Products I've used up | March 2016

I have a healthy collection of empties this month so I'll dive straight in with a bath time favourite, MOA Fortifying Green Bath Potion*. Aside from the packaging speaking to me on many levels and whilst it might not be the most cost effective product at the mere hint of a sniffle I'd be running myself a bath with this herbal blend of peppermint, fennel, fir needle and birch. All ingredients that would help detoxify, calm, relax and ease aching muscles but most importantly, it was the scent. This is the only contender to Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir to fill my bathroom with such an amazing scent which lasts long after my bath water has run away.

I won't dwell too much on the sample of Chanel Les Beiges Foundation as I was lucky enough to receive it for my birthday and anticipate a review coming soon but if you're impatient perhaps read my introductory post on the foundation and obtaining product samples here.

Mascaras for me either seem to last forever or disappear very quickly, and in the case of the Covergirl Star Wars mascara it was the latter. A thin brush that worked to lengthen lashes and worked a treat on my bottom lashes it become quite a favourite and obviously it's frequent use saw it's rapid decline.

Philosophy's Hope in a Jar in this smaller size was a handy TK Maxx find which I'd always been keen to try. I'd heard Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Moisturiser was a dupe and had picked it up on one of my US trips and whilst I did attempt some comparisons and I found both great to use I did find them worthy of a dupe comparison post.

It always seems when I travel I have a Soap & Glory Righteous Butter available and this was one I took to Florida. With a little left in the tub I wasn't going to leave it behind. We all know by now how good the Soap & Glory Body Butters are so I won't bore you with another rave review.

I was quite excited when this sample of Ren Revitalising Night Cream came my way and rather than save for a trip away I decided to pop into my bedside cabinet. Unfortunately I wasn't blown away by this night cream at all. There was nothing about it that made it feel luxurious which is what I look for from my evening skincare products.

The sun is starting to show it's face and soon more and more skin will be on show and I'm trying to get into the habit of tanning. I've moved onto other products now but the past months I was using Tantruth The Ultimate* which I shared with you here.

And then there is Eloquence Beauty Firming and Moisturising Eye Gel* a product I''ll be missing come hayfever season. This was a great eye product and worked a treat during my long haul flights and easing jetlag. Don't forget to check out more of the Eloquence Beauty range in my review post.

Oh yes the empties continue and first of all is a disappointment in the form of Secret Deodorant, a US purchase. I don't know why I even bothered to a) waste dollars on a deodorant and b) take up valuable suitcase space on one when I know how much I love Sure Maximum Protection but we'll blame the blogger in me wanting to try something new. It wasn't a bad deodorant and didn't perform too badly it just wasn't a match for Sure.

Gilette Satin Care Shaving Gel* is another product I remember from years ago and was a constant in my bathroom. These days I have enough revolving products in my bathroom without using shower gel to wash and shaving gels to shave. That said it is a great product and if you have sensitive skin and shower gels aren't cutting it when you're shaving your legs then its definitely a worthy purchase.

I'm not the biggest liquorice fan but I did enjoy trying Organii Liquorice Shower Gel* and it was a worthy companion to my shower routine. And after the shower my body lotion of choice was Bomb Cosmetics Cherry Pie*. The scent of this was delicious and whilst it wasn't the most thick lotion for really dry Winter skin it worked well for me.

Finally is Batiste Stylist Smooth It Frizz Tamer* which is not a product I really need as I don't suffer from frizzy hair and instead passed on to my mum to try and she's been enjoying it. I'm slightly regretting the choice as I may want it back once we hit Summer and humidity kicks in.

What have you been using up this month?

*this post contains press samples

The Oscars | Ready Carpet Ready

This weekend marks the culmination of my favourite time of the year, awards season and on Sunday The Oscars. Without stating the obvious I will not be attending and my nights out rarely involve a crack team of stylists and make up artists but I'm not without making a few steps by way of preparation.

The first step whether it's the real paparazzi or your friend being over zealous with their new camera making sure your smile is complete with some pearly white teeth which means reaching for some sort of teeth whitening product. I have a few teeth whitening kits on hand at the moment to work my through and as both a smoker and heavy tea/coffee drinker this would come as no surprise.

My first foray into teeth whitening was with iwhite instant teeth whitening kit*, a very simple and easy to use offering. Each box is priced at £29.99 with ten ready to use mouth trays that you simply fit onto your teeth after brushing. The trays are filled with an active gel that should be in contact with the teeth although the soft and not too uncomfortable trays make easily done. Wear a set of the trays on your top and bottom teeth for 20 minutes and voila you're done.

I was worried about sensitivity but didn't experience anything at all and the results were worth 20 minutes of my day. Of course for the reasons I've already mentioned I wasn't in Ross Geller danger territory but there was a marked improvement beyond regular brushing. Depending on the staining on your teeth you can wear the trays for up to five consecutive days perfect for the week leading up to your big event and it's something I'd like to add to my weekly regime, regardless of the nights out.

A bronzed tan is necessary if you're showing a bit more skin than normal in your party frock as my nan would call it and you don't always need to hit a salon for that professional touch. I've said before I'm not the best with applying self tanners and have found mousse tends to be a preference but that changed when I used Tantruth The Ultimate*. I had this sitting in my 'to test' pile for some time but eventually plucked up the courage with pleasing results.

Starting with the bottle whose plus point is actually a negative. The pump dispenser makes it easy to reach for multiple times without things getting too messy. Please tell me I'm not alone to get myself in a right old muddle with a tube and mitt. The problem with the pump is that despite it having a safety feature in that you'd twist the pump back down I couldn't manage it without dispensing more product. In the end I had to keep the bottle in my bathroom to avoid finding my carpets looking more bronzed than I would like.

I would apply with a mitt and found that the cream would smooth over skin nicely and the guide colour was sufficient for me to see what I was doing - always a plus. There's always a scent of some nature with tanning products but Tantruth didn't have anything to cause offensive and it felt most like a professional salon spray tan than other at home products.

The next morning skin after the required shower skin was and looked tanned. Often I'm so scared of self tanners that I wonder if I'm too cautious when applying and then look down and can't even tell a difference but that was not the case with Tantruth.

The third item on my list is perhaps not really something you would prepare in advance but you may need to practice if like me applying false lashes is not your specialist something. False lashes are guaranteed to make you look different and show a little extra effort with your look that night. I've been playing around with Invogue False Lashes* recently and they're the ones I've been practicing and reaching for.

So often we think wearing false lashes means finding the biggest fluttery pair possible and if it's a big night out you have planned the last thing you want is to be uncomfortable. Invogue have lashes to suit everyone whether you want to Glamourise or Volumise your look - just practice and be comfortable.

You've heard three of my big night out preparations, what are yours?

*this post contains press samples