September Empties

Another month, another empties post. This month I got through quite a few products without really trying; I was surprised to see that my 'empties' bag was bursting!

I ran out of three face products this month; my primer, foundation and powder. The MUA primer was nice but the packaging was frustrating because I always ended up squeezing out too much product so I'm not sure if it's something I'd repurchase. It's good if you're on a budget, though. My beloved Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua  foundation finally ran out this month but I've moved on to the YSL Touche Eclat foundation; espect to see a review of that one soon. I will probably repurchase Vitalumiere Aqua at some point in the future. The powder I finished up was the Clarins Ever Matte. I liked it but I do think it's a bit overpriced. My Chanel Rouge Noir nail polish finally became too gloopy to use. I've been looking for a similar shade but can't find one that seems just right so if you have any recommendations please leave them in the comments. 

I used up a second pot of the Lierac Smoothing Energizing moisturiser, a small bottle of Osmo's Beber Oil treatment and a Fresh Brown Sugar fragrance sample. I enjoyed using all three of these products but I don't expect to repurchase any of them just now.

This Johnson's 24 Hour Moisture Hand Cream is a great budget buy; I used to use this all the time and it's something I always seem to go back to. The Botanics All Bright Cleansing Face Wipes were just okay and not something I'm particularly keen to use again. I got through two pots of Lush Fresh Face Masks and enjoyed using both but much preferred BB Seaweed over Brazened Honey. 

This Boots Nail Polish Remover is another go-to budget buy for me. I've tried more expensive removers but none work as well as this one for me. I reviewed the Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Body Lotion yesterday and if you read that post you'd know that I have mixed feelings about the product. I don't think I'll be repurchasing. I would, however, consider picking up another tube of the Jergens Cocoa Butter Body Lotion; partly because it smelled delicious and partly because it felt really nice on my skin.

I wasn't overly impressed with the scent of Soap & Glory's Foam Call Shower Gel when I first smelled it but it seems to smell a lot nicer in the shower. I like that it comes with a pump because I tend to be too generous with shower gel. I'm not sure if I'd buy it again immediately but it is a nice product. I used up two shampoos this month; the L'Oreal Ever Strong Reinforcing Shampoo and the John Frieda Full Repair Full Body Shampoo. I realise that it seems as though I've used a lot of shampoo this month but the L'Oreal only had a little left in it at the beginning of September and I gave some of the John Frieda to a friend to try. I have reviews of both these shampoos coming up soon. 

I've had this can of Boots Firm Hold Hairspray sitting around for quite a while but I've been wearing my hair up a lot more recently and was reaching for it to tame flyaways. I don't think it's a particularly good hairspray but it did the job for me. The Tresemme Volumising Dry Shampoo is one of my all-time favourite hair products and one I posted about recently. I've already purchased another can! LUSH Rub Rub Rub is another product I reviewed positively recently. I still can't believe how much I loved the scent and it was a really effective exfoliator. I was given Prada Candy last Christmas and whilst I liked it initially I did get a bit bored of it so I'm quite pleased to have finished it up. There's just something about it that isn't right. I wish I could explain it!

So, those are my September empties. Did you use up many products this month?

Stace xx

Soap & Glory Original Pink Perfume

I'm going to put this out there; I'm terrible at describing scents! I do wear perfume, though, so I thought it was about time I started reviewing it. I try to only have one 'expensive' perfume on the go at any one time so I picked this Soap & Glory Original Pink as a cheaper option. The reason I wanted to review this first is because I don't think there are many people out there who don't know that typical Soap & Glory scent; this is essentially what this smells like. 

Whilst I like the Soap & Glory scent (rose and bergamot, apparently!) I find the body butter scent lasts far too long on my skin and it becomes a bit cloying to me. The fragrance is a nice alternative because it's a bit lighter.. The wear time is only a couple of hours with this perfume, which might be frustrating for some but I happily chuck it in my bag to reapply on the go because I'm not worried about the bottle getting damaged. 

Overall I think it's a nice product but it's not something I'd rush out to repurchase because there are a few other 'cheaper' perfumes I enjoy more than this one. If you like the Soap & Glory scent, this is probably a must have! It is priced at £16.50 for 50ml from Boots or the Soap & Glory website.

Stace xx

PS - Sorry I've been a bit absent for the last week. Moving was more difficult than I anticipated and I wasn't near a laptop for a week!

June Empties - Products I've Used Up

I want to say 'this month has flown by' but I don't think June has to be honest! I've had so many different things to do this month that the 1st of June seems like a very long time ago. I think I've got a slightly more normal amount of empties this month and didn't manage to get through an awful lot of make up.

Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes 

I bought these because I had a coupon so got them half price. They weren't terrible but I prefer the No7 ones.

No7 Quick Thinking Wipes

I think these are in every empties post! These are definitely my favourite face wipes.

No7 Eye Make Up Remover

This was a decent eye make up remover; it didn't sting or irritate my eyes but it does leave an oily film so if you don't like that, you probably won't like this! I've went back to Boots Botanics for eye make up remover for now but wouldn't rule out buying this again if I had a £5 off voucher.

Clinique Moisture Surge Moisturiser

I love this moisturiser but I refuse to buy the full size because it's £30 or something and I get through it so quickly. It's a very light gel like consistency so it makes a great day cream.

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap

This was the little tube I took on holiday with me so I just finished it up when I got back. I have a full sized bottle of this and it's one of my favourite face washes. 

The Body Shop Vitamin C Facial Cleansing Polish

I picked this up alongside the Vitamin C scrub that I love and it's a nice face wash. I'd definitely consider repurchasing in the future.

Origins Vita-Zing Moisturiser

This was my second tube of Vita-Zing and I do like it but I've found recently that I prefer a moisturiser with a lighter texture during the day so I think if I am going to repurchase it won't be until the winter time. 

Soap & Glory Fab Pore Facial Peel

This is not what I expected - it's basically just a clay face mask. It leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean but sometimes it reacts with my face wash and burns my skin. I think it's a bit too harsh for me.

Aussie Mega Shampoo

I love the smell of this stuff - it smells like raspberry jelly or something! It does start to build up a bit and irritate my scalp though which is annoying considering it's supposed to be a daily use shampoo. I think the Luscious Long version is better.

Johnson's Baby Shampoo

I use this as a brush cleaner and sometimes as a shampoo (if my scalp is feeling a bit sensitive) and it works well as both! I'll always have a bottle of this around.

Aveda Smooth Infusion Style Prep Smoother

This was just a little sample and it's a nice product but nothing special really. I prefer my Macadamia oil.

Macadamia Natural Oil Rejuvenating Shampoo

I really like this shampoo; this is the little bottle I took on holiday. I probably will repurchase this when I need to replace another product from the range or something.

Boots Expert Dry Shampoo

I like this dry shampoo but recently it seems to have gone up in price quite a bit - I remember when it was 99p. It's not the first one I'd purchase if I had the choice but I will buy it when it's on offer. It doesn't leave any residue in my hair, which I appreciate!

Garnier Intensive 7 Days Soothing Lotion in Calming Honey

I really, really enjoyed using this product. I think Calming Honey is my favourite scent/formula because it doesn't irritate my skin at all. I expect to repurchase.

The Body Shop White Musk Sumptuous Shower Gel & Smooth Satin Body Lotion

I bought these ages ago and have only just used them up. The body lotion isn't particularly moisturising but it's useful for layering and dries quickly. The shower get is just a typical shower gel really. I don't think I'd repurchase unless they were on sale.

The Body Shop Shower Gels in Papaya & Satsuma

I should point out that I didn't use three full bottles of shower gel this month, I took Satsuma on holiday and finished up Papaya at the beginning of the month. I often use shower gels from The Body Shop so I imagine I'll be repurchasing these, especially Satsuma; it smells so fruity!

Clinique High Impact Mascara

This was just a little sample. I used to buy this mascara all the time and it's nice but I've tried better mascaras in the past year/eighteen months.

Dior Addict Lip Polish in 001

The wand on this lip gloss is so weird - it rolls. I didn't like the scent/taste of this so I'll not be repurchasing but the shade is nice and natural and it does smooth out the look of your lips if you struggle with lines. 

Boots Conditioning Nail Polish Remover Pads

This is not technically an 'empty' - I just hate these things too much to use them!

Valentino Valentine EDP

This was a Glossybox sample, I believe. It smells quite nice but I don't think I'll ever buy it for myself.

Essie Fill The Gap Base Coat

I'm so sad that this has become too gloopy to use and I will probably repurchase it at some point but I'm trying something else right now (watch out for my haul post tomorrow!)

So...did you use up a lot of products this month?

Stace xx

Holiday Preparation: My Favourite Body Products

Any of my regular readers will know I went on holiday at the end of May. I had planned on doing a post like this before going away but just didn't get around to it but I thought it'd still be useful since most people probably haven't gone on a summer holiday yet!

I use quite a lot of body care products on a regular basis anyway but before going away I try to incorporate a number of products which leave my skin looking smooth, even and perhaps a little more firm.

I seem to be a big fan of Garnier at the moment! It's not a brand I've ever really paid much attention to but the Body Tonic Sugar Scrub was recommended by Kelly so I picked it up and the corresponding body lotion. I loved the scrub instantly; it exfoliates nicely and smells great. I think this is my fourth tube! The one pictured is actually a new one since I used up the previous one before I went away. 

The body lotion is marketed as a firming lotion and I have to say, I think it works pretty well. It's not as effective as another product I'll get to in a minute but when I use it every day over a period of time there is a noticeable difference (well, my boyfriend notices without me telling him I've been using it!) 

The other Garnier product I'd been using was the Intensive 7 Day body lotion in Honey which is targeted at those with sensitive skin. I've tried a few other scents in this range and I think Honey is my favourite; it's not very overpowering. The product itself is quite lightweight and sinks in quickly yet leaves my skin feeling hydrated. It's a huge departure from my favourite Body Shop body butters but I really rate these lotions.

I used a couple of other firming creams which I only use occasionally. The Sit Tight cream from Soap & Glory is excellent, it really works on any bumpy areas on the thighs. It feels incredibly tingly and warm so be aware of that before trying it! I used this for a week before going away. I used a Nip+Fab Tummy Fix gel on my tummy area too but I don't think it was as effective although I guess the texture of the skin there is very different. It also tingles but not as much at the Sit Tight. If you're wanting something that's a great quick fix, go for the Sit Tight.

Now we get to my favourite topic, feet. I'm kidding, I hate feet. I don't like my own feet, I don't like other peoples' feet...eugh! I use a foot file after I shower and always use cotton socks after applying a foot cream but I've really struggled to find a foot cream that works well. Until I found this little gem from The Body Shop. It's the Honey & Beeswax Hand & Foot Butter and it was recommended by Estee. It seems expensive for a little tub of foot cream but if you've struggled to find anything that works I'd definitely tell you to give this a go. I've used it a lot already and still have about 2/3s left. 

So those are the products I used, I hope that was helpful!

Stace xx

Haul: Topshop & Boots

I've not been into town for a while and I had a few clothing items to return so I popped into Topshop and Boots to pick up some new make up. There were a few things I'd been after for a while now. 

I also bought some clothes and accessories from Primark but I never really feel like posting about those. I see this blog as a beauty blog so I rarely feel the need to talk about fashion but if you'd like to see the occasional clothing haul, let me know!

I popped into a different Topshop today and it stocked the entire make up line! I was pretty restrained and just picked up two cream blushes. I tried one of these when they first launched but I wasn't a huge fan of cream blushes. I'm still not a cream blush fanatic but the formula of these isn't sticky, which I appreciate.

I got the famous Neon Rose which is a bright coral shade and Head Over Heels which is a peachy shade. These were only £6 each for 4g of product. Bargains!

I popped into Boots because I had some coupons to use. I had £2 off any Revlon product so I picked up the UK exclusive Lip Butter shade, Macaroon. I already have all the lip butters I want (apart from Creamsicle which is only sold in the US!) so I've not been hunting them down but I did like the look of this shade. It's a deep pink shade. The full range of Lip Butters was well stocked in the St Enoch Centre Boots in Glasgow if any of you are from here and still looking for them. This was £7.99 but I only paid £5.99.

There is a 3 for 2 offer across most of the cosmetics brands so I picked up three new products from Rimmel. I've been debating whether or not to try the Wake Me Up foundation for a while because I was worried it would be too luminous for me. I swatched it and it felt really nice on the back of my hand so I decided to give it a go. This was £8.99. I also picked up the corresponding concealer which was £5.49. I got both in the shade Soft Beige. I picked up one of Rimmel's new lip stains in Nothing But Nude which is a peachy-pink shade. That was £5.99.

I've been using up my perfumes recently and I've only got Prada Candy left now. I love that scent but I don't want to use it every day. I decided to give the Soap & Glory Eau De Soap & Glory Original a try. This was £16.50 for 50ml which is very reasonable for an everyday scent. This will be great for just chucking in my bag. I got a free Foam Call body wash since I'd spent over £10.

So that's it for my little weekend haul! Let me know if you'd like to see reviews of any of these products once I've had the chance to try them out.

Stace xx

Soap & Glory Supercat Liner

I picked this up a few weeks ago from Boots but it's also available online. It was £6 (link) which I thought was pretty reasonable. This is the first product from the Soap & Glory cosmetics range that I've tried.

The packaging is what you'd expect from Soap & Glory; it's a bit quirky and bright but still practical. It's basically exactly like a felt tip pen.

I should confess that I'm a total devotee to my Bobbi Brown gel liners and when I do want to wear liner, those are the ones I usually reach for. I've tried several liquid liners in the past and have always found them difficult to work with.

Soap & Glory say that this liner features 'our unique INKJET™ colour release & Gloss–Fix™ finish to give a rich and intense colour. The foolproof marker tip creates two looks - Fine point for a natural look or thick edge adds a dramatic flash!'

Their description is fairly accurate, I found I could get a fine line or a thicker one relatively easily. The nib is not very flexible though so it wasn't the most comfortable or precise application-wise. 

As you can see from the swatches, it does have a glossy finish once dry. I really liked that look as I find black liner sometimes looks really flat when it dries so I was impressed with the finish. However, this transferred pretty badly on me when I did a thicker line.

Would I repurchase this? Probably not, I prefer my gel liners for their staying power but I'll continue to use Supercat when I want a finer line.

Stace xx

Weekly Make Up: Something Old, Something New

Face

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

Clarins Ever Matte Foundation in 109 Wheat

Clarins Ever Matte Mineral Powder Compact in 02 Transparent Medium

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Peach

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in 3 Medium

Eyes

L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara in Black

Milani Liquif'Eye Liners in Black and Brown

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Maybelline Colour Tattoo Shadows in Bold Gold and Bad To The Bronze

Bobbi Brown in Sepia Ink

Chanel Eyeshadow in Beige Lame

Cosmetics A La Carte Brow Ink in Taupe

MUA Clear Mascara 

Soap & Glory Supercat Liner in Black

Cheeks

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed

TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer Highlight Powder

NARS Blush in Luster

Lips

Stila Lip Glaze in Apricot

Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain in Gothic

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Lip Gloss in Electric Cherry

Soap & Glory Lipstick in Naked Beige

NARS Lipstick in Honolulu Honey

Elemis Fresh Skin Loving Lips Lip Quenching Balm

I went for a mixture of old favourites and new products I want to try out this week - I've been enjoying it so far! I'm sorry this post is so late!

Stace xx

Haul: Boots, Debenhams & Cheapsmells

Since I've had a few days off, I've been doing a little bit of shopping. I've been pretty restrained; I had a lot of Boots coupons so I went a bit wild in there. I also made a teeny order on Cheapsmells and picked up a couple of things from the Clarins counter in Debenhams.

I needed some new nail polish remover and cotton pads so I picked them up in Boots. I always just go for the cheapest nail polish removers as I don't find the more expensive ones to be any better. Weirdly, though, I find Superdrug's cheapest polish remover and cotton pads are pretty rubbish in comparison to the Boots ones despite them being almost the same price. 

I had a money off coupon for Aussie and I really like their Mega shampoo so I picked up the huge 500ml bottle. I'm running out of body scrub so I picked up the Botanics Moisturising Sugar Scrub. This is also massive and it was pretty cheap too!

Speaking of scrubs, I also picked up the Boots Extracts Mango Scrub and the corresponding Body Butter. There was a 3 for 2 offer so I bought the Shea Body Butter too. I use body butters almost every day so I'm sure I'll get through these in no time!

I've not tried anything from the Soap & Glory cosmetics range so I decided to try a few products. I went for the Supercat liquid liner pen and lipstick in Naked Beige. I've been using the liner pen so there'll be a review of that up very soon.

I placed an order on Cheapsmells last week because everyone was going crazy over them selling NARS products at low prices. I picked up Galapagos single eyeshadow; I've been after it for a while. I've heard that a few people were unhappy with the NARS products they received as they thought they were old stock but the shadow is what I was expecting. I also bought another bottle of Macadamia Natural Oil Rejuvenating Shampoo because it's my favourite and I'm running low. 

After trying a sample of Clarins Ever Matte foundation and loving it, I decided to go and pick up the full size. I got the shade 109 Wheat. Whilst I was there, the assistant recommended the powder to go with it and since I've been having issues with oil control recently, I decided to give it a go. I got it in the shade 02 Transparent Medium.

I also got three samples of Clarins skincare products. I love getting these - it's a great way to try them without committing to the full sizes. I've found that Clarins are the most generous with these which I really appreciate - I usually end up buying the full size of at least one of them. She gave me the HydraQuench Intensive Serum, Water Purity One Step Cleanser and the Hydra Matte Lotion.

That's all for now!

Stace xx

Tag: 42 Beauty Questions I

I've spotted this on a few different blogs and it's been a while since I did a tag so I thought I'd do it even though I've technically not been tagged to do it. I'm basically using this as a procrastination tool! Answering questions about yourself is always fun though, right? 

First up, skincare:

1) How many times do you wash your face daily?

Usually once (in the shower). I use a micellar water solution otherwise.

2) What skin type do you have?
I'd say normal/combination. It used to be much oilier and then it was dry; now it's somewhere in between.

3) What is your current facial wash?
Clinique Mild Liquid Facial Soap. For some reason my skin just loves this stuff!

4) Do you exfoliate? 
I do.

5) What brand do you use?
I'm using Soap & Glory's The Greatest Scrub of All right now but I don't love it. The Body Shop's Vitamin C Microdermabrasion is much better.

6) What moisturiser do you use?
Origins Vita-Zing in the morning and Clean & Clear Dual Action at night.

7) Do you have freckles?
Nope.

8) Do you use eye cream?
I've been trying lots of samples but I'm not using one religiously at the moment. Feel free to recommend one!

9) Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
I've never had acne but I do get the occasional spot (usually on my chin).

10) Did you ever have to use Pro-Activ?
Nope - I live in the UK and that always makes me think of Flora Pro-Active...

To be continued!

Stace xx

December Empties

I didn't think I'd got through a lot of products this month but it turns out I did! 

Liz Earle Orange Flower Botanical Body Wash

This body wash is okay - I don't think it's anything special though. I prefer fruity or sweet scents so that probably explains why I didn't love this!

L'Oreal HiP Jelly Balm in Ripe

I love these little balms - I have about six others waiting in the wings! This shade is my favourite; it's a nice peachy colour. On the lips it's very sheer, glossy and moisturising.

Bath & Body Works Pocket Bac in Guava Grapefruit

I use these little guys a lot - I have one in every room! This scent is fruity and fresh.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation in Natural Beige 
I'm so sad that I've used this up! This has been my most used foundation this year.  Hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on another in the future. I wish they sold it here in the UK.

Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume in Brown
This has dried up now and whilst I did enjoy using it, I've been so impressed with my BeneFit They're Real that this made me feel a little 'blah' when I applied this for the last time. 

Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Serum
This little tube has lasted me forever. I think it's okay - when I first started using it, I did notice some improvement but over time I don't think it's done that much for my skin so I'll be on the lookout for a new serum now! Any recommendations?

Soap & Glory Pulp Friction Body Scrub
I reviewed this recently here. I've really enjoyed using this product and will probably pick up another once I've worked my way through all the other body scrubs I own!

Bath & Body Works Pocket Bac in Sour Drop
I wasn't super keen on this scent but I love these handy little pocket bacs. I've been through my stash and I'm horrified to see I only have two left!

Caudalie 1st Wrinkle Serum Eye Cream Smaple
I quite liked this eye cream, actually - I may have to pick up a full size.

Clarins Moisture Rich Body Lotion
This was a generous freebie when I picked up some Clarins products. It's absolutely lovely! It's very rich and a bit greasy so definitely not one to use in the mornings. It's very moisturising and smells delicious. The full size is £29 though...

Clarins Smoothing Body Scrub
This is another freebie (well, I got both together) and I really like this too. It's not as nice as the body lotion, though.

Tresemme Instant Refresh Volumising Dry Shampoo
This is my favourite dry shampoo and I will continue to repurchase it until I find something better. It doesn't give me the grey cast most other dry shampoos do.

Boots Essentials Nail Varnish Remover
I prefer this to the Superdrug one - it removes polish better. I don't get any peeling or brittle nails from using this. 

The Body Shop Papaya Body Butter
These body butters are my absolute favourite and I still have about three more to get through. This scent would probably be nicer in the summer but I love fruity scents all year round. 

Caudalie Quenching Sorbet Creme
I've not actually finished this but the pump has stopped working which is annoying since there's 1/3 of the product left. I've tried opening it but the texture looks a bit odd so I'm going to bin this. It's a nice face cream, shame about the packaging.






Did you get through a lot of products this month?


Stace xx