Video: Empties #13!

When I've been away for a while and not sure how to get back into the creative flow of blogging/youtubing then an empties video is a great way to get back into it. This one is pretty big, covering everything from bodycare, make up and skincare too. 

Please like and subscribe if you enjoyed it! xxx

All Used Up #15

1. Got2b Guardian Angel Heat Protector Spray: After purchasing Tresemme for many years, I felt it was time to try a new heat protector. This smelt lovely but I preferred the finer spray of the Tresmme version. I don't think you can tell that much difference between heat protectors but this was non sticky and light on the hair so did the job nicely.

2. The Body Shop Camomile Eye & Lip Makeup Remover: A definite repurchase, I adore this stuff! It is a bi-phase liquid that you shake up to mix up the oil and is so effect and gentle at removing stubborn mascara and lip stains. It is such a good product for the money and I am looking to repurchase it as soon as possible.

3. Tropic Skincare Vitamin Toner: The spray on this was lovely and fine and the product itself was refreshing and gentle with a non offensive scent. This was great for in the morning to perk up my face and I wouldn't hesitate at repurchasing. If you are looking for something gentle and non drying, this would be a great option.

4. Soap & Glory Whipped Clean Shower Butter: One of my all time favourites from the brand and the highstreet in general. The sweet pistachio smell of this is lovely and the formula foams up so much while still being gentle and moisturising. This is a real winner for this time of year and perfect for if you are too lazy to moisturise after the shower.

5. Seventeen Skin Wow! Highlighter: Read my full review here. This is a great budget liquid highlighter which has multiple uses, but my favourite way is to mix it into foundation to add a healthy glow. This is quite pink toned and pearlescent but luckily was not too glittery on the skin. I did feel as though it made my skin more prone to oil throughout the day but overall it was a good product.

6. Una Brennan Vitamin C Cleansing Oil: As far as oil cleansers go this was alright. It removed make up well and did not leave any residue, but I did not see any brightening effects like the claims and it was really messy to use. It lasted ages which is normally a plus, but I wanted to use this faster as it was just OK. I normally love Una Brennan so this was a bit of a let down.

7. L'Oreal EverPure Hair Mask for Coloured Hair: My first foray into sulphate free hair care and I adored it! Honestly, this left my hair so soft, smooth and tangle free at such a bargain price. I liked this so much it made it into my monthly favourites last year and I would definitely repurchase.

8. Macadamia Healing Oil Spray: I've had this for years and finally used it up. I love the Macadamia range but this is not one of my favourite products. The best way to use this was on dry hair, sprayed into my palms and worked through the mid lengths to ends to smooth everything. When used on wet hair it did live up to the claims of drying it faster, but I wasn't in love with this product. Read my full review here.

9. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation: This was my go to foundation for when I was on a night out (hence the slightly darker colour match for fake tan!) It gives a real even and flawless finish, while still looking quite radiant and it stays put all night. I enjoyed using this foundation and would repurchase but it is not a holy grail for me like it is for other bloggers as I preferred wearing it for a few hours rather than all day.

10. MAC Fix+: To be honest, I still can't make up my mind if this does anything or not. It was my first try at fixing sprays so I have nothing to compare it too. The plus points were the fine mist, lockable cap for travel and that it helped to take any powdery finish away but I can't make up my mind if it actually locked my make up in place. This is also good to wet your brushes in before applying eyeshadow to make it more intense. I may go back to this and try it again but for now I am enjoying a cheaper L'Oreal version.

What have you used up recently? xxx

All Used Up #12 | Product Empties |

Hi everyone,

Long time, no see! This year has been crazy with a new job, new home and new life! Some things haven't changed though such as my love for Reuben and passion for beauty blogging. I have been itching to have more time to start writing and filming again, so when I found old footage on my hard drive one evening from a month or so ago I got back into editing and popped it onto Youtube this morning.

I am hoping to relaunch my blog in the new future, with potentially a new name, moving everything onto Wordpress and buying my own domain. This is all tentative but I think it will give my blog a new lease of life and get me invested again.

I hope you enjoy the video and hopefully I will be back soon! Thank you for sticking with me xxx

All Used Up #11/#12

So I thought I had done 10 of these posts/videos... turned out I was one short and this should be number 12 in the series not 11, woops! It's been nearly 6 months since I last filmed a video so I hope you enjoy my mini reviews and the format of this post. 

Please subscribe if you like my channel and thank you for watching xxx

All Used Up #11

Although I have a huge bag overflowing of empty products, I haven't managed to write one of these posts in months! I've been so good at using things up but maybe at my peril because now I have lots of products to write about. Today's mix includes some of my favourite skin care and hair care products along with bath and body.

001. Lush Twilight Shower Gel: This featured on my blog about a year ago and I have only just got round to using it up! It was a large bottle and I tended to use it for night time baths only due to the relaxing lavender and malt scents that feature in this shower gel. I love the dark purple gel which was flecked with silver glitter but the smell and consistency isn't one of my favourites. The shower gel isn't available any more but you can buy the Twilight bath bomb here. I probably wouldn't repurchase.

002. Origins Out Of Trouble Face Mask: Origins are fantastic for skin care and this mask is one of my holy grail items (as you can tell from me cutting the bottle to get every last drop!) It is a clay formula which dries hard, something that I like as it draws out impurities effectively. I preferred to use this on active break outs as it unclogged and calmed any redness. It is also fantastic at helping to regulate oil production. The Sulphur and Zinc Oxide does mean that this mask has a very powerful smell but it doesn't put me off at all. A definite repurchase.

003. Sanctuary Spa Relax Warming Sugar Polish: This was a random purchase but I ended up loving this body scrub. Sugar scrubs suit me best as they are the most abrasive but due to the blend of essential oils this wasn't too harsh and smelled wonderful as well. I loved the squeezy bottle as it made application in the shower super easy and the scrub was actually hot and stayed warm while you worked it into your skin. I would repurchase this product.

004. Dove Hair Therapy Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner: When thinking of the Dove brand I've always pictured body care or deodorant. However, the shampoo and conditioner from this range is super cheap and I had heard good things. I think for the price the conditioner was really good, it nourished the hair well without weighing it down at all and was a lot better than the normal bog standard conditioners you get in the chemist. I would repurchase this, although I find it hard to stay loyal to a particular brand. I would also love to try the hair mask from this range.

005. The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner: After receiving this in my stocking last year for Christmas I put it in my over flow bin of products and kind of forgot about it. Cue a skin melt down and I dug this out along with the tea tree face wash. I have to say this toner is amazing!! You need to shake it up really well to make sure the active ingredients are all mixed and there is alcohol included however this is great for blemished skin. I can feel it working, which may be superficial but is something that I like and it helps to aid the healing process and keep skin looking clear. I have already repurchased this.

006. Lush Butterbear Bath Bomb: This is one of the cheaper bath bombs Lush offer but one of my new favourites. The cocoa butter melts into the bath leaving skin super soft and nourished without feeling greasy and the smell is sweet yet not over powering. It is just the right size so you don't feel like you are wasting any product either. I think this is only a Christmas edition (you can get the larger and more expensive Butter Ball all year round) so I will definitely be stocking up on this.

Have you tried any of these products? What have you recently repurchased? xxx

P.S. I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and are enjoying your boxing day!

All Used Up #10 | Part 1 |

Hi guys,

I've finally had the time to film a few videos, yay! The first one I filmed was an empties as the bag was overflowing with a few months worth of products. There was so many I had to split it into two separate videos though or else it would have been very long and rambly. The first part is linked below for you to watch - there is a mixture of hair care, body care and make up. Please like and subscribe if you enjoyed it and keep your eyes peeled for the next part soon.

                    

What have you used up recently? Do you like any of these products? xxx

All Used Up #9

Hey guys, here is my very late follow up post which accompanies the video for my empties. I've managed to use up a variety of products this time around so you can either hear or read all about them in this post :)

1. Lush 'Snow Fairy' Shower Gel: An iridescent pink shower gel that features a bubble gum and pear drop scent, this product foams up nicely and leaves your bathroom smelling gorgeous for ages afterwards. One of my favourites from Lush but only available in their Christmas collection so you will have to wait until the end of this year to get your hands on it again, sorry!

2. Vichy Normaderm Micellar Water: full review here. One of the better micellar waters I've tried, it doesn't leave any horrible residue, is paraben free and suitable for oily skin, but it is rubbish at cleaning away stubborn eye make up and didn't blow me away. I wouldn't repurchase.

3. Yankee Candle 'Salted Caramel' Candle: I don't know how Yankee do it but they seem to encapsulate scents so well. This scent is very heavy but so delicious - think warm comforting caramel with a very sweet twist. It won't be everyone's cup of tea but I've loved using this throughout the winter months and would definitely repurchase.

4. Batiste Dry Shampoo: A regular feature in these posts, my trusty dry shampoo of choice. An absolute life saver it refreshes hair and provides volume. A regular repurchase.

5. Paul Mitchell Forever Blonde Shampoo* & Conditioner*: Full review here. The shampoo is more than just a bog standard product, it provides moisture and refreshes your colour without making it greasy. The conditioner is the perfect follow up, a half way house between a conditioner and a hair mask it provides a hit of moisture that won't weigh down your hair. A definite repurchase!

6. Dove 'Original' Antiperspirant: not much to say on this one, I do like Dove deodorants but I normally get whatever is on offer!

7. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer:  A blogger favourite, I love the coverage and the long lasting formula but I find the shade range really lets this product down and it tends to go quite ashy on me. I've repurchased this a lot before but I think I was trying to make myself like it more than I did.

8. Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer:  I originally wanted a lighter shade for under my eyes but instead I used this on my face and it was a good consistency but was quite lightweight so you have to build up the coverage gradually. It also isn't as long wearing as I would like. I wouldn't repurchase unless I could get a lighter colour for under my eyes.

9. Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner: My first foray into pen style liquid eyeliners, I loved the concept but the actual product fell short. It is quite grey and watery so needs to be built up into an opqaue line, which is a shame because at the time I bought it there was lots of hype around it. I'm trying out one by Bourjois at the moment and much prefer that.

Have you tried any of these products? xxx

All Used Up #8

Before I moved to my flat I had loads of empties to photograph and write up - I did the first part but never got round to writing up the other posts! So here is the next part of the series, which I'm pleased to announce actually contains some make up items which is rare for me as I find it hard to finish make up items.

Sure Cool Pink Deodorant: From what I can remember this wasn't anything special - I don't tend to be loyal to any brand really and mainly get whatever is on offer (bar Nivea which actually makes me sweat more...!) I do quite want to try Mitchum though as that is meant to be pretty good.

Boots Botanics Rosewater Toning Spritz: A review on this toner is already up on the blog here, but a brief summary is that this is my favourite toner that I have tried. It's refreshing yet gentle and I love the spray nozzle. I've already repurchased it a few times and have one in stock but after that I want to try a few others because as a beauty blogger you can never stay satisfied for long!

Batiste 'Tropical' Dry Shampoo: This brand of dry shampoo is my go to. I've used it since the beginning of using dry shampoo and have never felt the need to change as it does the job. The tropical scent is quite nice and smells of coconut (I went through a phase of being obsessed with that smell) but my favourite is definitely the wild version. Again, I normally chop and change in relation to scents.

Garnier Soft Essentials Face Wipes: OK before you say anything I know face wipes are really bad for you! I committed a cardinal beauty sin and for that I truly repent! I used these for taking off excess make up before cleansing in place of a micellar water which I usually use but these are really easy for travel. These were alright from what I remember but I've never come across a face wipe brand which has wowed me (probably because they aren't great for you!)

L'Oreal Lumi Magique in '1 Light': For ages I wasn't sold on this or touche eclat but now it is a permanent fixture in my make up bag. It's great for creating a subtle highlight, which can be built up if you want, is easily blended and easy to use. Once you know its purpose this nifty product is pretty fab.

Soap and Glory Hocus Focus: One of the first products I wrote about on this blog and my second ever foray into the world of liquid highlighters. I wasn't a fan at first and replaced it with this 17 highlighter but I do prefer Soap and Glory's offering and will be repurchasing once I have used up the former. It's a versatile product that can be mixed in with your moisturiser or foundation or used to highlight key areas without leaving you feeling greasy or sparkly like a glitter ball. I love highlighters both liquid and powder and this takes one of the top spots for me.

As stated, this photo was taken with my old camera so sorry for the not so great quality! 

What have you recently used up? xxx

All Used Up #7

The bag which holds all my empties was literally over flowing so I thought it was high time to write up a new All Used Up post. I've been trying to use up a few more samples and a lot of products seem to have come to the end of their life at the same time. The weather has also been really annoying so as soon as there was a bright day I photographed them all, although there are so many I have enough for 3 more installments of this type of post!

Original Source Lime Shower Gel: This was originally purchased for my trip to Barcelona as I thought it would be refreshing after a long day sightseeing. It foamed up nicely but was not as zingy as the mint version which I love, however I wouldn't rule out purchasing it again.

 Aussie Miracle Colour Insurance: A recent post already mentioned my love for this product which I think is a perfect budget leave in conditioner. The spray is even and fine, the smell is gorgeous and it helps to detangle and keep hair soft and manageable.

Bioderma Sebium H20: After receiving this for Christmas last year I was over the moon and excited to try the massively hyped up blogger favourite that sparked the obsession for micellar waters. To be honest though, I really don't know what the fuss is about! I tried the only for oily/combo skin and it is definitely one of the better versions I have tried but it isn't holy grail status for me. If it becomes easier to get hold of then I would consider re-purchasing but that's because I'm not loyal to a particular brand for micellar waters.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel: This product left me really undecided. Clarins is one of my favourite brands and this cleanser had the same comforting smell like their other products. The bottle actually lasted me a long time considering I used a big splodge each evening and it was really good at taking off the rest of my make up and is suitable to double cleanse with, although I still needed something else to remove all eye make up. The downsides for me was the consistency as I found the gel quite sticky even after being massaged into my face and I also didn't see a noticeable change in the condition of my skin. I think I would repurchase in the future to try and make up my mind on it but for the mean time there are lots of other cleansers I would like to try.

Aussie Take the Heat Leave in Spray: In regards to heat defence I'm normally loyal to Tresemme, although now and again I feel adventurous and try something new (clearly I live life on the edge). This did the job and smelt nice but I prefer the former brand because it is the best spray that I've found.

What have you used up recently? Have you tried any of my empties? xxx

All Used Up #6

Hey guys, I haven't done an All Used Up post since May and these products have been building up in a bag in my closet so it was definitely time to write up some mini reviews and chuck them! I've managed to use up quite a lot of body care over the last few months with a few face and hair products too. Click on the product names listed below to be linked to full reviews if I have written them :)

Body

001. Palmers Natural Bronze Gradual Tanning Moisturiser: When I did a post on this last year I hadn't heard much about it but nowadays everyone seems mad for it! I love the strong scent of chocolate, how nourishing it is and that it develops a lovely natural colour which is actually noticeable. Most gradual tanners I find don't really build up much more than a glow, but I like that this actually gives you a proper tan. It has also lasted me ages as it is the same bottle from last year's post! I have since repurchased this but am always open to suggestions if you have your own favourite gradual tanner.  

002. Radox Nourish Shower Gel: At Uni my shower gels were normally picked up in the supermarket when they were on offer for a pound so they normally turned out to be Radox. I liked using this as it did feel nourishing and smelt good, therefore I would repurchase but it isn't a must have for me.

003. Garnier Intensive 7 Days Moisturiser in 'Nourishing Shea Butter': This was a lovely product that did the job well and stuck to it's claims. It was great for in the mornings after a shower when you don't have time to wait for your moisturiser to dry and it made the whole process hassle free. I have also tried the mango version too which I also enjoyed. I would repurchase but in another version - I'm on a mission to try them all! The gel-cream and hand range also look interesting.

004. Simple Invigorating Shower Gel: Matt and I picked this up in the airport last year before we went to Turkey as an alternative to the Original Source Mint shower gel, with the idea that it would be really refreshing to use after a long hot day in the sun. It needed using up as there was about half left but I think it says something that it took me over a year to get round to doing this. I didn't find it invigorating at all and it only had a mild scent of mint, so was a bit disappointing really. For this reason I would not repurchase and stick with the Original Source one instead which I really enjoy using.

005. Sure Rexona Deodorant and Garnier Minerals InvisiDry Deodorant: To me different deodorants don't really make a difference (apart from the Nivea purple one which I hate!) so I normally pick up which ever is on offer. Out of the two I preferred the Garnier but for now I wouldn't repurchase because I'm trying out roll ons.

006. Nip + Fab Pistachio Body Butter (travel size): These body butters have always been on my radar so I decided to bite the bullet and pick up a travel size to see if I liked it or not. It's safe to say I loved this moisturiser so much! The smell is incredible, I liked that it was green (I'm so fickle) and it did a good job of injecting some moisture back into my skin. When I went to Barcelona, I popped this in the fridge and it was amazing to soothe burnt sun kissed skin. I would 100% buy the bigger version of this and I have already repurchased another travel size, this time in the Coconut Latte version.

007. Doctor Duve Lifting and Firming Hand and Decollete Cream: I received this in a Jolie Box along with another sample and really liked it. It was thick without being sticky and sunk in straight away as well as smelling lovely. It is meant to include 'growth factors' whatever they are, and hyaluronic acid which  left my hands smooth and hydrated after applying. However, I wouldn't repurchase because it is really expensive - £79!!!! 

Face

008. Boots Botanics Organic Rosewater Toning Spritz: This is one of my favourite toners as I love the fine spray and how refreshing it is. I would repurchase and am in fact onto my third bottle of the stuff! After the next one runs out I will probably try something new (suggestions please) but it will always be up there in my faves.

009. Vichy Thermal Spa Water: Again this was a sample from a Birch/Jolie Box and I love the handbag size. I didn't tend to use this on my face as although it might feel refreshing it actually dehydrates your skin if you do that but instead I've been using it during the hot weather on my body instead. It was a lovely little product but I don't really see the difference between this and putting some tap water into a spray bottle. I would repurchase but only as a little luxury.

010. Origins Super Spot Remover: This stuff is the best I've found for tackling problem break outs. I tried going without it but after two weeks I cracked and had to repurchase! This little bottle lasted me for months - since writing my review on it its only just run out so I think its great value for money.

011. Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean Cleanser: I bought this after all the hype and tried using this for its main purpose as a cleanser but didn't think too much of it and was a bit let down. However, I tend to leave it on as a mask now for around 5-10 minutes to let the fruit acids brighten up my complexion and it is good for this reason. Sensitive skin will probably not be able to deal well with this though as after 10 minutes my skin does go quite red. I have another bottle from a gift set to use up but after that I wouldn't repurchase as there are better products out there for the money.

012. Dior Eyezone Boosting Super Serum Sample: As far as eye creams go this was quite nice and the sample size lasted me for ages which was a bonus. It is really expensive though and it didn't do anything out of the ordinary so I probably wouldn't repurchase.

Hair

013. VO5 Heat Protecting Spray: After religiously using Tresemme's heat protector for years I thought it was time to try something new and picked up this one from VO5. It had a good diffuser which released an even and fine spray onto the hair and smelt lovely too. It is also cheap as chips and left no stickyness or weight in my hair so for these reasons I would repurchase.

Sorry it turned out to be such a long post, it took me ages to write haha! I hope these reviews were useful for you. What have you recently used up? xxx

All Used Up #5

There isn't too many products in the fifth installment of this series even though I have used up other things but have failed to keep them in order to write a post. I'm going to try a bit harder though to find somewhere safe to keep them as I think they are a great way to do mini reviews and enjoy reading other people's (link me in the comments if you have a recent post of your own!)

001. La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution: I've been trying out a few micellar waters to take off the excess of my make up before cleansing properly, which I used to do with face wipes before. This was one of the better ones I have tried but did not take up all of my make up so I wouldn't recommend cleansing with just this. It was nice in the mornings though to freshen up and left skin soft and without any residue. I'm not sure if I really 'get' the hype over micellar waters to be honest - I'm using a bottle of Bioderma which is supposed to be the best one on the market, so once that is all finished I think I will have formed my final opinion on this type of product.

002. Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub: This has been hanging around for a while so I was pleased to finish it. It is an effective scrub without being too harsh and a good scrub/cream ratio but it didn't blow me away. I am looking at other scrubs and ways in which to exfoliate my skin instead at the moment.

003. Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub: Another scrub, this time for the body. The scent of this is amazing: citrus and brown sugar combined together smells like Rowntree's fruit pastel lollies :) I'm a big fan of all things Soap & Glory and I am slowly working my way through their products but this particular scrub wasn't the best I've tried from them. As I said the smell was amazing so I am definitely looking into getting the shower gel of this range but the scrub wasn't scrubby enough for me and found that meant a lot of product was needed to get the desired results. Flake Away lasted a lot longer than this and I preferred the texture so it is still the top scrub for me!

004. Superdrug Blonde Colour Enhance Conditioner: Like the Simple scrub this has been in my bathroom for ages (I'm talking years) as I didn't really like it too much. I ended up using it for shaving my legs which it was good at but for its actual use I wouldn't repurchase.

005. Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush: Yet another dry shampoo as I always use this in between washes. I've never really tried another dry shampoo as these are cheap and do the job.

006. Tresemme Heat Defence Smooth Spray: I don't use any other products from this brand as I heard from hairdressers that it isn't actually good for your hair, but their heat protectant is lovely and I always repurchase it. It smells lovely, doesn't weigh hair down and lasts ages so is very cost effective too. My favourite aspect of this product is the spray function as it delivers a very fine mist. I've kept the bottle to transfer some other heat protectants that I've got to use up into as its the best spray I've found. A definite repurchase.

Have you tried any of these products? xxx

Added Extras #2

While in the midst of a ridiculous amount of work at the end of last term, I was constantly dreaming of a relaxing pamper night at home, with full use of a selection of face masks, Lush products and a big bath. So that is exactly what I did when I got home for Easter. Pamper nights are a great excuse to rotate the products you have and rediscover old loves as well as experiment with new ones.

I always start by cleansing my face properly and then pop on a face mask. The first one I chose was a deep cleansing sample I got from Clarins (a brand which I am having a total love affair with at the moment) which cleanses deep down and refines pores. Although I need to use it more than once to get its full effect, from first use I was pleased with the silky formula and the pink clay helped to draw out impurities without being drying whatsoever. While the facemask was on I crumbled a bit of a Lush bubble bar 'French Kiss' which I got in a gift set for valentines day, that creates lovely lavender scented bubbles, perfect for relaxing.

While in the bath, I like a good scrub and the zingy scent of the Sugar Crush body scrub is sweet and uplifting. I prefer my scrubs to be a bit harsher than this, such as Flake Away, but I will definitley be looking into other products in the Sugar Crush range. The second Lush product is Twilight shower gel, which is again lavender scented with notes of malt to encourage relaxation and sleep.

Once out the bath, a good slathering of the Daily Smooth body butter from Soap and Glory is needed, which is more thick and nourishing than a regular moisturiser but thin enough to squeeze out a tube and sink in quicker than a standard body butter. After washing off the Clarins mask and toning, I popped on Origins Drink Up Intensive, an over night moisture mask to hydrate and nourish my skin. To top it all off, a few coats of Look Beauty's Nail pop in 'Dazzle'.

Have you used any of these products? What are your favourite pampering products? xxx

All Used Up #4

Apologies for the awful quality of photos but the lighting wasn't my friend and I ended up having to use the flash on my camera. Anyway onto the empties...

001. Sure Deodrant: Pretty standard and unglamorous but Sure is my fave brand and actually works.

002. Aussie Dual Personality Hi-Hold and Hi-Shine Hairspray: This smells amazing and has pretty good hold, without being sticky. I wouldn't say it gave much shine though. I would maybe repurchase if it was on offer.

003. Bed Head Control Freak: I've been using this up for ages (shampoos seem to take me a while!) and although I loved the smell of pineapple I didn't see much in terms of frizz control. I probably need to use this with the conditioner and styling products to get the most out of it so I can't give too much of a fair judgement.

004. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Colour Insurance: This is one of my holy grail items and has been repurchased time and time again. Smells divine as do all Aussie products and leaves my hair soft, nourished and shiny.

005. Batiste Dry Shampoo: My dry shampoo of choice they are an actual life saver and will always repurchase. My favourite scent is wild but these are lovely too.

006. Pantene Repair and Protect Serum: I havn't actually used this up but have chosen to throw it away as it doesn't do anything and have been told by hairdressers that Pantene is awful for your hair by masking the problems by coating your hair, in turn making it lank and lifeless.

007. Maybelline Colossal Volume Mascara: This was nice but I'm never really faithful to one mascara and am loving L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes at the moment.

008. MaxFactor Masterpiece Max Mascara: A lovely mascara, I really enjoyed using this. I've discovered their 2000 Calorie one though which does pretty much the same job for a bit less money.

009. Diesel Fuel for Life Perfume: I'm so sad this has finished! I've had it for years and really stretched it out when it was near the end. A lovely scent which is quite heavy, it was something completely different in my perfume collection. I would repurchase this but do have the body lotion to last me a while :)

010. Maybelinne Salon Manicure Top Coat: This was ok - it produced a nice shine but didn't help with the longevity of my polish. It also became gloopy quite quickly and the design of the bottle is rubbish as the brush couldn't reach half the product. I wouldn't repurchase.

011. Jessica Base Coat: This was lovely and part of a mini polish set I got a while back as a gift. I really love the quality of Jessica polishes and think more people should try them out.

There were some standard empties this time around like the dry shampoo and mascaras (I seem to go through tubes of the stuff) and also some well loved products I was sad to see the end of. What have you finished recently? xxx

All Used Up #3

As you can see, this time around I have loads of empties! I've been really pleased with myself using up my odds and sods so I can kind of justify spending money on new things :) I best get on with it otherwise this post is going to be ridiculously long!

Garnier Body Intensive 7 day Moisturiser in Mango: This version is for dry skin, which I suffer from especially on my legs. I really enjoyed using this as it is lightweight but still nourishing. I used this a lot over the summer and have just repurchased a bottle in the Shea butter version for extra dry skin for the upcoming cold months. They are normally on offer too which is a plus.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush: Love Batiste and couldn't live without dry shampoo, there is always one in my stocks!

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Enhancing Conditioner: Hair care products always seem to last me an age so I was pleased to finally use this up. It's nice enough but I didn't see a massive difference to my hair or highlights so probably wouldn't repurchase.

Radox Moisture Shower Therapy: I normally get shower gels when they are on offer in the supermarket just like this one. I've tried it before and liked it as it has a nice scent and helps to moisturise my skin. It's not the most luxurious of shower gels but it does the job so I would repurchase.

Schwarzkopf Gliss Asia Straight Shampoo: The packaging is lovely and the actual product is quite nice too. I never notice a massive difference with straightening shampoos so I wouldn't repurchase this but other bits from the range such as the Gliss Liquid Silk Gloss range are really good for a great price. You can normally pick this up for a bargain at home bargains too.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish: I wax lyrical about this all the time - it is amazing and a definite repurchase! I used this bottle up quite a while ago but have already got another bottle on the go. Read my detailed review here.

Garnier Ultra Dry Mineral Deodorant: This had a great smell, did the job and I liked the packaging. Not much more to say about a deodorant apart from I would repurchase.

Rimmel Perfect Match Foundation: The first make up product I've used up in a long time! I really enjoyed this foundation and think it is perfect for long days as it stays put and gives a lovely finish so perfect for nights out or a meal. I would say it is medium to full coverage with a satin like finish. A definite repurchase.

Clinique Take the Day Off Make up remover (travel size): A little of this goes a long way and it is one of the most effective eye make up removers I've used. The only downside is the oily residue, however I would still repurchase. 

Origins Clear Improvements Mask: Origins is such an amazing brand and I can't fault any of their products that I've tried. This mask really did the job of decongesting my skin as well as helping to mattify it. It may be pricey but this is definitely on my shopping list.

Origins Drink Up Mask (sample): The smell of this is amazing and it hydrated my skin really well. I just purchased the Drink Up Intensive mask for winter and am loving it so far. I recommend this to everyone.

Nivea Daily Essentials Cleansing Wipes: I use wipes to take off the excess of my make up before cleansing, not as an actual way to clean my face. These were good at getting off a lot of the excess and stayed wet for ages which can sometimes be a let down with other wipes. I've moved onto cleansing waters now but these were good as far as wipes go.

I love... Mango Face Mask: I received this in a Joliebox and thought it would be great to hydrate my skin due to being 'moisturising and reviving'. It is a peel off mask which I think is always a fun novelty and was looking forward to using it. However, it was ridiculously gloopy and stringy so was really hard to apply and once it was time to  peel it off it really hurt (like pulling off a plaster) and made my face sting after. I absolutely hated this and it made the fun and relaxing treat of a face mask into a nightmare.

Vo5 Hot Oil Moisture Soak Elixir: I've been using Hot Oils for years so when the in shower version came out I was sold! This is used as a pre-shampoo treatment and always leaves my hair nourished and soft. It is one of my favourite hair oils and as it is relatively cheap too I recommend for everyone to try it. The only downside is the application is a bit tricky.

I tried to be short and sweet with all the items so hopefully it wasn't too long for you to read! Have you tried any of these products? What products have you used up recently? xxx

All Used Up #2

This is my second post of this type and I feel like I've used up quite a lot this time around! I'm trying to use up more before I buy even more but that is easier said than done. A lot of these products as you can see are bath things which I find easier to use than make up etc, so they will probably be the most recurrent throughout these posts. I love reading other people's posts like this so I hope you like mine :)

Simple Soothing Toner: This took me forever to get through and I liked it but I didn't love it. I like to feel that a toner is doing something special for my skin and this doesn't really cut it. It is refreshing though and takes takes off any cleanser/make up residue but that's about it. I'm currently using a travel version of this as I am on the look out for a new toner so suggestions would be welcome please :) (I am oily/combination).

L'Oreal Elvive Colour Protect Caring Shampoo: I enjoyed using this as it nourished my hair while cleansing it effectively at the same time. Since I colour my hair I'm always looking at labels for added UVA/B  protection on my hair products to combat fading and this shampoo includes it. I've since purchased a Bedhead shampoo for some variety and also because I have repurchased this before and you are meant to rotate your shampoos after a while, but I would recommend this for a bargain price.

Palmolive Irresistible Softness Showercream: The skin on my body is dry so I always try to get moisturising/nourishing shower gels to combat the dryness. I think I got this on offer and it had a lovely smell and lathered up nicely. There isn't much to say as it is just a bargain shower gel but I thought it was great for the price.

Schwarzkopf got2b Sparkling Hairspray: I love the packaging of this product and the product was ok too. I wouldn't say it gave my hair loads of shine but it gave a nice hold and was good to use on a night out. I would probably repurchase this.

Dr Bronner Pure Castile Liquid Soap: In a recent Joliebox I received 3 samples of this: an unscented baby mild, a citrus one and a peppermint. The scents of this were incredible, they were quite strong but not artificial in anyway and were a treat to use. The citrus one was very zingy smelling and great for mornings and the peppermint made me tingle all over so would be great for summer (similar to the Original Source mint one). I was also surprised at how much they lathered up. The only downside is that because they are soap they left me with a slightly tacky feeling on my skin but all soaps seem to do that to me.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Wild: Love dry shampoo and love Batiste! I always try to have a back up can of this as I use it quite regularly. I tried a new smell with 'wild' and really liked it so will definitely repurchase :)

L'Oreal Elvive Nourishing Cream Conditioner: This took ages to use up too and I liked it but it didn't do anything spectacular. My hair was left soft after using this but this wasn't sustained until my next wash. I also used it on my legs for shaving which left them silky smooth!

Lush Tea Tree Water Toner and Catastrophe Cosmetic Facemask: I've already written a review on these which you can read here. But a quick update on the toner - I had a feeling that it was breaking me out so I stopped using it before it was finished. My skin cleared up a lot afterwards so my suspicions seem to be confirmed. It was a shame because I loved the spray and it was a refreshing toner but products with tea tree in seem to break me out instead of help cure the problem!

Have you tried any of these products? Do you agree with my opinions? xxx

All Used Up

This is my first 'empties' post and they will probably be few and far between as I am rubbish at using my products up and usually just buy more than I need! However, I'm going to try and cut down on the spending so these posts will (hopefully) become more of a regular thing than I am anticipating.

Witch Foaming Face Wash: I bought this ages ago when I was in Home Bargains at uni (an absolute gem of a shop!) as I needed a new face wash and have been using it again recently to get rid of it! There was nothing special that stood out about this and to be honest, it never really made much difference to my skin. As it is a foam, it did feel gentle when I washed my face but I never saw any positive changes to my skin in regards to blemishes, skin tone etc. It was a perfectly  nice face wash but I wouldn't buy it again as it didn't do much for me.

Sally Hansen Nail Polish Remover for Normal Nails: There isn't much to say about a nail varnish remover to be honest! As this was for normal nails I didn't see any amazing effects from using this, but as far as nail polish removers go it was pretty effective.

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Tone-Refreshing Shampoo: This has lasted me a really long time as I don't use it with every wash like it states due to the fact using a toner on your hair often can damage it quite a lot. I liked the smell and the consistency of the formula, but its effects didn't last long after I used it. On the first day my hair was noticeably more vibrant in colour, however this did wear off the next day. I have bought a new purple shampoo in my recent haul (see that post here) which was cheaper so it will be interesting to compare the two. If I don't get on with my most recent version of purple shampoo I will probably repurchase, but I would like to find something a little more effective.

Garnier Pure Facial Moisturiser: This product also lasted me ages, even when using morning and night. I used to use it in conjunction with the face scrub and toner and found it effective with that, but after they ran out, it showed me the moisturiser wasn't that much of a miracle product. It claims to 'treat imperfections while leaving the skin smooth', however I don't think it did much for blemishes or oil control and actually left my skin feeling a bit tacky. I have since bought the Clean and Clear oil free moisturiser and I already prefer it (expect a blog post on that soon). Overall, there was no noticeable benefits from using this product and I wouldn't repurchase. I would rather pay more money for a really enjoyable moisturiser than less for a sub-standard one.

Have you used any of your products? What are your thoughts on them? Are there any products you would recommend to use instead of these? xxx