Beauty Products Elle Woods Would Love

*this post contains press sample and affiliate links

I'm first to admit that photography isn't my strongest skill as a blogger but sometimes an array of products arrive through the door that lend themselves well to the perfect image and I'm quite pleased with the result as I think Legally Blonde's Elle Woods would love seeing so much pink.

Starting with my favourite product of the bunch Embryolisse Complexion Correcting Skincare CC Cream.  Embryolisse call this a 'universal complexion perfector' with SPF 20 which will 'preserve a radiant youthfulness' and 'correct imperfections' and when they're being particularly confident with their claims it's a 'complete skincare treatment'.

To tackle a gripe first of course this is once again not a universal product, especially if like me you're using as a light base even with it's 'self-adjusting pigments'. In fact I'd be cautious if you were using otherwise as on my first uses I was concerned it was a little too orange (it wasn't my blending skills were lacking!).

Since I have been using thoroughly and as a base product I've fallen in love with it's silky and velvety finish and how radiant it leaves my skin (paired with Milani Prime Protect Face Primer it's a winning combination) and you can offer your opinion from the photo of me below. It's perfect for the Summer season.

Hyaluronic Acid helps to plump the skin aiding the blurring of my wrinkles it's a thicker consistency than I expected whilst offering ingredients which protect against ageing. Of course as a base it evens the skin tone and really does give the 'your skin but better' appearance and in fact, when not wearing I do find an improvement in my skins appearance so it is working in both areas of my daily regime.

It's pricey and matches the cost of some high end foundations at £29.99 but if you're looking for multi-use products and need to save costs on moisturisers and make up then it might be somewhere for you to look; especially as it's available 3 for 2 on skincare at Boots currently.

Benefit The Porefessional is my favourite primer and one I've repurchased many times and the bar I set all others to so I was excited when a new version was released Benefit The POREfessional Pearl Primer. Sadly I have been disappointed and thankful I picked up the small travel size to test out. Benefit claim to provide a 'lit-from-within' look on my skin I find it just a little bit subtle for me and as for my pores yes they're smoothed but I don't feel as much as the original. Of course it could be familiarity but it will be perfect for casual make up looks or indeed when I need a little help the morning after the night before.

I was worried I am so late talking about the L'Occitane and Rifle Paper Collection that I'd have to add the disclaimer of here they are but they're sold out. The good news is that's not the case and thankfully it's only limited edition packaging rather then products themselves.

I've long been a fan of L'Occitane hand creams so to see such a beautiful collaboration with Rifle Papers delightful artwork it was a match made in heaven. I was lucky enough to receive two versions of the hand cream, both with shea butter the orignal and the rose scent.

That pictured above is the Rose Shea Butter Hand Cream and whilst aesthetically pleasing with I really do not like a rose scent and found this very overpowering. Of course if you want to smell like you literally have a bouquet of flowers in your hands this is perfect for you and indeed the friend I was able to pass it onto.

The Original Shea Butter Hand Cream on the other hand is bliss. This tube sits aside my sofa at home and whilst it's not necessary to keep reapplying because it keeps hands so soft for such a length of time its a pleasure to repeat the process.

The original shea butter hand cream is not a light cream but nor is it too heavy. Thick enough for even the current climate as we switch between trying to turn our heating off but still finding a chill in the air of an evening.

Hands are not left feeling greasy after use and there is barely a scent so it doesn't interfere with other fragrance I might be wearing.

Hand cream and lip balms are the product I use most often as even when I can't be bothered to apply make up or even a skincare regime I can't bear dry hands or lips. Lypsyl kindly sent me a couple of lip balms from their range of newly reformulated products and such is my regular usage they've ended up in the empties pile already albeit unfortunately because they both suffered from the warm weather and snapped before I'd reached the bottom.

Each stick contains ingredients to hydrate and smooth lips and you can pick your choice from flavours such as Mint or Cucumber or my favourite Cherry.

Another product that's made it's way into the empties pile is Hempz Pomegranate Body Wash thanks in part to coming along on my recent trip to Las Vegas. Hempz is a US brand easily found on the shelves at Ulta. It's a little more difficult for us in the UK to track down but they have now launched online in the UK.

This is not your cheapest body wash at £16.99 for 250ml and it's neither the most luxurious but I cannot deny the scent is something amazing and all ingredients are vegan friendly including, with a nod to their name, 100% hemp seed oil.

Hemp seed oil is rich in numerous vitamins, all essential in maintaining healthy and (cough) younger looking skin and hair. I can't say whether my body wash is aiding youthful skin and I'm afraid my grey's still need regular touch ups but skin is certainly not striped and is left feeling nourished which is something necessary for someone like me who is lax with applying body lotions.

As for the scent I'm calling this my Summer version of Jo Malone's Pomegranate Noir. It's not as dark and more fruity but I love it. And a look through the Hempz website will show you an array of products in the scent ranges. And as I experienced with the Hempz body lotion their products feel like they last a lifetime as a little goes a long way.

How do you feel about pink packaging? Is it cliched or do you want to see more of it?

Products I Used Up | May 2017

May I continued to make headway with my mission to use up products I own but it's always sad to see Chanel in an empties post - and costly if I'm going to repurchase!

First is Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Twist & Spray travel set, the final bottle since recently appearing in my April favourites. A classic signature scent that I would typically repurchasing but for now I'll be enjoying my new Summer scents and other perfumes in my collection and I'll save the repurchase for later in the year when I hit Duty Free - now if there was ever a mission to declutter that perfume collection.

Once again another 'holy grail' and favourite product, Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder which due to broken packaging, not reaching for so often of late and it being the 'final dregs' I decided to say goodbye. I'm certain this will be a product I'll repurchase but for now I want to try and use and test alternative products I own before I do so. I'm not back at work and this was previously a handbag staple so I'm keen to see if it's absence becomes something I need to replace urgently.

Regular staples and repurchases come in the form of Sure Maximum Protection Deodorant* and an evening bubble bath. This month I'd tried Imperial Leather Relaxing Sleep Bubble Bath and unfortunately wasn't a fan. A strange gripe was that I found it 'dolloped' into the bath rather than poured out of the bottle. I don't know why this bothered me but it did. I also found it didn't create as many bubbles as I usually find with my Radox. For now I'm enjoying This Works Deep Sleep Bath Salts.

Two hand cream minis, L'Occitane Vitoria Regia and Liz Earle Orange Flower Hand Repair both of which were enjoyable but nothing I'm rushing to repurchase. I found the L'Occtane a thinner formula than Liz Earle but the latter was a perfect mini size for travel or in your handbag.

I always enjoy when I find make up appearing in my empties, and more so at the moment as I continue my declutter. With a brand new Clarins Bronzing Duo sitting untouched in my drawer it was madness I was clinging to this older version to avoid wasting.  I've spoke of the Clarins Bronzing Duo often and remembered how much I loved it back in March this year and it'll be nice to make a dent in a fresh one.

Another product that I dread to think how old it is (but I know my Mac lipstick collection moved from my parents to my flat over 7 years ago!) is Mac Cremesheen Lipstick in Hot Gossip. I'm quite impressed that I obviously loved this product enough to have almost used it up but somewhere along the line it had become too hot and was broke and in a right old state so I've added it to a pile of products I have to 'Back to Mac'. For fans of Syrup lipstick from Mac you might like this shade. It's lovely for this time of year.

Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Mascara is your typical product of it's type which I enjoyed using. I have since repurchased L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper which is not dissimilar although as a slightly smaller wand to work with. With Wet n Wild not readily available on the high street it's not something I'd need to hunt out but I might throw one into my basket when I'm next in the US.

The Portuguese toothpaste, Pasta Medicinal Couto was one I used for travel and in later weeks everyday to use up and it's not for me. If you're a fan of the traditional toothpastes that taste more like bicarbonate of soda them you may favour this. The tube was also a nightmare to squeeze from.

Peel of masks have been one of the latest trends and a source of great amusement of late and even my friend tagged me in one on Facebook but I'm pleased to say that Superdrug Black Seaweed Peel Off Mask* isn't one of the pain inducing ones. If you are one of those people who was a fan of painting your hands with glue to peel off then pick up one of these affordable masks from Superdrug at just 99p.

Containing Seaweed and Sea Buckthorn which will cleanse and detox the skin I didn't find this harsh at all and skin looked fresh and cleansed. I kept on for approx 15 mins and some of the thicker parts were still a little wet and had to be washed rather than peeled off but I appreciated that it was less messy than clay masks so can certainly see the appeal.

Skincare products used up recently including ALGENIST Genius Ultimate Anti-Ageing Cream* after using in Center Parcs and my previous years holidays. As I've said in previous features it's a mousse like texture which is step up from a thinner lotion but not as thick as heavier creams. It's a high end brand so perhaps a little more than I'd like to spend but never say never.

The Hero Project is a brand I only discovered last month and the Hyasoft Instant Moisture Boost* was my least favoured of the products. It's a gel like product, similar to Pixi's H20 Skindrink Hydration Gel which I prefer.

Dermalogica is a brand I feature regularly and their Intensive Eye Repair* is a great eye product I enjoyed using and as you will hear me talking often in my reviews of late I do feel that I have seen a significant improvement in my fine lines around my eyes and dark circles resulting in my concealers applying far better than ever without any creasing to speak of thanks to my under eyes being so hydrated.

It may be surprising that the only purchases I made from Sephora when I visited Las Vegas last year were from the Sephora mask range. I'm not yet fully on the sheet mask band wagon although we did enjoy one or two in St Lucia and I do appreciate them for ease.

The Sephora Collection Eye Mask, Pomegranate and Sleeping Mask are the ones I used prior to my first day back to work and both were pleasant to use. The pomegranate masks are to 'awaken and tone the skin' and reduce the signs of fatigue so it's something I picked as I was typically in the 'always tired' camp through lack of sleep.

I used some DHC eye masks during my trip to St Lucia and they were amazing, they are scheduled for review and whilst the Sephora versions were nice enough for their price they felt inferior to the DHC offering. They felt very thin yet evident on the skin and not quite the 'right fit'. As I say these are only niggles and wouldn't stop me using nor repurchasing but not quite a must have.

The Sleeping Mask was very interesting. It's size makes it great for travel and I was able to get two uses out of this capsule. It was somewhat like applying jelly to my face and I was particularly surprised how cooling it felt on the skin so I imagine it would be a lovely product in the current weather we're experiencing in the UK.

Another sad addition to my empties bag this month was What Skin Needs Hydrating Facial Serum* which is a saviour for tired, dehydrated or dry skin. I was introduced to the brand via PR and it's one I will repurchase in the future most certainly. You can read more about my usage here and I won't say much more because I just might have a little giveaway featuring this product very soon.

Maybe it's my age but I'm just not jumping on the full lip bandwagon so I was less inclined to be overly impressed with Transformulas Lip Volume* than others but I can't denying, whether that placebo effect or not as I added a swipe in the mornings by way of my skincare regime I did feel like my lips look plumper.

I used the This Works Energy Bank Skin Glow* as part of my Holiday Skincare Regime and continued using on my return. Interestingly it reminds me of my current serum from B. which I talked about in my New In Skincare post. This Works offers hydration but is a light formula so was perfect for the Carribean climate and would suit the current one in the UK right - the last thing I'm keen to do is pile too many oils and heavy serums onto my face. I'm also a fan of the pump dispensers. I'm currently experiencing a rage against pipettes which I find one a product gets halfway used they seem to stop picking up an product so instead I'm pouring onto my hand.

I am laughing to myself as a I have read the blurb on A-Derma Exomega Cleansing Oil* reading to link and have had the realisation that this cleansing oil is for the body not the skin which is how I was using it.  What is a shower product for eczema-prone skin I am able to tell you was amazing as a cleansing oil on my face so you could argue it does double duty. Perhaps not my smartest move and it'll teach me to read up about a product before I pile onto my face although it's a shame as I really enjoyed using this product.

Finally is a travel size of Colab Extreme Volume Dry Shampoo*  a product I will certain repurchase in it's mini form as I love to have a supply of this in my handbag of desk at work to give myself a little volume throughout the day. I have talked about Colab many times if you'd like to read more.

There ends my bumper post of empties throughout May; what products did you use up this month?

*this post contains press sample and / or affiliate links

July Beauty Haul

I'm still on a mission to use products I have before buying new ones but one or two items have made their way into the empties pile which gave me an opportunity to make some repurchases and of course, one or two other things made their way home with me.

Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads

I recently discovered First Aid Beauty's Facial Radiance Pads and really enjoyed using them, so much so that they appeared in my May Favourites and I whizzed through them with some speed. When I reached the end of my small tub I was all set to make a reorder when I received a notification that Superdrug had an offer on the Nip+Fab version. For a steal at just over £5 I couldn't resist giving these a try to see how they compare. I shall report back.

L'Occitane Hand Cream, Vitoria-Regia
This was actually a gift from mum who knows how much I love a hand cream. Also minus the C it's almost named after me. Aquatic Floral notes are how L'Occitane describe this scent and I can't argue with that. It's a nice change from my favoured citrus scents and only Roger & Gallet have come close to  competing with L'Occitane in the hand cream stakes. Whilst the speed with which I go through hand cream these days makes larger tubes more desirable I can't deny enjoy the practicality of these smaller tubes especially for my handbag.

Makeup Revolution Highlighter, Pink Lights
This will be my first foray into Makeup Revolution products and I think I've made a good starting point. With strobing all the rage at the moment and deciding I had a gap in my highlighter I decided to give this a try. I was amazed at the first swatch and whilst yet to dive into using as instructed I'm looking forward to it.

Maybelline BROWdrama
This is my third tube of Maybelline's BROWdrama and it's safe to say I'm a big fan. Another product making it's way to holy grail status I favour this over even the Anastasia Brow Wiz. This product is so quick and easy to use and takes minimal effort. I was even using this on holiday when usually I wouldn't bother worrying about eyebrows whilst lounging round the pool.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
Was it completely necessary to repurchase this concealer when I have other 'adequate' offerings in my stash? Probably not but continuing the holy grail theme and with an offer on Maybelline products in Superdrug it was thrown into the basket. I don't tend to do much concealer other than dark circles and this works a treat for me. Creamy and easy to blend (adopting Mary Greenwell's patting method of late) this doesn't crease or settle into my fine lines. Hailed as a dupe for the Nars blogger favourite I'm happy with my more affordable offering.

The Wet Brush, Safari Collection

I do love The Wet Brush and this is my third purchase due to them not travelling too well. The delicate bristles can be squashed if you squeeze into a make up bag, you can slightly see some damage already to this one after taking it away for the night last week. Not to self find another brush for travelling but otherwise I have no complaints. I quite enjoy the repurchase of The Wet Brush as it gives me an opportunity to choose a different colour way. As you can see this time I embraced my love of animal prints.

What have you been repurchasing lately?

Skincare Empties June 2015

I have ploughed through my skincare products lately and a random mascara thrown in for good measure. You know how these posts work so let's get to it. 

Soap & Glory Peaches & Clean Cleanser
Repackaged and renamed Peaches & Clean Cream Cleanser this is a product I enjoyed using. It was my regular morning cleanse and the pump bottle was perfect. I would definitely repurchase for it's peachy scent.

Sleek I'm Conditional Mascara*
Promoting strong, long and healthy lashes I'm Conditional formula aids growth. The thick double bristle brush gave some amazing length and I was disappointed that the mascara went off before I had a chance to use in its entirety.

L'Occitane Angelica Hydra Vital Cream
I took this pot to Dubai with me but really didn't enjoy using it. I did persevere but it's balmy texture was not enjoyable to use as a moisturising step and I found the scent too waxy.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo[+]
Another one of those products that is always cropping up in these posts. You can read the Effaclar Duo Review here or take my word for it that this is a must have for those who suffer from frequent blemishes or the odd one or two.

Proactiv Skincare Regime*
You can read my full review on the Proactiv Skincare Regime in this post. In short I was a fan of the regime although it's nothing something I would repurchase long term as 'at my age' I require a few more hardier products in my routine.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish
An oldie but a goodie. Whenever I travel I can always rely on Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish and this tube making it's way into empties shows it's had some love during recent trips. I will certainly repurchase for future trips.

Dr Organic Snail Gel Facial Serum*
Would you use 'snail gel' on your face? Well I did. A whole bottle of it and loved it. You can read my review of Dr Organics Snail Gel Facial Serum for a full rundown but let me tell you this is one of the nicest smelling serums I have used. 

Soveral Floral Rain Hydrating Face Mist*
If you have already read my Holiday Skin Regime you will know that I was not a fan of Soveral Hydrating Mist. It was quite simply 'too floral' for me. This would not be a scent I would've repurchased for myself but frangrance aside it was a nice product to use.

Prai 24k Gold Wrinkle Repair Souffle*
This product is definitely a case of packaging over product. Very attractive it may be but I was disappointed to see how little product was inside such a large tub. Furthermore despite it's 'innovative algae active' I didn't find this cream any better than other more affordable options. It's also heavily fragranced and felt like quite an 'old lady' product. On the other hand I don't think I necessarily look any more wrinkled since using it so it's not all bad.

What skincare products have you been finishing lately?

*PR Sample

Holiday Skincare Regime

When heading off on holiday as a beauty blogger trying to streamline ones skincare can be something of a challenge. Whilst I have evenings at home when I reach for nothing more than micellar water or, shock horror a face wipe (yes it happens) I'm not prepared to go armed with only those tools when I travel. I also find that on holiday often with a sumptious bathroom to enjoy I pay more attention to my skin than ever. It looks like it paid off the past week as the girls I holidayed with all commented on how good my skin looked during the time we were away.

Here's a peek into what made it into my made it to Dubai with me.

Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Cleansing Water
We all know by now how much I love the Garnier Micellar Water and the cute travel size appeared in my recent holiday essentials haul. I like to use this as a first cleanse, particularly using it remove eye make up as I hate nothing more than seeing my mascara on a flannel. It was perfect to freshen up in the mornings, again particularly in the eye area, if I was rushing down to breakfast before going through my normal morning regime. I also took along the Garnier Micellar Wipes for particularly lazy days but as expected I used them more for freshening up rather than as part of a routine.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple 3-in-1 Cleanser
I used to use Philosophy's Purity Cleanser years ago after watching a QVC demo. Seeing it melt away make up impressed me way before I knew anything significant about skincare and it's benefits. I'd picked up this 90ml size from Sephora last year and it had been sitting waiting for the perfect travel opportunity, Dubai being it. I really enjoyed using this cleanser. All make up literally disappeared from my face when I used it. It's sold as an 'all in one' product and whilst I wouldn't use as just one step it certainly goes someway to tick all the boxes as skin was left hydrated after use with no dryness at all.

Balance Me Pure Skin Face Wash
The Balance Me Pure Skin Face Wash was a freebie with a magazine a few months back and the ideal product for my morning cleanse. Unfortunately whilst the product itself was fautless I wasn't a fan of the scent. It was too musky for me and didn't make for a pleasant experience. The results, brightening and illuminating from moringa and rice bran oils were certainly evident and as such I will happily continue to use it up.

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads
Bloggers and YouTubers have raved about the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads for months and after picking these up last year I finally got around to using them on my holiday. And I loved them. Having used what I suspect was a long expired bottle of Pixi Glow Tonic my return to acid toning was welcomed. I felt the tingle and loved the tingle. I do like to use a product that I can 'feel' working. Finally I understood the raves about acid toning, a step I did 'because' rather than understood. I'll certainly be using this and repurchasing when the time comes.

Soveral Floral Rain Hydrating Facial Mist*
A handy size of Soveral's Floral Rain Hydrating Facial Mist sounded just the thing for my travels and the perfect second step in my toning stage. Unfortunately this was a product I didn't enjoy due to the scent. As it's name would suggest it was very floral - time to state the obvious clearly. Orange blossom and my dreaded red roses were not not for me. Scent aside as a hydrating mist this was pleasant and I'm currently trying to finish the final couple of squirts before reusing the bottle for my next trip in June!

StriVectin SD Eye Concentrate*
This should be named the eye cream that never ends. I feel like that I've been using this tube forever and had hoped that it would empty during my trip but alas it has returned home from me. StriVectin is a brand that looks quite clinical in its packaging and fits their claim of 'Bold science. No nonsense results. That’s smart beauty for smart women. That’s StriVectin'.

StriVectin SD Eye Concentrate is an award winning eye cream that targets under eye wrinkles and cross feet which I would state are my only real concerns as I have cross over to the wrong side of 30. I can simply say that despite my 'age' I think I'm tackling the eye area particularly well and I must give thanks to StriVectin for that.

ESPA Optimal Skin ProSerum
I probably would have actually forgone a serum whilst away if it had not been for this itty bitty sample size I'd received with my Tatler Magazine subscription. Even handier is I have the full size of this serum so will be able to fill up for my trip to Ibiza next month. This is a pricey serum, very much like an oil which I liked to use of an evening. Many natural ingredients encourage brightening and evening of skin tone, enhance elasticity, firm and protect against premature ageing all things I won't say no to. I stuck to apply this of an evening and happily woke with fresh skin.

L'Occitane Angelica Hydra Vital Cream
This was the second of two moisturisers I used on holiday, the other being The Body Shop Aloe Soothing Day Cream which will appear in my Holiday Empties post on Monday. The L'Occitane Angelica Hydra Vital Cream was my least favourite. It was a funny texture, more balm than cream and felt a bit strange to apply. Again as a disclaimer I must state this has possibly been hanging around longer than it should have. That said it was odd but not unpleasant just not the usual moisturiser I am used to.

As mentioned I'm heading off on another holiday in three weeks time so I'm looking forward to putting together another stash of skincare for that trip based on my loves and likes of this one.

What skincare do you pack for your holidays?

*PR Sample

April Empties Part Three

You know the drill by now so let's dive in to the third and final installment of April's Empties.

Batiste Dry Shampoo; Medium & Brunette 

My forever repurchased dry shampoo, cans are found in desk drawers and my at home stash and was handy for refreshing hair before heading to breakfast or a day sat round the pool. I need to repurchase pronto.

No 7 Make Up Brush Cleanser 

Round of applause to me for cleaning make up brushes on holiday please. There was a small amount left and knowing I would be chopping and changing make up I wanted to take something along for spot cleaning. This is a great product, cheap and easy to stock up on when Boots/No 7 have their offers.

Radox Uplifting Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel* 

This shower gel in pink grapefruit from Radox is a favourite of mine which I talked about in this post. Sadly it was abandoned during the colder months as I reached for more Autumnal scents so I was pleased to take this away with me. Key Lime and Peppermint* was also finished by Ben but he didn't understand the rules on keeping empty bottles! I would definitely repurchase once I've cleared the ridiculous collection of shower gels sitting in my bathroom.

L'Occitane Almond Oil Shower Gel 

I would recommend this product to anyone, I have repurchased this shower oil sooooo many times over the years. This oil smells amazing and makes shaving duties a breeze and you could even miss out on the body lotion your skin is left so smooth. If you buy yourself one thing this month make it this you will not be disappointed.

L'Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Hair Spray; Normal Strength 

Who doesn't love or have a can of Elnett on their dressing table? One of those products you can rely on, has hold without leaving hair crispy I've already repurchased.

And there ends April's Empties. As usual share what you have used up this month or any thoughts on the products I have and next month normal one empties post service should resume. 

*PR Sample

Products that didn't work for me #1

It stands to reason that in the course of buying, testing and using all manner of beauty products that some things just won't work for me even though they do for someone else. I'm lucky that I don't have sensitive skin so I rarely suffer from any bad reactions and there's such variety of products that if one doesn't work there's another that will and life's just too short to use something that I don't enjoy using. Here are a few things that have been passed on to friends and family as they have no place in my routine.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer link

The Elasticizer is such a cult product that it's sold in supersize bottles on QVC and the majority of people have great things to say about it. I may have got to grips with my skincare regime but hair is something I'm still struggling with. I picked up this tube from Marks & Spencer's beauty hall months ago and expected great things and I was sorely disappointed. I used as a treatment, tried leaving overnight but nothing worked for me. There was either little difference to my hair or it looked work. Let me tell you I was annoyed, this is not a cheap product and worse free samples were given out with a magazine about a week after I'd purchased it. This has now gone on to my friend who loves and uses this product so don't let my bad experiences sway you but beware it won't work for all.

L'Occitane Lavande Lavender Hand Cream link

I love hand cream, especially those from L'Occitane but not in this instance. I loved the idea of a relaxing bath with my Ragdale Hall Bath Essence (read about that here), climbing into bed and applying soothing hand cream and falling into a deep slumber but I just couldn't bear the scent of this. I don't mind a little lavender in my products but in this case it was just too overwhelming and I found it distracting. In a world with so many hand creams on offer despite persevering I had to add this to the 'bin it' pile.

No 7 Pore Vacuum Mask link

I reviewed this mask in my 'What to buy with No 7 vouchers posts' here so I won't repeat myself too much but in short this mask is messy, hard to remove and generally an unpleasant experience. I used twice in the spirit of thorough testing but wouldn't put my skin through any more. 

Crabtree & Evelyn Gardners Hand Therapy link

I was given a gift set containing four Crabtree & Evelyn hand creams and loved them all, apart from the Gardners Hand Therapy. The formula itself is lovely but the scent described as 'herbaceous freshness of green clover, sage, thyme and rosemary' it's no surprise the smell didn't appeal. It literally smelt like a garden on my hands and I'm certainly not green fingered.

Clinque High Impact Mascara link

I received Clinque's High Impact Mascara with a bonus time collection and simply I suffer from fall out with it. By lunchtime my mascara is sitting under my eyes and that is not a good look for anyone. I have an abundance of mascara's in my drawer that the results just weren't worth putting up with tidying up throughout the day

Revlon Lash Potion link 

I picked up this mascara when I was in Las Vegas last year and was completely led by it's attractive packaging and tag line 'for spellbinding volume and supernatural length' - I'm a marketers dream. I didn't have high expectations for it's 'potion' which strengthens lashes that was just an added extra and I can't comment on them further as I didn't use it for any length of time. What did disappoint was it promised to 'magically transform' lashes to be long and lustrous which I didn't find at all. It was what I'd refer to as a day mascara, you know the ones, it makes lashes look nice and prominent but certainly not anything special and I wouldn't reach for it on a night out. I would've maintained using this mascara if it hadn't been like Clinque's offering about the fall out. I can forgive a product if the look is right but in this instance it was out of the make up bag for me. I've since seen one or two reviews that this works better once it's started to dry out but the impatient soul I am, I have no time for that when there are bigger and better mascara's to use.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer link

And we end on possibly the most disappointing of all, Laura Mercier's highly spoke of foundation primer. This was one of those products I first brought when I entered into the beauty blogging world. Every blogger and YouTuber was talking about this in favourites, I was new to Laura Mercier, loved a wonder product that would mean minimal effort from me to touch up my make up throughout the day so I added a tube of this to my shopping basket. Firstly I wish I'd researched more as I would've gone for the smaller, cheaper tube I didn't know existed. I'm not a fan of the formula of this as I found it quite heavy and sticky when applying. I always apply my primer well in advance of my foundation to allow it time to sink in but this always felt like it needed extra time. I also didn't see any longevity with my make up after using this and as I'm not a big primer user I needed to see something positive to add the extra step into my routines. I've recently been testing my primers for a post to come next week and gave this another whirl and it's just not for me compared to others I own.

So there you have it, some surprising and disappointing products in that list which I'm sure some of you will say 'but I love that' and other's I hope I'm not alone with. Let me know any of your experiences with these products or anything I should stay away from.

Sleep at Christmas

Christmas can be a stressful time whether it's attending numerous parties or writing a million Christmas cards and wrapping presents so I thought I'd put together a few night time treats that I use to help aid my slumber as I'm not a great sleeper at the best of times.

1. Elemis Quiet Mind Relaxing Bath Elixor link
This was a gift for my birthday and swiftly became part of my evening bath time routine so much so it'll be popping up in Decembers empties post. I love adding anything to my bath that fills the whole room with it's scent and this certainly does the trick containing one of my favourite scents of eucalyptus. I'm not certain I take time to breathe deeply to release the days tension and enjoy an aroma of peach and serenity as I'm usually watching YouTube videos whilst in the bath but I do take the time to relax.

2. L'Occitane Lavande Organic Shower Cream link
L'Occitane's Lavande range has had a bit of a revamp since I received my bottle of Shower Cream. This and the hand cream which I'll get to in a moment are my least favourite products. I've discovered in using this that I'm fussy about the strength of the lavender strength and this was just a bit too floral for my liking. I also didn't especially enjoy using the cream or find it anything special but it was quite an old bottle so perhaps I can blame it on that?

3. Ragdale Hall Relax Restful Pillow Mist link
I picked up Ragdale Hall's Pillow Mist on a complete whim when I believe I was throwing a strop walking through Marks & Spencer Beauty Hall (reason for the strop unknown!). I liked the idea of spritzing this on my pillow before bed and I wasn't let down. The lavender scent from this I love and there's nothing better than snuggling into bed and hugging a cushion. If I had to give you one top tip for a last minute Christmas gift for any female friends or family this would be it - for £5 you can't go wrong.

4. Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate link
This isn't the first time I've mentioned Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate as it's one of my favourite skincare items I've discovered on my travels. I was nervous on purchasing as it's not the cheapest of products but my bottle is lasting FOREVER so cost per use is minimal and it's worth every penny in my opinion. I hate using anything on my skin that makes me feel greasy and this oil does nothing my leave my skin soft, supply and hydrated - perfect for tired looking skin. And it smells fantastic!

5. L'Occitane Lavande Hand Cream link
I'm usually a number one fan of L'Occitane hand creams but this is my least favourite. As with the shower cream I'm not too fond of the scent and this is the 'wettest' of their hand cream formulas I've used. To be honest as I'm typing this I think 2014 is the time to move on to something else and say goodbye to this product.

So there you have a few of my festive sleep aids, let me know what helps you get to sleep at this busy time of year.

 

Review // L'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Hand Cream

Hand cream is fast becoming one of my favourite beauty products. I have a long running joke with my mum that she needs to flash me her hands to remind me of the necessity for using hand cream - and so far it's working.

If you catch my empties posts you will know that I go through an awful lot of hand cream. There are tubs and tubes located in handbags, draws and my desk at work and I have reached the point that I cannot bear the feeling of having dry hands particularly after washing them.

I'm a big fan of L'Occitane products and their shea button hand cream is a top seller but when I saw an offer on their Immortelle Brightening Hand Cream I thought I'd give that a try - sadly I was disappointed so let me tell you more.

I purchased this hand cream due to it offering SPF15 to help protect hands but more so because of it's claims to fill out lines and smooth the skin so it appears more even and any age spots are reduced. I'm quite lucky that I spent a large part of my younger days avoiding the sun so I don't have any great skin damage but prevention is as good as a cure so the say.

Whilst these claims are great I just don't think I'm going to use this product long enough to confirm or refute them. The texture of the cream is to me simply unpleasant. As soon as I pop the cream on to my hands I feel like it instantly sucks any moisture from them and is ridiculously drying. Whilst this is great for my 'can I pick up a cup test' my one major dislike is having dry hands so using a product that does the opposite of what I want isn't for me.

I have tried to persevere with using this cream but I'm afraid it's time to give up. Funnily enough I was chatting with Carissa last night and she had exactly the same thoughts so I'm glad I'm not alone but would love to hear if anyone out there loves this cream and it's a definite hit for people who do not enjoy hand creams and lotions that leave hands too greasy.

I think my next hand cream purchase might just have to be the Laura Mercier sampler available from Space NK here let me know if you've any experiences with these and pop all your hand cream recommendations below.

September Empties

Its cliched at this time of the month to wonder where the previous one disappeared to but seriously, where did September go? That aside I managed to work my way through and finish up a large number of products so lets get on with the job in hand, starting with skincare.

Balance Me Expression Line Filler* is touted as a natural botox for an instant smoother looking complexion. I'm well aware after my many years of frowning that there is no wonder product (in serum form) that will make them disappear but this product does seem to temporarily do what it says. I find that by the end of the day my lines are certainly more prominent and even more so if I don't use this product for a day or two. I'm currently testing two alternatives to see how they fair but this is one I'd certainly repurchase.

With every blogger expressing such love for Bioderma there was no way I couldn't give it a try myself. Was I overally impressed? Not really. I can't quite work out the hype. Yes it's a quick fix product but I found it no better than L'Oreal's Micellar Water and certainly not as luxurious as a cleansing balm. Would I repurchase? Unless I was shopping the aisles of Parisienne pharmacy with a view of the Eiffel Tower, then no.

St Ives Apricot Scrub* does have the best rep now that skincare trends are leading us to daily exfoliating toners and avoid the harsher scrubs. Whilst I tend to be a follower of those trends these days I have had this sitting in my bathroom and sometimes I feel like my skin needs that extra scrub and reach for the tube. It is harsh, it is gritty and I certainly wouldn't recommend this for sensitive skin types and I'm sure there are many of you that will avoid this all together but I've not had any problems. Would I repurchase? Probably no but only because of my use of the double tone. 

Which leads me nice only to Nude Purify Toning Water. I can never seem to find too many reviews or recommendations for toners other than exfoliating toners so when my faithful Liz Earle ran out I had a wander round the aisles of Space NK and this came home with me. It was my first time trying something from Nude and as toners go I have no complaints. Would I repurchase? Yes if I was in Space NK and wanted something at a fair price point but as I was in Boots knowing this was due to run out I returned to my old love Liz Earle. 

A few skincare samples that I used were the Origins GinZing Moisuriser. I love it, there's nothing more or less to say. It is on my list to purchase but until I've used up some other products in my collection I just can't justify it... for now! I can't say too much about YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum as I think for the type of product it is you cannot get a full opinion of how effective it is with the small sample on offer, unlike Le Nuit De Chanel. If I can manage to avoid throwing a full size of this into my basket when I'm shopping in Duty Free two weeks from now I will consider my willpower to be exceptional. I loved this product. The smell is amazing and I just loved applying this for the few nights it lasted.

I won't go into too much detail about Sure Maximum Protection* and Dove's Purely Pampering Lotion* as you can find them reviewed here and here but they are both on the repurchase list. Another empty I can't say too much about is St Tropez Everyday Gradual Mousse. I've had this forever. I was obviously not very diligent at applying daily so when I did use it as it wasn't an instant tan I'd see minimal results. It's quite bizarre tanning with a white/clear mousse and of course there is the St Tropez smell - but then I'm slightly strange and like that! Would I repurchase? No but only because I'm braver these days and would go straight in for their instant products. 

Finally a couple of samples from Chanel of their Coco Mademoiselle Body Lotion. I've never been one for matching body lotions to my perfumes but having used this sample and being a frequent wearing of the perfume I would like to change that. Angel by Thierry Mugler was a lovely body cream to apply and a scent I've enjoyed. I've never used any of the fragrances but I would certainly give them a second glance now.

I'm in love with Radox Pink Grapefruit & Basil shower gel* and a second bottle is sitting in my bag ready to head to Vegas with me. I am not in love with the next two products. I didn't enjoy the Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser. I can't quite work out where it saves time. I found it greasy to apply. I didn't enjoy the step away from the shower method to let it soak in (surely this defeats the object!) and found I still wanted to use a body lotion on top of it. Definitely not one to repurchase. I'm a big fan of L'Occitane Almond Oil but the same can't be said of the Lavender Shower Cream. I would use this of an evening when trying to wind down after a long day at work but I didn't really enjoy it. I found it thick but not creamy and somewhat drying afterwards. 

Moving on to some hand products, IOMA is a brand I'd not heard of till recently and was given their Cocoon Hand Cream* at a press event. I'm fussy about my hand creams but this one past the test (the test is can I lift my mug at work after applying!). I particularly liked it's pump/nozzle which dispensed a thin 'string' of product rather than the usual blob. It was much easier to distribute and I would definitely repurchase. As I would my favourite L'Occitane Hand Cream. I've mentioned this on many occasions so I will avoid repeating myself. 

Sally Hansen Acetone Free Polish Remover is a hangover from my acrylic nail days but still does the job of removing my polish. One tip of the bottle onto a cotton pad is usually sufficient to clean 1 or 2 nails so you can see this bottle would last a long time. I don't find my nails to be too dry after using and would definitely repurchase - in fact I already have!

I'm interested to see how different October's empties will be as I seemed to have got through quite a lot this month; thank you if you've made it this far.

As always link me up to your empties post and let me know if you've tried any of these products and what you thought of them.

*PR Sample

June Empties

It's Monday, it's the first of the month so that must mean it's time for another round of empties. I haven't appeared to have used to many items this month and now I'm embarking on a spending ban of sorts (more sensible spending than ban shall we say!) so trying to use what I have in my stash rather than adding more items that I don't need nor have the time to use!

Enough rambling, on with the empties. First up is Molton Brown's Warming Eucalyptus and Ginger Salt Scrub. I absolutely love the smell of this scrub and have the matching shower gel which is a winter favourite when I'm suffering from a cold and was actually dug out of the cupboards last week when I had a bit of sniffle. This is a definite repurchase although likely later in the year read for the cold season - and of course I'm desperate to try the Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub receiving rave reviews from bloggers everywhere.

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil is my desert island essential. This is the one product that I have repeatedly used and repurchased time and time again. Again I love the smell which lingers long after your bath or shower but more importantly how fabulously it leaves your legs when shaving. Having pre-beauty blogging times I was very lax with body lotions so this shower oil helped put some moisture back into my legs. The only negative with this product is that it's not ideal for the Summer months when tanning so I'm currently embracing new shower gels and body lotions to compensate.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner was a bit of a miss with me. I was given this as a freebie when buying my Kiehls skincare haul (see post here) a few months ago and glad I never added the full size to my purchases. I literally have nothing to say about this product as there was nothing significant to mention. I didn't enjoy using, my skin didn't acknowledge I had used and I could easily have been putting water on my face!

When I received VO5 Hot Oil* treatments in the post I was instantly transported back to being a teenager. I remember back in my younger days when I wanted to feel grown up, popping the oil in a mug of hot water before treating myself to a treatment - so glam! I'm actually typing this post with my hair wrapped up in a towel following a second hot oil treatment as they're just the Sunday night boost I need.

Unfortunately I cannot give a full review on the Rosa Arctica Youth Regenerating Eye Balm from Kiehls as there wasn't enough to use long enough but as a cream on the eye area it felt pleasant and no complaints.

You can see a full review on LUSH Sparkle Toothy Tabs here but I'm a fan but think I'll be reserving for travel only.

The next item was a BIG disappointment. Chatting with a fellow blogger I saw that Yankee Candle had brought some new scents out for Summer so I immediately purchased Yankee Candle Summer Scoop and Fireside Treats. Sadly I found that both were lacking in scent. I do love Yankee Candles but find they're hit and miss whether the smell is strong and in the case of these two - nothing! I thought it may have been me but mum commented that she couldn't really smell anything either. Currently I'm burning another newbie, Movie Night and my living room is filled with the smell of popcorn!

The Creme De La Mer Oil Absorbing Lotion was another sample that I was impressed to be handed on one of my far to frequent trips to House of Fraser. Again I don't feel there was enough product to give a full review but I did find this quite a watery lotion that didn't feel particularly luxurious bearing in mind the price point. I'm not surprised they're having to charge so much for their products as on another trip a few days later they were once again handing out samples! I was a good daughter on the second occasion and handed over to my mum to use.

So there you have it, some thumbs up and thumbs down on the empties for June. As always let me know if you've any thoughts on any of the products I've discussed and if you have an empties post this month share your link.