Products I Used Up | September 2017

Another delved into the pile of beauty trash I amassed over the past months starts with the usual regular appearances of Sure Maximum Protection* and The Wet Brush. Both are staples in my daily routines, although the former may be opted due to a new deodorant I've discovered recently so stay tuned for that in a later post. The Mitchum Deodorant mini is the usual type I have thrown in my bag for freshening up on the go.

I'd love to hear from other Wet Brush users and whether you have to change yours as regular as I do - especially as I don't think I have particularly thick knotty hair to battle. It's probably my only gripe that I do sometimes feel I'm replacing it every month or two but it does give me an opportunity to try out a new colour and there's nothing like a fresh new hairbrush.

Sticking with haircare and shampoo of the dry and regular varieties; Catwalk by TIGI Transforming Dry Shampoo* and John Frieda Sheer Blonde Honey Blonde Colour Illuminating Shampoo*. Both were products that worked as they should and I enjoyed using. You can read full reviews here and here but I suspect any repurchase will be made at John Frieda. As much as I loved the scent of the TIGI Dry Shampoo, I'll still with paying a few pound for the regular offerings.

The cooler temperatures means allowing my hair to air dry isn't so much of an option and it's time to reach for the hairdryer. When I was I powered through TIGI Bed Head Queen Beach Salt Infused Texture Spray* with it's beachy scent and more moisturising offering that left hair less crispy. I would repurchase again, and indeed would for my forthcoming holiday were it not for one or two other bottles lurking around I'd like to use up before the year is out. You can read my original review here.

I've been trying some new skincare items recently so we only say goodbye to Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner* and Lacura Expert Eye Gel. Interestingly and for transparency both these items were ones I loved in it's early stages but later started to find fault and hence there appearance in the basket. In the case of Dermalogica I think I was at fault and had allowed the product to hang around to long in amongst many other skincare products. At first it seemed fine when I reached for it again but the first tell tale sign with any product if the smell seems off it's time to get rid.

The Lacura Expert Eye Gel appeared in my April Favourites I liked it so much in it's early stages but as time went on I found it was a little drying and not quite doing what I wanted. That said a few other gel eye creams I've reached for I've found the same result so think in my older years I need something a little more powerful.

Two products I'm sad to say goodbye to are my Carmex Classic Wild Pot* and Revlon Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lip Colour in Devotion. Again I'm trying to use up lip balms I have in my collection before buying others but I really am missing Carmex although I'm not a fan of the pot. Stiletto nails do not create the perfect conditions for dipping fingers in but the product was fantastic at keeping lips moisturised.

Revlon's Devotion was my go to lip when I wanted some colour but I wasn't in the mood for the maintenance of a red lip, it also works well whatever the weather. I realised as I was wearing this week that it was becoming less easy to work with and dispense the product so I decided it was time to favour other products. I would repurchase but also as part of my decluttering I'm allowing myself time to discover if indeed I am missing certain products before hitting the repurchase button.

The ever present hand creams that I used up this month were again disappointments. Sorry for this months empties post appearing on the negative side but I guess thats how some months go. Weleda Almond Sensitive Skin Hand Cream* but as with Leighton Denny Best Defence Hand Cream* I found that my hands would not feel so moisturised after I'd applied. They were not dry in the same way as when they come out of water but I still find it was my usual experience.

*this post contains press samples and affiliate links

Bombshell Blue Beauty Products

When I first added beauty blogging to my repertoire what fascinated me most was how little bloggers appeared to wash their hair thanks to dry shampoo. As some with oily roots that was lucky to get through a day unfazed, the fact some went a day without washing let alone numerous days was mind blowing.

Now thanks to a little help from dying my hair can now last a day longer on occasion and whilst I'm happy with the affordable options such as Batiste and Colab from the high street it's always nice to try something a little high end that isn't as bank busting as Oribe.

Catwalk by TIGI Transforming Dry Shampoo* is around £10-15 depending on retailer and my first impression was that it looks far more sophisticated than the aforementioned budget brands. Even Colab has adopted a more colourful rebranding which I think is a shame as it stood out against Batiste. But back to TIGI Catwalk Dry Shampoo which I'm rather impressed with and could justify the more expensive price tag.

It has a musky masculine scent which I enjoy and its one of few dry shampoo's I've used that really doesn't leave a white cast in my brunette roots and doesn't leave hair powdery. The oily roots I'm usually trying to disguise are perked up and left looking a lot fresher. For it's price I really wanted to be a little blasé about it and say it wasn't worth the tag but if you're a brunette and struggle with the more affordable options available this might be worth a try.

Next, just like Britney I did it again, I justified purchasing the Wet Brush Bombshell Blue Hair Brush because of the colour palette and setting up this photograph. Yes I know I only just picked up a new Wet Brush recently but in my defence I had spotted this gorgeous blue colour on a dash through Boots one afternoon and could't stop thinking about it. Yes I know, sad isn't it I couldn't stop thinking about a hair brush but you all know by now I'm a big fan of the Wet Brush.

There's nothing I like more than repurchasing a new Wet Brush as you remember how good they are and tick yourself off for allowing your older brush to outstay it's welcome. As I type this I'm on holiday in St Lucia and following a day on the boat coated in really salt spray and deciding to let my hair whip around in the breeze rather than tie up my hair is something of a knotted mess but my Wet Brush, and admittedly it's the older of the two which I'm planning to leave behind has been far kinder to my hair as I try to brush it out.

How are you treating your hair at the moment?

* this post contains press samples and / or affiliate links