Product Empties | August 2015

A mixed selection of products starting with believe it or not, the rarely seen in empties videos product. This shade is Aspen by Nails Inc and is my 'Christmas red'. It has a bright ruby colour and glistens like a gemstone perfect if you want to distinguish from your usual shades of red.

The next product is Avene's XeraCalm Cream* and is a little bit of a cheat. I didn't actually use this cream myself but a friend did. She recently had a clear out of her beauty stash and shared some things that weren't working for her with me and threw this in as she knows about my empties posts and thought I could include it. As a eczema she found this was a fantastic cream for alleviating symptoms and as you can see it was used in its entirety. Often after days/weeks products which once work begin to do the opposite for her but not with this. If you suffer from any of those itchy types of skin problems definitely check this out.

I recently reviewed the Anatomical mask selection* in full so it's not necessary to go into much detail. In short Anatomical is a company that puts some fun back into beauty as each mask has an amusing description rather than you're usual kind. At just £3 for a pack available these are perfect for girls nights in or to throw in Christmas stockings.

OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo was my holiday shampoo of 2015. It joined me in both Ibiza and Dubai and worked perfectly against the heat. I'm currently working through my shampoo stash but I'm excited to try more from the OGX range.

I wouldn't usually bother adding my toothpaste to the empties pile as it's a fairly dull product but as my first experience with The Breath Co was by way of a press sample it's always worth updating you with my thoughts. I'm not a fan of your typical toothpastes as I hate the taste whereas despite The Breath Co toothpaste being minty it is a faint taste that doesn't stop you from eating for the next hour after brushing. I have gone so far to track this down at specific larger Boots stores, replaced numerous times and am paying more than you would for your Colgates and such. This is definitely a holy grail product for me.

Since I first started using Manuka Doctor CC Cream* in May I've powered through this fantastic CC cream. It's fantastic for no make up days and where I'd sometimes not even bother with any sort of base at all I like to use this for it's lovely sheen it gives to the skin. With SPF 20 it's perfect for sitting in the garden when the sun is shining (not anymore!) and I was sad to add it to my empties bag. This is definitely one I'll look at repurchasing for future holidays in the sun as it's perfect for poolside.

And finally we have the blogger favourite, Collection Long Lasting Concealer. I have two shades 2 Light and 3 Warm Medium and whilst I've pretty much used up these tubes I gave before scrapping the last drops. I too loved this concealer in my early days with it, these are both repurchases so it was certainly so but lately, maybe it's my age but I've just found them too drying under the eyes and it settles into my fine lines. When I have Maybelline Fit Me Concealer that works wonders there's no need for me to fight with the this one.

*This post contains press samples

Anatomicals Face & Hair Mask Review

Anatomicals Face Mask Set*

The beauty industry is big business these days and a very serious one at that. Suddenly we're all 'experts' or at least more knowledgeable about retinols and there's nothing better than an instagramable photo of our skincare regime.

I'm not against this by any means and I too offer my amateur advice and knowledge via these pages but sometimes it's nice to meet a brand like Anatomicals that doesn't take itself too seriously whilst still offering great products.

A quick look over Anatomicals website and I challenge anyone not to smile as they deliver their message with the quirky nature they adopt in their products. I'm first to admit that I'm probably a little out of their target age range but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the products and embrace the fun nature they have and their mission to 'ban boring beauty regimes'.

You'll see one or two products from Anatomicals popping up over these pages as I explore the range but today it's the pack of three face masks. For just £3 you receive two face masks and one hair masks, perfect as a gift or for a girls night in.

Anatomicals let you know that in their land, 'rabbits run free' and 'guinea pigs rule' in short they don't test on animals and paraben free so no fear that quirky packaging hides any nasties.

First we have Look you've got chocolate all over your face, anti-stress mask* which is quite literally like smearing melted chocolate on your face. The smell is amazing and as is typical with these scents I have to resist the urge to lick. At the time I had a sore nose from a recent cold so that area was a little sensitive but otherwise I was certainly left looking stress free. I find most masks messy and this was the case and it can be tiresome squeezing the product out but what you have to work with is worth playing with.

Each mask has a fun was of giving you the instructions and it's probably no surprise that the Farewell the Scarlet Pimplehell, deep cleansing mud mask* is along the lines of 'they seek him here, they seek him there'. Clay masks are my favourite type and as such this was my top pick of the three. I use clay masks frequently to tackle blackheads and especially at that time of the month if things are a little more oily. Special minterals absorb the excess oils and help control spots.

Finally is their That's when I fell for the leader of the (hair) pack, deep conditioning hair pack* which I defy anyone not to be singing the song, at least in their head right now. I rarely have much to say about hair masks and imagine if I were in more pampering mode, wrapping in a hot towel and lounging with a cocktail in hand I'd maybe have been a bit more enamored by this mask but instead I just felt like I'd used a conditioner, albeit with a little more oomph. Worth having for the price especially if you're not interested in having the larger tubs that do the rounds.

Have you been tempted by any products from Anatomicals?

Anatomicals can be found as ASOS, Urban Outfitters and Amazon.

*This post contains affiliate links and PR Samples

V Festival Essentials

I'm sure you thought you'd seen the last of bloggers 'festival essentials' posts but I'm afraid you'll have to put up with another from me as. This weekend sees the arrival of V Festival to my neck of the woods and whilst it may not be for the 'purists' and some deem it 'too Essex' as an Essex girl I have no problem with that.

Aside from flash tattoos, floral crowns and channeling your ultimate festival look today's there are some more practical requirements of festival attendance I'm addressing today. Feel free to blame my age!

Firstly it doesn't look like the weather is going to be to be on our side this weekend with rain predicted. The 'Parka in a Pocket' £9 from Primark is fabulous. I picked this up on a whim when I was considering going to Lovebox as I thought it was genius. Lightweight and with a hood to protect from the rain it's perfect - and the design is pretty cool too.I'll also be sure to pack this when I head to DisneyWorld in January as showers are possible.

All that dancing around is sure to leave locks looking a little lackluster so in steps Batiste and the perfect festival variant the Ella Henderson Dry Shampoo*. I know that Batiste do smaller travel friendly sizes but if you're attending with a bunch of girlfriends it might actually take up less room if you were to share one full size can. And with Ella on the bill for V Festival couldn't there be a better time to put to use? An added bonus is that this carries scents of vanilla and coconut which might be just thing after you've spent the night in a tend and your hair is in need of refresh.

femfresh pocket wipes* 

Carrying a toilet roll around Hylands Park might not work but imagine finding yourself in a portaloo without paper. Instead why not throw a pack of the femfresh Limited Edition Festival Wipes*. They'll also come in handy should you be letting your usual bathing routine slide over the weekend. Cute packaging aside they're also biodegradable so what's not to like?

Anatomicals Never Lose Your Cherry Lip Balm*

Anatomicals is a quirky brand I enjoy and have a blog post dedicated to them coming up soon. For now I'm turning my attention to the Never Lose Your Cherry Lip Balm* which will be inside my festival make up kit. As you know I would usually choose a bright red lip but with a lot of eating and drinking planned it wouldn't stand the distance and I'm going to be less interested in reapplying as the evening wears on. Instead I prefer a red tinted lip balm, I still get a hint of the colour I like but from a product that I can apply at whim without the need for a mirror or a sober hand. Also no disrespect to Anatomicals but I'd rather lose this tube of lip balm in a drunken haze and replace than my favourite Tom Ford!

Finally and back to the beginning of the post and the weather. I know rain is predicated but you can never tell so I would personally ensure I had used Riemann P20 Once a Day* so that I have covered all bases. Who wants their festival experience ruined by sunburn? Not me. Grab the spray bottle too, it absorbs easily and a few sprays and you're covered. 

What are your festival essentials?

*This post contains PR samples