December Empties: Skincare

Here are my skincare empties for the month of December!

Avene rich compensating cream // Melvita micelliaire water // Caudalie SOS serum // Nivea rich moisturising cream

Firstly, the Avene Rich Compensating Cream. To be honest I have used all of this up but I cannot use any more as it irritates my skin. I hate throwing things away especially when they were quite expensive. When I bought this product I loved Avene (and I still do to an extent) but this product I didn't get along with. The cream itself is really nice, it has a very smooth texture and it applies really nicely but I find that this cream does irritate my skin - it makes my skin tingly and itchy (not massively so but to the point where I don't want to use this product anymore). I think this product would be great for those with very dry skin but I would not recommend this product if you have sensitive skin. 

Next up is the Melvita Eau Fraiche Micellaire Water which is a makeup remover. I bought this product for £1 from latestinbeauty.co.uk as I love my Vichy micellar water. I don't like this one as much as the Vichy product. This makeup remover needs some help to remove my makeup whereas the Vichy micellar water doesn't. Also I do not like the scent as this product smells like rose perfume and I do not like scented skincare products. Not recommended. 

Next up is a product from one of my favourite skincare brands - it is the Caudalie Vinosource SOS Serum. I received this product in a Glossy Box I think and I used it for about a month straight when I first received it then I stopped using and started again at the beginning of December. I really like this serum, it doesn't irritate my skin, it smoothes my skin, it absorbs quickly and it just works well! 

My last skincare empty for the month of December is the Nivea Daily Essentials Rich Moisturising Cream (for dry and sensitive skin). I really liked this product, it applies well and it made my skin feel hydrated and velvety smooth. This product is scented which I don't like and on occasion it did irritate my skin but no where near enough for me to stop using this product. Overall, a nice, cheap daily moisturiser. 

Read More

December Empties: Haircare & Fragrance

Here are my December hair care and fragrance empties!

Phyto Soothing Treatment Shampoo // Caudalie Gentle Conditioning Shampoo // Como Shambhala Conditioner

Firstly, a shampoo, the Phyto Soothing Treatment shampoo which I bought from salonskincare.co.uk in the summer. I bought it as it was cheap but also because it sounded like a great shampoo for my hair/scalp at the time which was irritated and dry. The shampoo is a strange brown colour and the product itself comes in a metal bottle which I do not understand at all as you obviously cannot squeeze the bottle to get the product out! The shampoo doesn't smell that nice and it isn't a scent I would have put in a shampoo - it smells very strongly of a old male aftershave/cologne. The shampoo doesn't lather well but it seems to cleanse my hair fairly well and it doesn't irritate my scalp. Not recommended. 

Another shampoo but this one I like - it is the Caudalie Gentle Conditioning shampoo which I finished towards the end of the month and I love it! I received this travel size in a set and it works so well. Firstly, it smells really nice and fresh (like cucumbers), it lathers really well, it doesn't irritate and it cleans my hair well - it also moisturises my hair. Highly recommended. 

Now a conditioner, I received this product in a beauty box and it is the Como Shambhala Invigorate Conditioner. I don't really like this product - firstly, I find the scent to be far too strong and harsh. The product smells like cleaning fluid/chemical to me which definitely puts me off using the product and it is quite average as a conditioner. Not recommended. 

Aveda Smooth Infusion Conditioner // Dove Colour Radiance Treatment Conditioner // Yves Rocher Flowerparty

 I have also used up a couple more conditioners - first is the Aveda Smooth Infusion conditioner. I have used this product before and I do like it but not enough to buy it again. The product smells nice and it applies nicely but in my opinion the conditioner is just as good as a cheaper drugstore/high street conditioner which are half the price of this one. Not recommended. 

The final hair care empty is the Dove Colour Radiance Express Treatment Conditioner. I have tried the original version of this conditioner which I adore! Although this one isn't great. This product looks pretty as it has swirls of pink in it but the conditioner smells isn't the original Dove scent that I love and overall I found the conditioner to be quite average and not up to Dove's usual high standards. 

Finally a fragrance empty, I used up my bottle of the Yves Rocher Flowerparty perfume which came out this summer I think. I received the fragrance as a free gift with purchase which I was very happy about. The fragrance is similar to Lancomes Tresor Midnight Rose, in my opinion and they both have the same problem - longevity. Both Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose and Yves Rocher Flowerparty have poor longevity - around four hours on the skin, if I am lucky. Although the scents are really nice - floral and sweet which I love but it is a bit generic. Recommended if you don't mind the longevity issue!

Read More

December Empties: Bath & Body

 My December empties, I know this is a bit late but I have been quite busy. I have used up quite a lot in the month of December as I was trying to reduce my stash of bath/body products as I knew I would get a lot more as presents from family/friends.

1. Yves Rocher honeysuckle all over foaming gel: I bought this product a while ago and I have only just got round to using it as I have so many shower gels already. This product smells gorgeous, so fresh, light and floral! The scent doesn't last on my skin but this product is fantastic in all other respects. It lathers and cleans really well and apparently you can use this product as a shampoo which I haven't done so I can't comment but it is a great shower gel. Recommended.

2. Sanctuary Spa Body Butter: I have used products from this brand for years now and I still really like their products. This body butter is a really nice product, it smells nice (it smells like their classical scent) and it moisturisers my skin well. Although I find the scent boring after a while. Recommended.

3. Sanctuary Spa Mandelular Body Scrub: This product is quite rare, it is one of the few Sanctuary products that I hate. This is supposed to be a body scrub but it is so so gentle that it is basically a body wash - it didn't exfoliate my skin as it wasn't abrasive really at all but it does smell quite nice. Not recommended.

4. Anatomicals Don't Just Clean it, Scrub it Body Scrub: I love the name of this product, the packaging and the price - Anatomicals products are usually really cheap. I received this in a beauty box a few months ago I think and I was excited to use it. However the body scrub isn't very exfoliating, although it is more exfoliating than the Sanctuary scrub. The scent isn't great either - it is supposed to smell like grapefruit which I think it does to an extent but it also smells like cleaning products which is horrible - overall an average scrub with a horrible scent. Not recommended.

5. Burts Bees Citrus and Ginger Body Wash: I received this small bottle in a gift set a while ago and I was excited to use it as I haven't used too many Burts Bees products. This product I a disaster for me - the body wash is very runny which I am not used to so a lot of product can be wasted easily and the scent is awful. Citrus and ginger...why? Despite the awful consistency and the horrible scent, the body wash did work fairly well. Not recommended.

6. Simple Pleasures Candy Cane Shower Gel: Just a cheap shower gel I received in a very cheap set from House of Fraser. The shower gel packaging is very cheap and tacky but the shower gel itself is ok. The scent is definitely like candy canes which I don't really like as a body wash scent - overall a very average product. Not recommended.

7. Simple Pleasures Strawberry Frosting Body Scrub: Anther product from the same House of Fraser cheap set. This body scrub has the thinnest/runniest consistency of any body scrub I have used - not a great start. This scent is definitely that of strawberries but it is more cheap artificial strawberry sweets not frosting. The body scrub didn't work very well as the grains were too small. Overall, very average and not worth buying. Not recommended.

8. Boots Botanics MoisturisingBody Balm: I have finally reached the bottom of this bottle! This product has lasted ages! I received this as a gift and I really do like it but I was getting very bored of it towards the end. This product has a really nice, fresh scent and it is quite moisturising but I prefer body butters now - although I did love this product when I received it maybe a year ago now! Recommended.

9. Sanctuary Spa Body Scrub: Yet another Sanctuary product - I tried to use up as many bath/body products as I could before christmas as I knew I would get more as presents (I did!). This scrub has the same scent as the other sanctuary original products (which I am getting bored of now) and this scrub does work fairly well although I would personally like it to be more exfoliating than it is. Recommended.

Read More

2012 Favourites: Make up!

This is my round up of the makeup products that I have been loving this year! This post is a little bit late as I have been busy with Christmas, boxing day, new year and meeting up with family and friends – hopefully this post will be useful…it may not be if I’m writing it!

 Firstly, primers!

There are two stand out primers for me this year – one for the face, the other for eyes. The first primer is….The Body Shop Moisturise it Primer! I bought this primer early last year and I have been using it on and off all year. I had trouble with my foundation looking fresh throughout the day, especially as my skin really dry so foundation can sometimes make me look a bit tired if they have worn off throughout the day. However this primer really helps to keep my foundation looking fresher and it helps improve the longevity of my foundations. My favourite eye primer for 2012 is…Nars Smudge proof Eyeshadows Primer. I find that 99% of eyeshadows crease on me but this primer really helps to keep them as crease free as possible throughout the day.

On to foundation

The foundation that I have loved throughout the summer months and into the beginning of autumn is…Illamasqua Light Liquid Foundation (shade LF120). I love this foundation for the warmer months, it applies well, it has natural coverage, it looks good on the skin and it has the most gorgeous radiant (not greasy) finish! Although while this foundation was great during July, August, September I do not like this foundation for the colder months as it can make my skin look a bit dry and it can cling to dry/flaky patches which I get in the colder months. I don’t really have a favourite foundation for the winter months as I have been trying various foundations but my recent favourite foundation has to be the Anti-age foundation from Kiko.

Is there a perfect foundation brush?

Yes! I discovered the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush this year and I love it! The brush is really reasonably priced, it has incredibly smooth/soft bristles, it applies and blends foundation really well and because of the paddle like shape of the bristles it allows me to apply foundation really quickly and easily. This foundation brush works for a lot of my foundation, but not all, and it washes well too. (The Dr Bronner Magic Liquid Soap is great for washing brushes).

Let’s talk concealer…

I am a woman on a mission which unfortunately is not over! I have not found my perfect concealer this year, although I have tried many, so the hunt goes on. But one concealer has been my favourite this year, but it is by no means perfect, is the…MAC Select Moisture cover Concealer (shade NW15). I have been using this concealer for about five months or so and I have been using it on blemishes, redness, pores and under my eyes. This is one of the very few concealers that it moisturising/smoothing enough for me to use under my eyes. The concealer has good coverage (although it definitely doesn’t completely cover my dark circles), it applies/blends well and it matches my skin tone too. But this concealer can cake under my eyes and on blemishes if I use too much for if I use too much powder on top – this concealer can also cake under my eyes sometimes as well. Overall, my favourite concealer this year but it is definitely not perfect and my hunt for perfect concealer match carries on.

To bronze or not to bronze, that is the question

I’m not really a bronzer kind of girl as I am really pale but I tried Benefits Hoola Bronzer this year and I also tried the ELF Cool Bronzer this year and I love both – but I love the…ELF bronzer more! I bought the ELF bronzer on a whim and it has become a staple in my makeup routine. The bronzer is split into quarters – a white section, a reddish brown section, an ashy brown and a dusty rose blush section. I use the white and ashy brown sections the most – I use them for contouring as they are smooth, matte and blend easily. I do like benefit’s Hoola bronzer (I have a mini version and a full size version) but I prefer the much cheaper ELF Cool Bronzer.

Brows, Brows, Brows

My favourite brow product for this year, and for the past two or three years, is the….Tweezerman Browmousse which unfortunately kicked the bucket a couple of months ago which was a very sad moment as I had been using the same tube for nearly three years – it seemed like it was never ending…until it ended…I adore the Tweezerman brow mousse, it is the only brow gel that can tame my brows all day! I also adore the Tweezerman Teezers, I have a mini pair in a cute ladybird print (in the garden). Another favourite brow product is the…MAC Eyebrow pencil in the shade Lingering. I love and hate this brow pencil - I love that it is so quick/easy to use, the shade is great for my brows and it looks really natural although the pencil is in a black tube so you can’t see how much you have left until you run out and the pencil is quite expensive, in my opinion.

It’s all about the eyes

My favourite eyeshadow quad of 2012 is the…Soap & Glory Lid Stuff Eyeshadow Quad in the shade ‘What’s nude’. I adore this quad, the colours are great for every day, three of the shades are matte and they apply like a dream. I use the top two shades (vanilla and pink T) as all over the lid shades, I use the shade Mudhoney for my eyebrows and I use the shade Aubersheen less often but it is great for using at the outer corner or lower lashes for definition.

Another eye shadow favourite I have been loving in 2012 is the…Nars Eyeshadow Duo in the shade ‘Bellissima’. Bellissima contains a shimmery white shade and a dark matte grey. I use the white shade to highlight my brow bone and inner corner and the dark grey shade to define my upper and lower lash lines – I can also use the dark grey shade as a brow powder.

The last two eye product favourites of 2012 include the new Rimmel Scandaleyes waterproof kohl kajal eyeliner in the shade ‘004 taupe’. The shade is gorgeous; I use it to line my upper and lower lash line for very quick and easy definition. The eyeliner applies really smoothly and it is very creamy. The last eye product favourite is a brush from Illamasqua and it is the Illamasqua eye blending (2) brush. The brush is incredibly soft, smooth and is blends eyeshadow like a dream – the brush is really big so I also use it to apply powder to small areas.

Onto the lips!

I have a couple of lip balm favourites for 2012; the first is the Rodial Glam Balm which I only use at night as I kind of night treatment as it is very hydrating. It also smells really nice (like roses) and it leaves my lips really smooth, soft and moisturised (but it is quite expensive). The next lip balm favourite is the Nuxe Reve de miel lip balm stick which I really like but I do prefer the Caudalie Lip balm but I used it up a couple of months ago.

I have two lip stick favourites for 2012; the first is my Avon Extra lasting Lipsticks. I have the shades ‘totally twig’, ‘Cappuccino’ and ‘rose crème’ and I love all of the shades. The lipstick applies so smoothly and they are really soft/creamy. The longevity of these lipsticks is just as good as my MAC lipsticks! My last makeup favourite for 2012 is my Nars Velvet Matte Lip pencil in the shade ‘Dolce Vita’ which is a gorgeous natural English rosy red shade. The pencil applies so smoothly, it looks gorgeous on the lips and the longevity is good too – the Nars velvet matte lip pencil in the shade ‘Bahamas’ is on my wish list for 2013!

What were your 2012 makeup favourites?

Read More

Armani for £10!

In November Harrods had a free delivery day or two and I always buy a few things on those days (I can't help myself!). This time I bought an Armani lip gloss which is strange for me as I don't wear lip gloss really but it was Armani, it is a gorgeous shade and it was only £10! 

Firstly, the packaging...gorgeous, sleek and very expensive looking! The box that the gloss came in was gorgeous too - it was black, sleek, well made, it had 'harrods' printed in gold on the front and....it was massive! The outer box and the inner Harrods box that this one gloss came in was huge - so much packaging wasted on one lip gloss. Although I am re-using the gorgeous Harrods gift box and it was free so I'm not complaining (too much anyway). 

All photographs taken in natural outdoor light

The gloss comes in a gorgeous sleek, heavy tube and I bought the shade Rouge 404. Before I bought this product I wanted to look at swatches online and I could only find one or two! So I hope this post helps if you are looking for information and swatches for this product/shade. The gloss is a gorgeous deep burgundy red with pinky/plum undertones which is great for this time of the year. The gloss has a really smooth texture, it applies smoothly and it feels nice on the lips. Although the gloss can be a bit streaky to apply and it feels tacky/sticky on the lips. The shade look gorgeous, in my opinion and it can look different in different settings. For example, indoors this shade can look a lot more pink, in bright lighting this shade can look a bit darker/plum and in outdoor lighting this shade can look more red. Overall, a nice gloss with a very reasonable price tag in the sale but it can be tacky, slightly streaky and the longevity isn't great (but it is a gloss and they don't tend to last long on me at all).


Positives: Price (when on sale/offer). Packaging. Easy to remove. Shade is gorgeous. Colour can be subtle or built up.

Negatives: Full price. Slightly streaky when applied. Tacky/sticky but smooth. Longevity isn't fantastic. 

Read More

A Final Festive Week in Photographs!

Sorry this post is a couple of days late but I have been really busy with friends, family, new years eve and of course...shopping!

Christmas tree preparations // Christmas tree finished // Tangled lights!

Presents! // Chocolate cheesecake // More chocolate cheesecake...

Big Ben //  Chinese Lanterns // Floating to the moon!

My week has consisted of cake, cheese cake, cupcakes, noodles and presents - so overall, not a bad week! My sister made a chocolate cheese cake which was really nice and it was very easy to make apparently - I may have to try and make it then write a blog post with the recipe! I also made my cupcake christmas tree and other cupcakes for friends and family. I cannot believe that christmas is over, myself and my sister have been looking back at photographs over the past four weeks from putting up the christmas tree, wrapping presents (well 99% of mine were already wrapped in october/november!). 

New years eve yesterday was a bit chaotic and we went to out friends/neighbours house which we do every year and I created a quiz which is always funny and we also played game such as the box game (which myself and my sister won!), the chocolate game, the card game (very funny!) and others. We also had some large chinese lanterns which you light and they float off into the sky - they look very pretty and magical in a way but they do have to land somewhere - hopefully not in a field or near animals! 

I hope everyone had a good 2012 and happy new year!!! x

Read More