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

Wishlist Wednesday #7

It's that time again! Going through my wishlist to make these posts is so hard as there is so much... first world problems eh? I'm looking forward to buying presents for my loved ones this Christmas though as I think the gift of giving is just as great as receiving, and I have a few ideas up my sleeves! I'm thinking of making some handmade things too, so will hopefully be able to pop up some posts when I've completed them.

001. MAC MSF in 'Whisper of Gilt': Even though I've just purchased 2 new MAC highlighters, this latest offering from the Glamour Daze holiday collection is just too beautiful to not have! The colour looks amazing and the actual product is sooo pretty.

002. Leighton Exposed Zip Dress: I've never purchased anything from Dolly Bow Bow (yet) but the pieces there are gorgeous and girly at a great price. Lace is timeless and I wish I had more of it in my wardrobe - I thought this dress would be lovely on a summer's day or in the winter with some thick black tights.

003. Philosophy Coconut Frosting Bath: This is a shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath all in one but I would just use it as a shower gel. I love the brand and think their packaging is unique with the recipes on the front. I also like the range of scents they offer. Although they are typically a bit pricey for a shower gel I think they are a lovely treat to have in your shower or as a gift for someone else (their themed gift sets are great).

004. Toni and Guy Protein Spray: I've been after a protein spray for a while as my hair can break very easily and this would be great to strengthen it. I wasn't particularly fussy over which brand as I don't know a lot about protein sprays but thought this would be a good place to start.

005. Vo5 Miracle Concentrate Elixir: The in shower oil from Vo5 is amazing and I will always repurchase it so I thought it would be interesting to try this out. I felt a bit let down by my Macadamia but have heard great things about this so am interested to try it. The packaging also looks really handy as it is a pipette which is quite novel.

Have you started your Christmas list yet? Have you tried any of these things? 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