Empties: December 2014

I hate to sound so clichéd but I really can't believe this post signals the end of 2014; I've not been at all consistent in posting through December, but I'm hoping to pick up where I left off now and get back into the swing of things as we head into January. I've a few new post ideas which I'll hopefully be getting up and running sooner rather than later, and I'm excited to see what 2015 will bring! December's Empties are a bit of a mixed bag; after finishing very little in November, I've done a bit better this month, which I'm pleased about, but there seems to be a lot of the same type of product which is a little odd... Naked Smooth Silky Conditioner I love this stuff! It smells amazing, works really well to soften and moisturise the super-dry ends of my long hair, and is silicone-free so it doesn't build up in my hair or clog my pores on my back and chest, which I have noticed some other conditioners can do. I've been trying a few new things lately as far as haircare is concerned, but I do see myself coming back to this sooner or later.
Repurchase? Probably at some point.
Dove Hair Therapy Refresh + Care Dry Shampoo I can't remember which blog I saw this highly recommended on, but anyway I picked a can up to try and was actually pretty impressed; it smells really lovely, easily as good as my usual Batiste choices. It also worked pretty well at absorbing excess oil in my hair, without leaving as much of a white cast as other dry shampoos can.
Repurchase? Unsure, as I can't decide if it's worth the money.
COLAB New York Dry Shampoo Launched pretty recently by A Model Recommends blogger Ruth Crilly, I couldn't wait to try COLAB's Dry Shampoo and I went for the New York variant as the fruity fragrance sounded like my sort of thing. Again, this easily smells as good as my usual Batiste options and works well for my hair in terms of absorbing excess oil and freshening things up a little. It's also better than Batiste in terms of white residue, as well as being super reasonably-priced!
Repurchase? Probably; I was lucky enough to win a set of minis so I have one of each scent to see which I like the best!
OGX Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco Shampoo & Conditioner I really enjoyed using this duo, finding them to leave my hair feeling gorgeously soft and silky, whilst also lasting better between washes before it started looking oily. My only hang-up is the silicone in the conditioner, as it can tend to break me out, but so far I've not actually experience any problems.
Repurchase? Yes, I've already bought the full-sized versions of these, as well as another pair of minis for taking to my boyfriend's.
The Body Shop Aloe Soothing Day Cream* I was sent this as part of a little skincare bundle and was actually really surprised by how well it worked with my skin, as it's aimed at sensitive rather than oily skintypes; nonetheless, it didn't seem to make my skin any oilier, although it didn't do anything to control oil production either. That, alongside the fact that it doesn't contain SPF, would put me off purchasing this again, but I'm definitely keen to try other products from the range and it's by no means a bad product - just not ideally suited to me.
Repurchase? No.
Natural Collection Loose Powder 'Cool Translucent' This is the second jar of this powder I've used and, whilst it's cheap and does the job, I do seem to be going through it at quite an alarming rate compared to the Collection version I was using previously! I'm not sure if it's just a smaller jar (I need to check) or if I'm actually using more, although to be honest for £1.99 that's not really an issue.
Repurchase? Probably, although I'm currently trialing a £1 pressed powder from Poundland, and there are a couple of other brands I'd like to try first.
Lush D'Fluff Shaving Soap This fruity little number has actually lasted a lot longer than I expected, although admittedly I haven't been shaving my legs quite so frequently now that we're into winter and there's only the boyfriend seeing them... That said, it smells beautiful, works well for shaving, and doesn't seem to dry my skin out in quite the same way as other shaving gels and foams do. A winner for me!
Repurchase? Yes, though maybe as an occasional treat as it is quite pricey for what it is.
Nip + Fab Glycolic Scrub Fix I love this! Aside from smelling beautiful and fresh, my skin seems to adore it - the scrub particles are just right and my skin has been looking so much clearer since using this regularly three or four times a week. I actually stopped using it for a week or so and really did notice a difference in my skin, which I think is the real test of any skincare product.
Repurchase? Already have when it was on offer in Boots!
Boots Cotton Wool Double Faced Round Pads Booooring I know, but one of life's essentials for removal of nail polish, eye make-up, and general use of toners and micellar waters. These are affordable, often on special offers, and do the job just fine.
Repurchase? Already have.
L'Occitane Vanilla Bouquet Hand Cream This magazine freebie has been a lifesaver through the cold winter months as the eczema on my hands has flared up really badly; I've been keeping this next to my bed to slather on each night and whilst it hasn't prevented my skin cracking and flaking, I don't think there's a product out there that could. It has, however, helped to sooth the itching and burning, whilst softening my skin up as much as I could hope for.
Repurchase? Maybe, although it wouldn't be my fragrance of choice.
Pop Beauty Face Magnet Primer This is pretty much the best primer I've tried in terms of keeping my make-up on my face, I raved about it in my review and I still love it just as much now! It doesn't do much for hiding enlarged pores but as far as keeping my forehead matte, it's pretty much a winner for me.
Repurchase? I will, once I've used up some other primers as I have quite the stash at the moment!
Accessorize Volumising Mascara I really enjoyed using this mascara, it was perfect for me in terms of being super-black and adding plenty of volume to my lashes - and that's pretty much what I look for in a mascara as my lashes are pretty long anyway. It didn't flake or clump and was pretty easy to remove with my usual eye make-up remover, too.
Repurchase? I believe this has actually been discontinued now, but I would buy it again if it was available.

Party Dress Picks Under £50

With New Year's Eve fast approaching, a new party dress will be on a lot of ladies' minds at the moment; as I'm working both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, I really have no excuse for shopping this year (boo, hiss!) but that hasn't stopped me having a little browse of all the sequinned beauties available at the moment...

(Left to right):

LOVE Foiled Crepe Shift Dress, £38

New Look Green 3/4 Sleeve Sequin Dress, £16

TFNC Lace & Beads Star Embellished Dress, £40

LOVE Black Dress With Overlay Top, £17

Mandi Gold Leopard Embellished Midi Dress, £24

Of course a little sparkle is a must for NYE; the shift dress option makes hiding any extra Christmas pounds a breeze, which would be an important consideration for me! I'm loving the idea of straying from the more typical black/gold/red colour schemes with this gorgeous mermaid-esque New Look dress which I have to say is an absolute bargain. I'm also in love with the unusual design on the TFNC dress which I think would be really striking without being too much. The overlay top dress is another way of hiding any slightly curvier bits which may have appeared over the holidays... Finally, I don't think it's news to anyone how much I love leopard print, and I think this gold dress is my favourite; a ladylike knee-length, it's sparkly and also patterned - just my cup of tea! Do you have anything planned for New Year's Eve? What will you be wearing? Have any of these frocks caught your eye?

xo

Recent Purchases | Sales Edition

Hello! It's been literal weeks since I've posted - I'm still alive, I promise! December has been a bit of a manic month for me with work, interviews and appointments for new jobs, Christmas shopping and a load of family stuff, so I've just not had chance to post all the things I was hoping to throughout the month. Still, onwards and upwards, hey!? I'm back now and I thought it'd be nice to share the few bits and pieces I've picked up in the sales, although I've been pretty restrained this year (admittedly through financial necessity more than anything else...)!
I love sales at The Body Shop as they're ideal for stocking up on essentials - for me, nothing beats their body butters in terms of keeping my skin soft and hydrated, as my eczema flares up almost at the mere mention of liquid paraffin. So I picked up a couple of body butters, one in Chocomania and one from the Limited Edition Christmas Glazed Apple line. I also treated myself to a sugar scrub from the Chocomania range, as well as impulse-grabbing a tube of Coconut hand cream as I reached the counter. I've got a Love Your Body card which saves you an extra 10% even on sales prices (they are more than worth the fiver per year that they cost) so in all this little lot came in at just over £20. I also, on a complete whim, picked up the Origins mask trio in Boots as I'd been eyeing it up before Christmas, and reduced to under £20 I couldn't help myself! Having tried samples in the past, I know I love the Clear Improvement mask, and I'm keen to try the other two. I have also bought industrial quantities of Maltesers Merryteaser Reindeer (not pictured) from Superdrug as they're reduced to just 10p each, and I've bought myself a long-sleeved top (exciting, I know) from New Look for the bargain price of £2, (currently in the wash so not pictured either). It's dark pink, if you're interested. What have you bought in the sales? Do you go in with a plan, or just see what takes your fancy? Are you a stocker-upper like me, or an impulse buyer of utter rubbish? I'd love to know! xo

Review: Makeup Revolution The One Foundation

I've been meaning to write this review for literally months but have kept forgetting to sit down and get on with it - I received a bottle of Makeup Revolution's The One Foundation in Shade 8 as part of a giveaway prize quite some time ago now and have been using it on and off ever since. This foundation claims to provide, "Revolutionary fusion technology • Adapts to skin tone and texture • Full coverage • Buildable • Matte finish."
Presented in a black box with rose-gold type and a shade-signifying coloured strip at the top of the box, I think the packaging looks a lot more high-end than might be expected for the price tag! Within the box, the foundation is housed in a small plastic bottle with a black screw-cap and a small nozzle to make for easy dispensation of product. The formula of the foundation is very liquid, so much so that at first I thought it must have separated and I hadn't shaken it enough. Turns out that wasn't the case and it is just literally the runniest foundation I've ever used, by a long stretch! This makes it quite tricky to apply as it has a tendency towards running off my face before I've had chance to blend it in. However, it does blend well with the fingers, disappearing almost completely into the skin.
I was pleasantly surprised by how good the coverage was from such a runny product; I'd call it medium-coverage but easily buildable due to how thin the consistency is - I can't imagine this ever going cakey or feeling too heavy on the skin. I was a little dubious about how good a match Shade 8 would be for me, given that I'm super pale, but it's actually only a touch too dark and works okay once well-blended; if I was to repurchase I'd go for Shade 6 or 7, though the lightest shade on the website is 2. It's a bit of a novelty for foundation to be too light for me and I have to admit I'm really impressed with the shade range for this product. Below, you can see the foundation alone on my skin before any concealer or powder, which should give an idea of the coverage it offers.
For me, one of the most important considerations in a foundation is longevity; I work as a carer so I'm constantly on my feet running round at work, without time for touch-ups, so I need a base that lasts well without fading, sliding or getting too shiny. I find this foundation pretty average in terms of lasting power; I always use a primer and set with a powder, and find that it lasts around four to five hours before there's a noticeable shine on my forehead and nose. The foundation doesn't appear to slide or go patchy which is always a winner, so for me this is a reasonably good base choice, and I'm happy with how well it lasts on my skin.

[Products used: The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser; Makeup Revolution The One Foundation in Shade 8; Soap & Glory Kick-Ass Concealer in 'Light'; Makeup Gallery Smoothly Does It Pressed Powder in '1 Translucent'; NARS Powder Blusher in 'Douceur'; MUA Pro Brow Kit; Makeup Revolution Redemption Iconic 3 Palette; Accessorize Volumising Mascara]

Priced at £4 for 29ml of product, The One Foundation is available in 16 shades from Makeup Revolution online; for the price, you could definitely do worse, and as far as I'm concerned this is a lovely affordable option - it offers decent, buildable coverage without going cakey and lasts reasonably well even on my oily skin. Have you tried The One Foundation? What are your favourite budget-friendly base products?

xo

Review: Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Conditioning Shampoo

In my apparently never-ending quest for a shampoo which suits my oily scalp whilst not irritating my eczema-prone skin, I picked up a bottle of Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Conditioning Shampoo, which claims to replenish moisture and add shine whilst being ideal for fine/limp hair - something I've always struggled to find in an SLS-free formula! I have to admit I had high hopes for this little number as whilst going SLS-free has inarguably helped my eczema, I really do struggle to go two days between washes as SLS-free shampoos in general just don't seem to be designed for oily hair.
"Discover the Polynesian secret of Pure Coconut Oil in Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Conditioning Shampoo with Vitamin E. A natural blend of ingredients replenishes essential oils that have been stripped from hair that has been coloured, relaxed, pressed or over-styled. This gentle, daily formula moisturises and softens, adds shine, is for all hair types, and removes build-up."
The shampoo comes in a white plastic squeezy bottle with a flip-cap which is pretty easy to use; the shampoo itself has a thick, white texture, and I found it reasonably easy to spread through wet hair. It also had a beautiful smell; I'm a massive lover of coconut and I really did enjoy this. I'd say I used an average amount of shampoo and, as always, shampooed twice before following up with a conditioner. Unfortunately, no matter how much I rinsed (and rinsed... and rinsed) my hair just did not feel clean after using this shampoo; it felt like a sticky residue was left behind. I tried using less shampoo but that just meant I wasn't able to work it through all of my hair. As well as feeling unpleasant, my hair was looking oily and in need of a wash more quickly than I think I'd ever experienced before - under a day. I've used this shampoo around four or five times now and I really can't see myself finishing it, which is a shame as I hate to waste product.
All in all, this just didn't live up to my expectations and I've been left pretty disappointed; despite smelling lovely, this shampoo didn't leave my hair feeling clean and it did absolutely nothing to help with it being a little on the limp side; if anything, it made things worse. I can't honestly say I'd recommend this to anyone and I certainly won't be buying it again. Have you ever tried Palmer's shampoo? Do you have any SLS-free shampoo recommendations for oily hair?

xo

Pastel Polka Hearts Phone Case*

I was recently offered a phone case by Mobile Madhouse, and given how ridiculously clumsy I am, it seemed like a good idea to accept the offer! I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, so I had a scroll through the selection on their site and eventually settled on this super-cute pastel polka hearts design*; I was sorely tempted by a couple of their more festive offerings but decided I'd get more use from something less season-specific! I received the case within a couple of days, and it was really easy to use - it literally just snaps onto the back of my phone, leaving it feeling much safer and more secure in my clumsy hands! There are cut-outs for the camera and flash, speaker, and the buttons on the sides, so it doesn't get in the way of using my phone easily. The printing of the design is good quality, the case feels secure on my phone and I'm confident it'll do a good job of keeping it safe for me.
Mobile Madhouse offer a pretty awesome range of phone cases and other accessories for a huge number of phone makes and models, so have a look and see if there's something for your phone! It's easy to search by brand, and there's also an option to create a personalised case by uploading a photo of your choice - which could make a really lovely Christmas gift for someone special if you get your skates on! I have the Caseflex Polka Hearts Pastel Case which is £9.99. Do you like to use a case on your phone? What sort of design do you prefer? Would you consider using a photo of your own on a case?

xo
[*Product sent for review purposes. As always, all thoughts & opinions are my own.]

Festive Picks: Knitwear

Even I can no longer deny that Christmas is here, and one of my favourite things about Christmas is definitely a good ol' Christmas jumper! A bit of festive knitwear can go one of two ways; either it's classy and subtle, or it's hideously tacky - the tackier the better as far as I'm concerned. I won't be buying one this year as I already own two Christmas jumpers from previous years, and it doesn't really seem justifiable that 10% of my knitwear is Christmas-themed... That aside, here are some of my favourites this year, from the cute through to the downright absurd!!

Grey Christmas Penguin Jumper, New Look, £14.50

Stone Cracking Christmas Jumper, New Look, £14.99

Embellished Fairisle Jumper, Asda, £18

Brit Snowflake Jumper, Boohoo, £20

Merry Christmas Reindeer Jumper, New Look, £25

Elf Christmas Jumper, Asda, £8

Christmas Fairisle Sweater, Topshop, £25

Gingerbread Man Jumper, Matalan, £15

Hopefully you can see that I've put the pretty/cute ones in the top row, and the more garish ones in the bottom row... But I would basically wear all of these if I didn't have to somehow fit them into my drawers for the rest of the year! What are your views on Christmas jumpers? Would you wear one? Which is your favourite from this little selection?

xo

Six Mini Reviews #10: Urban Veda, LUSH, Clarins & more

I've been on a bit of a mission lately to make a bit more of a dent in my stash of samples, meaning I've got another six used up already! I love beauty samples as an opportunity to try new things that I mightn't otherwise, and discover what works well for me and what doesn't, without having to shell out for the full-sized product. There are a couple of products in this selection that I'd happily buy again in the future - read on to find out which!
Urban Veda Neem & Botanics Daily Purifying Facial Wash I'm not 100% certain where this sample came from but it was a generously-sized 30ml tube which lasted me a couple of weeks of daily use. The gorgeous minty fragrance and slight tingly sensation upon application made this perfect for a morning cleanse, doing a great job of waking me up and removing any oil and dirt which had accumulated overnight. At £7.99 for 150ml, this is an affordable product and definitely one I'll consider buying in full-size, once I've used up all my sample-sized face washes.
Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Primer I can't remember where I came by this mini-sized pot of magic, but I do know it does a bloomin' good job of smoothing out enlarged pores and fine lines, providing a beautifully smooth base for foundation. At £26 for 15g of product, this isn't something I can afford to invest in at the moment but it's definitely one I'd like to buy again in the future!
LUSH New Charity Pot Hand Cream I picked this 10g trial-sized pot up whilst making a purchase in my local LUSH store, at just £1 I couldn't really say no, especially when it's for a good cause! I really enjoyed the scent but somehow my skin didn't; rather than feeling soothing and hydrating on my hands, like a hand cream should, I got a kind of burning sensation, and very little relief from the dryness and itchiness I'm applying hand cream to treat. I wanted to love it but unfortunately this just isn't for me. A full-sized 95g pot will set you back £6.95, whilst 240g is £12.95.
Eau Thermale Avène Extremely Gentle Cleanser I think I received this as part of a giveaway win a few months back, and have to say I've not been hugely impressed with it. Whilst it sounds good in theory, allowing for cleansing and/or make-up removal without the use of water which can dry the skin out, I didn't feel like my skin was left clean after using it. If it sounds like your sort of thing, a 200ml bottle is £8.
Sk:n Vitamin-Rich Cleanser for Oily Skin Another product I unfortunately wasn't impressed by, I found the scent of this cleansing gel really off-putting, and the product itself seemed to leave my skin feeling slightly sticky even after rinsing and rinsing. This is supposed to remove dead skin and clear the pores, but I can't say I really noticed much difference in my skin, although only having got around a week's use from it I wouldn't expect to. Not for me, despite my high hopes given its claims of suiting oily skins well. This is pretty pricey at £16.75 for 200ml.
English Laundry For Her Signature Eau de Parfum A Birchbox sample, this creamy, musky scent was right up my street and one I really enjoyed wearing. I'll admit it's not my usual sort of perfume choice but nonetheless I loved it, although I don't see myself shelling out £60 for a 50ml bottle any time in the near future!
So those are my six samples, definitely a couple to consider for the future with the Urban Veda Cleanser and the Clarins primer, and a couple I'm glad to have tried if only to rule out full-sized products. Have you tried any of these? How do you go about using up your beauty samples?

xo

Festive Picks: Make-Up & Nail Polish Gift Sets

I mentioned a few days back that I'm not planning on doing gift guides this year as such, but will instead be sharing some of my favourite sets in a few categories; in other words, the gift sets I'm sorely tempted to gift myself with this Christmas! You can see my skincare gift set picks here, and today I'm sharing the make-up and nail polish sets which are topping my wish list at the moment.
Models Own Luxe Nail Polish Collection, £10 | I will admit to having picked this set up for myself, I just couldn't resist; not only do you get four full-sized Models Own nail polishes from the Diamond Luxe collection, the set also includes nail art striping tape and a double-ended cuticle pusher, all for the price of two polishes! Shades included are 'Asscher Blue', 'Radiant Pink', 'Trillion Taupe' and 'Carat Coral'.
Soap & Glory The Perfect 10 Palette, £16 | This isn't a gift set by any stretch of the imagination and I don't know why Boots seem to think it is, but nonetheless it looks like a lovely selection of eyeshadow shades and I'd really love to find this nestled beneath the tree on Christmas morning. There is no argument to be made for me needing more eyeshadow palettes (seriously, I have way too many) but it's just so pretty. It's kind of reminiscent of the Urban Decay Naked palettes at a much more purse-friendly price point.
Urban Decay Black Magic 24/7 Double-Ended Eye Pencil Gift Set, £27 | I've heard so many good things about Urban Decay's 24/7 eye pencils that this set of eight shades is pretty irresistible. I absolutely love the look of 'LSD' and 'Tornado', which isn't available elsewhere - always a key player in increasing desirability.
Laura Mercier Mini Caviar Stick Eye Colour Collection, £38 | I've actually never tried any Laura Mercier products but I absolutely love the look of her Caviar Sticks; I'm a fan of anything that comes in crayon form, and this set includes six beautiful shades to try out, for less than the price of two of the full-sized crayons - a bargain if ever I heard of one. Space.NK are actually currently sold out of this set, which is probably for the best as far as my bank balance is concerned...
Bobbi Brown Warm Glow Christmas Eye Palette, £59 | Okay, so the price is pretty eye-watering and again, strictly speaking this isn't really a set, but it is an absolutely delectable palette! All nine shades are absolutely beautiful and looking at it is genuinely giving me butterflies, it's just so gorgeous. The lovely faux-croc case is just the perfect finishing touch to an altogether dreamy palette. Seriously, I think I'm in love.
ArtDeco Tribal Chic Blusher Set, £25 | Again, ArtDeco isn't a brand I've tried anything from in the past, but this blusher is absolutely stunning, and the inclusion of the brush just seals the deal for me really! Seriously, how beautiful is the compact?! And the design on the blusher itself is no less gorgeous. What a beaut.
So, are any of these sets on your Christmas list this year? Which is your favourite? Any other sets you'd add? You can also check out my pick of this year's skincare gift sets, if you're interested! If anyone would like to donate any of these to an extremely worthy cause (me!), there would be no complaints at all... Just saying.

xo

The Bourjois Base

I recently picked up a few bits and pieces from Bourjois as I was feeling like I'd woefully under-tried the brand, owning just one cream blusher; for the past few weeks, I've been trying out their Happy Light Matte Serum Primer and their 123 Perfect CC Cream. Below you can see how I've been getting on as well as a few photos of the products in action!
I'd actually never been interested in trying CC creams until I received a sample of Supergoop! in a Birchbox a couple of months ago and realised they offered much more coverage than I'd expected. Looking for a more budget-friendly option than the Supergoop! I decided Bourjois was worth a try. Long-term blog readers will know that I'm in a constant battle with my oily skin and will try pretty much anything that claims to mattify or improve make-up longevity.
The Happy Light Matte Serum Primer claims to, "Mattify the complexion in any light • Airbrush action for minimised pores." I like the packaging, with the pump making for easy and hygienic use, though I can't help thinking you don't get much product for your money! I've found that I need quite a lot of product per usage, around two pumps for my whole face, though that does give a nice smooth base for the CC Cream or other foundations, and my pores do appear minimised. In terms of mattifying, though, I've been kinda disappointed. Admittedly this is aimed at normal to combination skin, whilst mine is definitely on the oily end of the spectrum, but I've been really disappointed with the fact that my face appears shiny after only an hour or two of wear, even with powder to set my foundation or CC cream.
I picked up the 123 Perfect CC Cream in the shade 'Ivory', which is the lightest of the four available shades; I think four shades is a pretty impressive range for a product like this as they do claim to adapt somewhat to your individual skintone. Personally, I've found that 'Ivory' is a good match for my fair skin, and it doesn't appear to oxidise through the day. I'd say the coverage is medium but buildable, though I do still tend to use concealer over any blemishes; the formula contains three pigments which supposedly hide fatigue, redness and dark spots. I find that it's effective in brightening my skin and neutralising redness, though I don't really suffer from dark spots so I'm not very well placed to comment on that one. The SPF15 is a bonus for me as I'm truly dreadful at remembering to apply sunscreen, so every little helps as far as I'm concerned!

[Products used: Bourjois Happy Light Matte Serum; Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream; Natural Collection Loose Powder in 'Cool Translucent'; Bourjois Blusher in 'Cendre de Rose Brune'; MUA Pro Brow Kit; Makeup Revolution I Heart Passion Palette; Accessorize Volumising Mascara]

Bourjois Happy Light Matte Serum Primer is priced at £10.99 for 15ml, whilst the 123 Perfect CC Cream is £9.99 for 30ml, available in a choice of four shades. Whilst I've been disappointed with the primer and won't be repurchasing, it might be worth a try if your skin falls more onto the "normal" part of the spectrum. Meanwhile, I've been really impressed with the CC cream and can see myself repurchasing in the future! Have you tried either of these products? What Bourjois products would you recommend I try? What do you think of Bourjois as a brand?

xo