masks in the form of Dead Sea Mud Spa, Blemish Mud and Creamy Coconut. All of which I really enjoyed using and saw results almost immediately afterwards apart from Creamy Coconut which smelt of artificial coconuts that had gone off. Lastly, I've used up a few bath bombs from Lush including Ickle Baby Bot, Dashing Santa and Butter Bear as well as the Candy Mountain Bubble Bar.

Beauty Box || Birchbox Word Up March 2016

After being subscribed to beauty boxes for coming up to two years now, I like to think that I've seen them all. I've seen absolutely bloody brilliant boxes as well as seeing some right old disappointing ones with the occasional on the fence ones which sadly is how I feel about this months Word Up March Birchbox. I feel like this box is pretty meh when compared to previous boxes - a complete mix match of products with no real stand outs. With that being said, let's delve into what I got in this months box..

Firstly, we have a 5ml sample of This Works Deep Sleep Plus+ Pillow Spray (£16+) which contains both lavender and a potent blend of vetiver and chamomile to help you achieve a longer night's sleep by up to two hours. Now I'm a huge fan of the The Body Shop's edition and I've also included the Boots Re:Balance offering into my stash too so whilst I am intrigued to see how this livens up to the hype surrounding it, I'm a little underwhelmed as 5ml is hardly enough to get a real feel for the product.

Next up is the Arrow Boost Colour Enhancing Lip Balm (£11) which is both paraben and cruelty free whilst being completely vegan and a Birchbox own brand. It adjusts to your pH to a create a shade that is completely unique. On myself, I found that it's pretty much a my lips but slightly better shade so I'm little disappointed in that. I probably won't really use this as I tend to stick with my trusty EOS lip balms.

I tend to stick to my usual brow routine which uses three products in total ranging from Natural Collection to MAC with a little bit of Benefit thrown in for good measure as it's a routine that has been tried and tested for a year or so now, so when I saw the ModelCo More Brows (£13) I was intrigued. I received the shade Light/Medium which is pretty much identical to the Benefit offering except being a fraction or so cheaper. It's also the same story when it comes to applying it onto my brows, matches perfectly so I will definitely be using this when my Benefit one dries up.

I absolutely love hair masks so the Amika Nourishing Mask (£19.99) is a welcome addition to my stash albeit being a one use wonder. This helps to seal split ends and fight dryness with a hydrating concoction of sea buckthorn berry and jojoba oil. As I'm currently coming to the end of my current conditioners, this will help me kickstart on using up my sample ones.

Hand Creams and I have fallen out in the last year as I've been far too lazy to apply it as much as I used too so I'm hoping that the full size Lanolips Rose Balm Intense (£9.50) will help kickstart me into using it more frequently again. This particular offering was created for those with specially dry hands as it contains medical-grade lanolin, shea butter, cocoa seed butter, rose oil and vitamin E to help moisture the skin deep down whilst creating a protective shield to keep the skin moisturised. 

Lastly in this months box is the Doux Me Comforting Face Mask & Exfoliator (£18) which contains an interesting concoction of apricot oil, chamomile and marshmallow extracts that is gentle enough to be used on even the most sensitive skin. I love a good exfoliator as much as the next one so I'm hoping this will be gritty enough for my liking; if not then I'll just use it as a face mask instead.

What did you think of the March Birchbox 2016?

Samples I've Used Up 031

I feel like I write this most months but I'm definitely making more of a conscious effort to use up samples as I just feel overun with the amount that I have from my beauty box subscription/beauty counters/free gift with purchases. I've even come up with a handy system that has meant that I'm using more of them at once that I may consider sharing in a few weeks time or so. Anyhow, moving onto what samples I've used up this month..

I've used up four samples of the Avene Micellar Lotion which removed both my eye makeup and base makeup effortlessly without any elbow grease required so I will definitely be buying this in full size at some point! I've used up the Avene Cleanance Cleansing Water which is pretty much like the original just aimed towards more oily, blemish prone skin which I would also buy in full size too. I've finished up a generous sized No7 Eye Makeup Remover which I detested using as it did not remove any of my eye makeup easily and made my eyes sting too!

I have used up a decent sized sample of the REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial that I thought wouldnt do much but was completely blown away by the results so I'm really glad that I have a full size of this which I got in the Feel Unique Radiant Skin Beauty Box last year. I've finished up the Balnce Me Wonder Eye Cream which felt very hydrating so will definitely considering buying this in the near future. I've used up a teeny sized sample of the HealGel Intensive which I'm not blown away by what it does exactly for my skin so I'm sat on the fence with this one. I've finished up the Sanctuary Night Concentrate which I loved using as it felt really hydrating on the skin. I've used up another No7 Youthful Eye Serum which I absolutely love and will continue using. I've finished up the Clarins HydraQuench Cream with SPF15 that didn't particularly blow me away with the results but I will definitely consider buying in the near future. I've also used up the Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil which I mixed in with the Sanctuary Night Concentrate to get the best of both worlds and I thoroughly enjoyed the results.

 I've used up four samples of La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ which I've been using continuously for the last two years or so and will continue using as I love what it does for my skin. I've finished up the Avene Cleanance K which I'm so sad that it's been discontinued as personally, I believe it's a lot better than the Cleanance Expert as this version feels more potent as it were and just does more for my skin. I've used up the Vichy Liftactiv Serum 10 Eyes & Lashes which was very runny for my liking and I felt like it did nothing for my eyes. I've also used up the Vichy Idealia Skin Sleep which is very light in texture so my skin literally drank it up within seconds. I quite liked what this did for my skin so I may consider buying this in full size real soon. Lastly, I've finished up the Cochine Saigon Water Hyacinth & Lime Blossom Body Lotion which smelt okay but wasn't hydrating enough.

Liz Earle Cleanse + Polish Orange Flower & Chamomile

I am a complete sucker for limited edition products whether it's makeup or skincare, if it's something I've used a variation of before or something that's right up my street there is no mistaking that I'll purchase it! Which was the case with the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish in Orange Flower & Chamomile which I actually picked up back in 2014 but have only just come around to start using it.

The Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Orange Flower & Chamomile (£20.75) is very much like the original in the sense that you can use it as either a first cleanse to remove your makeup or as a second cleanse or both except that it smells completely different. It's laced with delicate, fresh notes of orange flower water that's been paired with the familar warm glow of English chamomile that helps create an iconic twist on a beauty classic.

I tend to use this both morning and night as I find that it's the perfect consistency to both wake me up in the morning as well as cleanse my skin in the evenings after a long day at work. As much as I love the original and will forever have a bottle or two in my stash, I'm not exactly keen on this limited edition scent. Personally to me it smells of something you would find in a hospital; not that it smells anything like clinical products just it reminds of a product that would belong there. It also feels slightly thicker in consistency to the original in the sense that when you massage the original into the skin, it almost disappears whereas with this version, you can still see it on the skin as it's so creamy.

Sadly as this was a limited edition product, you can not buy it online although I'm sure you can still find some on the likes of eBay and I'm pretty sure that Liz Earle will re-release it at some point again as it was released in the Cleanse & Polish Trio Giftset that they released late in 2015.

No7 Instant Illusions Airbrush Away Primer

Long terms readers will know that I'm loyal to the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer and I use every single day, without fail. However being a beauty blogger, I'm always looking for new products to try out and make my makeup last that little bit longer so I decided to try out the No7 Instant Illusions Airbrush Away Primer to see if it makes any difference to my makeups longevity.

The No7 Instant Illusions Airbrush Away Primer (£16.50) helps magic away any visible signs of ageing by containing clever light diffusing particles that are designed to instantly make the skin look younger by putting fine lines, uneven skin tone and pores into soft focus. It contains hyaluronic acid moisture locking spheres that help to fill out the skin and thus creating the appearance of smoother looking skin.

Whilst I may not necessarily have visible signs of ageing skin, I do have a few fines around my under eyes and am willing to try absolutely anything to help reduce the appearance of them which is exactly what this primer has been doing. It's been filling out my under eye area to make it appear as if it's completely smooth however this is short lived as the minute you apply any foundation/concealer/powder, they reappear which is a real shame. With that being said, I do however find that it creates the perfect base for my foundation as it just applies a lot better and doesn't settle in any dry patches. I haven't noticed my makeup lasting any longer than usual as I do find that my makeup lasts a very long time what with doing a full shift at work and then perhaps an hour at the gym or so. I'm currently on my third tube of this so I guess it's fast making it's way to becoming one of my holy grail makeup products.

What is your favourite primer?

Favourites || February 2016

Too Faced Endless Summer 16 Hour Wear Bronzer // £25 || This bronzer has seen me bronzing myself up daily as it the perfect bronzing shade that is neither too light or dark nor muddy but has a subtle hint of shimmer to turn even us pale beauties into bronzed goddesses.

No7 Velvet Lash Mascara // £13.50 || One of their newest launches by No7 and certainly one of the better mascaras I've tried. It helps build volume and length whilst defining the lashes all at once whilst having a traditional bristle brush that makes it applying it all that easier. 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette // £56 || This is definitely one of the more expensive makeup products in my stash but it's certainly one of my favourites! It contains a trio of their ambient lighting powders - two of their best selling shades and one exclusive that helps to re-create the effects of flattering light on most skin tones. My most used shade in the trio is the middle shade - Incandescent Light which is a brightening pearl shade that I use to both set my under eye concealer and as a highlighter on the tops of my cheeks as well as lightly dusted all over.

Collection Speedy Highlighter // £2.99 || This Collection offering is practically a dupe for the No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter just at a fraction of the price. It's a beautiful pearl champagne ivory shade that looks natural on the skin yet still packs a punch when applied generously without looking too over the top. 

Bourjois Smokey Eyes Trio in Rose Vintage // £7.99 || One of my good friends at work is forever wearing this and I'm constantly complimenting her on her eye makeup as it just looked that good. She finally showed me what it was and I snapped it up and have been wearing it ever since. It has pearl white for highlighter, pale pink for the lid and a muted grey brown for the grease which when applied, looks beautiful on the lids. Everyone has to swatch this to see it for themselves!

Real Techniques Setting Brush & Real Techniques Contour Brush || The setting brush I use as the name suggests - to set my under eye concealer. I use this in conjunction with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette and it just sets my under eyes effortlessly. The contour brush I actually use for highlighter and it applies any highlighter beautifully to the tops of my cheek bones. I tend to mix my highlighters so this brush gets a lot of loving each day.