Lockdown Empties

Lockdown has been difficult in many ways but for me, there have been a couple of positives including having more time for relaxing, reading and pampering which has been necessary for stopping my anxiety from taking over! So during lockdown I decided to try and read as much as I can and use up some of the plethora of face masks, hair masks, bath bombs, samples and the many half-used products I have. 

Thankfully I was able to use up a lot of products that I'd half finished as well as samples; some of the products were surprising favourites and others were more than a little disappointing unfortunately. When I first started my blog, I used to write regular empties posts as I think they're much more valuable and thorough compared to mini reviews or initial impressions. I will be posting a summer empties post at the end of September and I might make it a seasonal series! 

Skincare 

I'll begin with the category I have the most empties from and that's skincare! I didn't realise how many skincare products I'd used up until I started gathering them together to photograph all of my empties. From May to April I used up five face masks, one face mist, one moisturiser and two serums, although I think I did throw away a few products before I started collecting my empties at the end of May. 

I won't go through all of my skincare empties individually but my favourite products have include: the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (a gorgeous gentle moisturiser), First Aid Beauty Radiance Pads (instantly smooth and exfoliated skin in a tub) and the Shangpree Aroma Blend Calming Mask (a heavenly Korean sheet mask). I will be buying all of three items in the future as my skin adored them all! 

I also used up a few sample sizes from Glamglow and Kiehls which were part of a limited edition box from Latest In Beauty: the Kiehls Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask (which my currently blemish prone and congested skin loved) and the Glamglow BerryGlow Mask (which was ideal for helping my skin look a little less...awful due to the stress of lockdown). If you're looking for a great value for money beauty box then I cannot recommend the Latest In Beauty boxes enough. 

Last but not least I wanted to mention the Beauty Laundrette Sheet Mask which was a great post-sun skincare treat to add hydration and soothe the skin. During lockdown I've been using up not only my half-finished products but the mountain of sheet masks I have too and this mask was one of my favourites. I've finally jumped onto the sheet mask bandwagon and I'm not getting off. 

Bath & Body 

I was surprised by how few body products I'd used up in during lockdown as I only have two! First up, the gorgeous Molton Brown Ylang Ylang Body Scrub which has to be one of the most effective and heavenly scented body scrubs I've ever used. I'm a huge fan of Molton Brown products and I've loved every single one but this body scrub is at the top of the list so far. The second and final body product was the FFS Post-Shave Balm which I loved to soothe and hydrate my skin after shaving. 

Lush Empties

Within April I started to have pampering Sundays as I've been feeling quite anxious and it was also an opportunity to use the Lush bath bombs I needed to use up before they were too old. The first bath bomb I finished was one of my favourites, Twilight, as it smells absolutely heavenly! I also used up Intergalactic which I used to love but now I can't stand bath bombs that contains tonnes of glitter as it just means more cleaning up afterwards. 

My final bath bomb is by far the worst Lush bath bomb I've ever used and others might agree with me as it doesn't seem to be on the website anymore. What is this bath bomb I hear you frustratingly ask? It was the Lush Dark Arts Jelly Bomb. It was my first jelly bomb and I think it's safe to say that the concept of jelly bombs kind of...bombed as there's only one on the website. I do still have the Snow Fairy Jelly Bomb to use but sadly I don't have high hopes for it now. 

As well as bath bombs I also used up my Lush Olive Branch Naked Shower Gel which has quickly become one of my favourite products from Lush as it not only smells lovely but it lathers well, leaves my skin feeling moisturised and it doubles up as a shaving cream too. I will definitely be buying another naked shower gel from Lush as soon as I can. 

Haircare 

The next category is haircare and I'm not surprised that I only have three items as I tend to be quite fickle with my haircare products and it usually takes me a while to finish products, especially full sized items. My favourite haircare product from lockdown was the Schwarzkopf Color Expert Dye in Dark Brown which is another item I received as part of a Latest In Beauty box - I told you they were fantastic boxes! The dye was one of the easiest, quickest and fuss-free dyes I've ever used and the grey coverage was great. 

I also used up two mini hair masks recently and my favourite of the two was the Living Proof Restore Mask which was a fantastic, effective and deeply nourishing hair mask that my tangle-prone and dry hair seemed to love. Sadly I didn't quite love the Wella Nutri-Enrich Mask as it was just quite average, in my opinion. 

Home Fragrance

Home fragrance, whether in the form of candles and wax melts or room sprays, are some of my favourite items to buy and use as I love a clean and fresh smelling home. I used up the lovely Feather and Down Candle during lockdown and while I loved the scent, it wasn't as strong as I would have liked it to be unfortunately. 

Thankfully I have more than a few room sprays that were very strong including the: Puressential Rest & Relax Spray (one of the strongest room spray I've used), the wonderful Feather and Down Pillow Mist (which I spray at every opportunity) and the Mio Liquid Yoga Spray (a relaxing room spray). I would highly recommend both the Feather and Down as well as the Puressential sprays!

Makeup 

Lastly, the makeup items and I have not one, not two but three brow pencils within my lockdown empties stash! I didn't know that I used up brow pencils so frequently but I do fill in my brows almost everyday so I think I'm quite the brow pencil expert by now! I think all three brow pencils are fantastic and I've bought them multiple times over the past year or so and I'd recommend them all. 

The Maybelline Total Temptation Brow Pencil is ideal for those just starting out using brow pencils or those who want a subtle, natural effect. The Barry M Brow Wand is pretty much the opposite as it's fantastic for very bold, thick and unruly brows. Lastly the Maybelline Brow Precise is a great balance between the previous two as it can be built up for dark, bold brows but it can also be brushed out for more natural but precise brows too. 

The final makeup item I finished during lockdown is the Kat Von D Go Big Or Go Home Mascara which is a mascara I've raved about on my blog previously (it was yet again an item I've loved from a Latest In Beauty box). I have started to get into the habit of throwing away makeup when it is quite old which I think is a good habit to get into and something I should have been doing years ago...oops. 

Have you tried any of these products? What have you used up during lockdown? 

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November Empties: Haircare

I have been watching beauty gurus empties videos on youtube and they usually have quite a few empties but I always end up with loads of empties and this month there have been so many empties overall, from candles and bath products to perfume, haircare and some skincare items too.

Firstly, Dove Colour Radiance Express Treatment Conditioner (50ml) which I received as a free sample with an online order. I have been using this for the past week as these 50ml samples of haircare products don't last long with me as I use a lot of conditioner. The conditioner is in part...pink! The fact that this product is a mix of pink and white makes me like this product initially and the product overall is really good. The conditioner smells nice, it conditions my hair fairly well and it doesn't weigh my hair down - but this product can make my hair look and feel really greasy if I don't wash it out really well.

Another conditioner I have used up is the Fudge Wet Head Conditioner which I bought from the 'when its gone, its gone' section of Boots.com a while ago and it was less than £5 for a large 500ml bottle which I think is fantastic value. Unfortunately this is where the positives points about this product ends. The conditioner smells horrible - like plastic and playdoh and the conditioner has a really strange gloopy slimy texture. Overall, it conditions my hair fairly well, it smells horrible, it has a horrible texture/consistency and it is not very widely available - which isn't a bad thing, in my opinion.

Next up are a few shampoos that I have used up in the month of November and again it doesn't take me long to use up shampoos so I always have a few empty bottles of shampoo each month. Firstly, is the Avon Natural Volumising Raspberry and Hibiscus Shampoo. I bought this shampoo purely because it was 99p a couple of months ago and I am really disappointed with this product - it smells ok, it lathers fairly well and it was cheap but they are the only main positives for this shampoo. The shampoo didn't volumise my hair at all and overall it was just an average cheap shampoo. The next shampoo is the Goldwell Ultra Volume Gel Shampoo which I received as part of a minis set (free gift) with a www.cheapsmells.co.uk order a while ago. I do not get along with volume shampoos at all as none of them help with volume! This product feels quite strange to use as it is a gel and it initially difficult to lather because the gel is so thick in the hair but eventually it lather but not very well. Overall, the shampoo is average and it doesn't deliver on its volumising claims.

Lastly, a hair oil and I do like the idea of hair oils and I know they are raved out endlessly but I don't like the way they feel in my hair. This is the Osmo Berber Hair Oil and is the nicest hair oil I have used; it smells gorgeous - like strawberry sweets/candy and it is really cheap but I did get this hair oil with a beauty box. The oil does help tame frizz and it smoothes my hair but I personally just don't like the way this feels in my hair.

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Empties #1

I have posted quite a lot of 'empties' blog posts over the past four months or so but I have been waiting for the end of the month to do my 'monthly empties' but I always have SO many products at the end of the month and sometimes I can't remember what they were like exactly so I am going to do empties posts when I have a good amount of products to show rather than the end of month empties posts. This is the first in a series of posts about the empty products I have used up recently and there will be mini reviews of the products I feature. 

1. KMS California Curl Up Conditioner: I bought this last summer as it was reduced at about £4 on salonskincare I think. I have been using this for the past month or so (on and off) and I really like this conditioner. The scent is quite nice, it really conditions my hair without weighing it down and it detangles hair hair (mostly). The main claim of this product thought is to enhance and support curls, I have really wavy/curly hair naturally and I find that this did help a little bit but not as much as I thought it would. Overall, it doesn't help curls that much but it is a fantastic conditioner. Recommended. 

2. Yves Rocher Clarifying Shampoo: I bought this last summer and it was on off so I had two bottles of this (buy one get one free). I love the scent, it is so fresh and lovely. Yves Rocher definitely make the best smelling hair products! The shampoo is a really good clarifying product although it did make my scalp quite dry which I didn't like but other than that it was good. 

3. The Body Shop Ginger Sparkle Body Butter: I received this in a gift set at christmas and I really like the scent - it smells like ginger/cinnamon muffins. I have used a lot of the body butters from the Body Shop and I love most of them but this one was very thick, heavy and it didn't absorb quickly. I prefer the other body butter! Not recommended. 

4. Soap and Glory The Daily Smooth Body Butter: I LOVE S&G products! They smells gorgeous and this one is no exception. The scent is gorgeous, it smooths on easily and it absorbs fairly quickly. However, it is not my favourite body butter by far! I probably wouldn't buy this again as it is not amazing.

5. Lush Let The Good Times Roll Facial Cleanser: This product is a Christmas limited edition but you may be able to find this on eBay. The cleanser smells amazing! It smells like toffee, baking and vanilla - heaven! The cleanser was exfoliating but gentle and it cleaned my skin well leaving it smooth, soft and comfortable. Love this cleanser and I may buy it again this Christmas. Save your empty Lush pots/tubes as you can get a free face mask if you take back five empty containers (unfortunately I keep forgetting)!

6. Boots Botanics Fair trade Bergamot Body Butter: I have tried a few mini body butters from this range and they are all great! I like the scent of them all and they smooth on easily. They moisturise really well and they absorb fairly quickly - LOVE!


Its snowing today (again)!

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September Empties: Bath, Body and Candle Products!

This post will feature all of the bath and body products that I have used up over the month of September and I have thrown in a couple of used candles in this post too. On to the empties!

So many empties so little time, I have only just got round to writing this blog post as I have started uni again (I'm now in my third and final year which will no doubt kill me!). Anyway on to the empties, starting with the body moisturisers. I have been trying to use up my body lotions, body butters and body creams (of which I have very many) and during the month of September I managed to use up three! Firstly, the Body Shop Body Butter in the scent Moringa (£13, 200ml). I really like the scent of this product, although it does smell very artificial, in my opinion. This fresh floral scent makes a change from the fruity/nutty scented body butters I have, although the scent doesn't last too long. The body butter is the thickest/heaviest of all of the body shop body butters I have tried therefore it makes my skin feel quite heavy and greasy. Overall, it is a nice scent, it really moisturises my skin but it also leaves my skin feeling heavy and almost sticky! 

Another body moisturiser I have used up is the Vaseline Clean Feeling Body Lotion (£2-4, 200ml). I have a sample bottle of this product and while it did sink in quickly it also made my skin feel too clean...allow me to explain. This body lotion is designed so that it does not feel heavy on the skin and that it makes your skin feel moisturised but clean. Although I find this lotion to be no where near moisturising enough for me and it makes my skin feel squeaky clean, not moisturised. Overall, I do not like this lotion and I would not recommend it. The final body moisturiser I have used up is the Boots Fairtrade Mango Body Butter (£7.95, 200ml). I received a sample set of five body butters from this range so they are only 50ml each. This mango scented body butter is just gorgeous! I love the scent although it is really sweet and fruity so others may not like the scent. The body butter absorbs quickly but it hydrates well and the scent lasts for a good period of time too - overall a great product! 

Now a couple of shower products, firstly the Davines Authentic Moisturising Balm (£17.55, 150ml). I received a 75ml tube of this product in a Glossy Box a while ago and I have tried it on my hair and it is awful in my hair! Although I did find that it works well on the body; I applied this product onto dry skin before showering and it made my skin very smooth and moisturised afterwards - I didn't need to use a body lotion. Overall, a nice balm for the body (although it isn't actually a balm) but it awful when used on the hair and it is very overpriced, in my opinion. I will not be buying the full size, I don't like the scent but the packaging is gorgeous! A Very mixed bag of results with this product! The last shower/body product is The Sanctuary Spa Bath Float (£10.25, 400ml). I have been using Sanctuary Spa products for years now and I do like them although I find this shower gel to be very average, overall I would not purchase it again. 

Lastly, two candle empties! Firstly, the Rodial Rehab Candle (£35, 210g). I did not buy this candle for £35/40 as it was on sale on the Debenhams website for only £10, so naturally I had to buy it! I adore the packaging of this candle and the scent is quite unusual but very nice. Although that it where the positiveness ends with this product as the candle doesn't melt evenly - it does not reach the sides of the tumbler so the candle melts straight down leaving the sides of the candle wasted. Also the strength of the scent i not great and the throw (the scent dispersion) is average. Overall, a nice candle with an extortionate price tag - this is a very good example of style of substance, in my opinion. Secondly, a mini candle from Bath and Body Works (link here to the site where you can buy bath and body works products in the UK). The mini candle is in the scent 'Vanilla Bean Noel' which is gorgeous and the candle actually lasts a while and it is quite strong despite its small size. Overall, bath and body works candles have to be my favourite out of all of the other candles/brands I have tried but unfortunately they are a little bit expensive and not widely available in the UK. 

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Empties #5

I haven't posted an empties post for so long - maybe April last year! I have been storing empties for months and I have only just got round to reviewing and photographing them! This post contains a mixture of body care, hair care, skincare and makeup tools. 

Kerastase Cristalliste Hair Mask: I just have a sample of this hair mask and I managed to get one good use out of it and I really liked it. It smells really nice, it an expensive salon and it let my hair feeling super soft, smooth and detangled. I would consider buying it, even through it is probably quite expensive being Kerastase. ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

Cosmpolitan Beauty Foundation Sponge: I have gone through about five of these sponges over a couple of years and I really like them from liquid foundation. They are quite cheap, although the Real Techniques one is slightly cheaper. I dampen the sponge then press the foundation onto my skin, it is a fantastic way of applying foundation if you have dry/flaky skin. ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge: I thought this one would be a slightly cheaper dupe to the Cosmo one but it isn't, don't get me wrong I like it but it is not amazing. The Cosmo sponge even when damp is quite firm and this one is really squishy which I don't like, it makes applying my foundation a little messier and less controlled. I probably won't be buying this one again, I might get the Beauty Blender or the Cosmo on again. ★★★☆☆, 3/5. 

Dove Beauty Bath Cream: Dove is one of my favourite body care brands as they products just work really well and they smell amazing! I adore the original Dove scent and this body wash is so lovely, it doesn't strip/dry out the skin and it feels quite luxe on the skin. ★★★★★, 5/5. 

Boots Botanics Cocoa Body Butter: I received a set of these a couple of years ago and this is the last one I had and it was one of my favourites. The scent is gorgeous and comforting and it was just a really good, fairly quickly absorbing body butter. ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

Avene Rich Compansating Cream: I have kept trying to use this product on and off for about three years or so and each time I haven't been able to get on with it. My skin does become a bit irritated by this, the only times I can use this product is when I am completely eczema/sensitivity free which is quite rare. So I do have a little bit left but I have to throw it away, sadly as I love all of the other Avene products I have tried. ★☆☆☆☆, 1/5. 

There are my empties! Have you tried any of these products, if so, what do you think?

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Week in photographs #25

Throw back Thursday, Pinterest, Next months magazine freebies, Healthy eating (ish), Shoe collection, Lots of empties to review!

My week has consisted of: healthy eating & fitness, sorting out my shoe collection, photographing & reviewing empties, being ill and fathers day.

Firstly, healthy eating, myself and my sister have been doing the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred and eating healthy as a general lifestyle change - and because we have a lot of parties, events and our holiday in the next couple of months! I have been loving Sofrito pasta, salad sandwiches, healthy low fat muffins and the Innocent smoothie in the strawberry and banana flavour. I would definitely recommend the DVD, although my ankles have been paying the price, I may have to invest in some running trainers. Although myself and my sister have been struck with a cold for the past few days so we haven't been sticking to the fitness dvd.

Also I have been sorting out my shoe collection and wardrobe generally, a kind of late spring clean - well I like to going through all of my wardrobe every couple of months to rearrange and refresh the clothes/shoes/accessories I have. This week has also been spent photographing and reviewing lots and lots of empty products - there will be a few empties posts over the next couple of weeks.

Finally, today is Fathers day in the UK and we haven't really been up to much but on Tuesday I get my final overall degree result - very nervous and I can't wait. Also stay tuned because on Friday I will be posting a very exciting international giveaway in collaboration with The Skin Regime for my followers!

I hope everyone had a great week x

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January Empties: Haircare

If you are not familiar with empties videos/posts then to explain, through out the month you keep all of the products you have used up within that month - you don't have to have used up the whole bottle just within that month. Here are my haircare empties that I have finished in the month of January. 

1. Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo: I received this as part of a present for my birthday last year. I have used the Liz Earle cleanse and polish hot cloth cleanser a few years ago but I haven't tried any of their haircare products before this and I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked this shampoo, it cleansed my hair well without making it dry and it nice fresh scent. 

2. Clynol Colour & Care Shampoo: I received this as a free gift with purchase and I am quite disappointed - it didn't really do any thing for me and it was very very average and the scent wasn't very nice, in my opinion. I would not buy the full size. 

3. T Gel Therapeutic Shampoo: I have been reacting to shampoo quite badly over the past month or two and this shampoo has really been helping stop irritation and dry flakiness which is great. Although it smells absolutely horrible! The good effects of this shampoo are overshadowed by the strong coal tar scent. Overall, I think I would buy this again as it really helped my scalp but the scent is definitely a put off for me!

4. Yves Rocher Nutrition Shampoo: I made a really big order last year with Yves Rocher and in the order I bought two of these shampoos (buy one, get one free at the time) and from the first use I didn't get along with this shampoo. The shampoo smells nice and it lathers well but the next morning my scalp will be very flaky and irritated because of this product - and if I stop using this shampoo the irritation and horrible flakiness stop immediately. Not recommended. 

5. Seah Overnight Beauty Hair Mask: another disappointing product - firstly, this hair mask really doesn't smell nice at all and it has glitter in it - why would you want a hair mask with glitter in? Secondly, the hair mask didn't do anything for my hair - very very average results!

6. Liz Earle Botanical Shine Conditioner: My sister gave me this conditioner as she said it didn't work for her (she has fine, colour treated blonde hair) but it did work fairly well for me (I have thick long colour treated hair). The conditioner smells nice and it conditions my hair well without weighing it down. 

7 & 8. Aveda Invati Exfoliating shampoo and Thickening Conditioner: I received these two small samples and I only got one use out of them so I can't really give a full review but my initial impressions were that they didn't do much really - average results and a slightly unusual scent. 

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June Beauty Favourites 2020

I've starting loving writing my monthly or bi-monthly favourites posts as well as a lockdown empties post (that's coming soon) so today's post is a short and sweet review of some of my favourite products from the month of June. I could have included many more products but you'll hear about some of them in my lockdown empties posts and my very long overdue winter and spring favourites post. I hope you all like reading about favourite products, empties and mini reviews as there are quite a few coming soon on my blog. You can always get a sneak peek of what I'm using, loving and receiving on my Instagram stories (@ofbeautyand). 

*Bubble T Cosmetics Hand Cleansing Gels (£2.50 each, 50ml)

I am very lucky to receive lots of lovely products from the amazing people over at Bubble T Cosmetics and I recently received their new hand sanitisers in the post. I have four of the six that are available including: gin and tonic, lemon, pina colada and mango, all of which have the cutest packaging design. The Bubble T Cosmetics hand sanitisers contain 70% alcohol with a fruity scent. As with their other products, the sanitisers are cruelty free which is fantastic!

I've been using the gin and tonic option the most as they are perfect sizes to keep in my handbag or the car and they have a pleasant scent unlike some of the other hand sanitisers we've been using during lockdown. Over the past couple of weeks I have developed little eczema again on my fingers (maybe due to stress) but thankfully it isn't too bad and if I avoid using the sanitiser on those tiny areas then I have no irritation. I think they're fantastic little hand sanitisers that I definitely prefer them over all of the others I've used since lockdown began. 

*COSRX Clear Fit Master Patch (£4.80)

As well as a little eczema on my fingers, I've also been having trouble with my skin as I've now developed a few areas of many spots and redness on my cheeks which have annoyingly been a constant on my face for the past couple of months. I've never really experienced spots or blemishes before (probably because I had eczema over half of my face for more than ten years until January 2019) so I haven't known what to use. Thankfully I was very kindly sent a couple of spot and acne patches from the Korean brand COSRX which as far as I know is cruelty free and vegan friendly!

The Clear Fit Master Patch set comes with 18 small patches that are a great size for smaller or individual spots. They are 'invisible' and absorb impurities as well as oil throughout the day. The patches also provide a barrier against external irritants as well as makeup. I find that they are relatively 'invisible' and not very noticeable from a distance but they become apparent if you look closer or from a certain angle. I've been loving using these little patches and after keeping a couple of patches on my spots overnight, I do notice that they are flatter in the morning. 

*COSRX AC Collection Acne Patch (£7) 

As much as I love using the previous patches from COSRX, my favourite set of the two has to be the acne patches. I don't think that the collection of persistent spots I have is acne but these patches have been the most effective out of the two sets for my skin. The patches act as a protective barrier, they absorb oil and impurities and they are formulated with Centella Asiatica extract which is a well known medicinal plant that is used to treat small wounds, burns and psoriasis. 

The set comes with 26 patches in small, medium and large sizes and they are much more noticeable compared to the others so I've only been wearing them overnight or in the evening. I've been using the largest patches to cover a larger area of spots and my skin is significantly better the next day although I find that I have to use them consistently to get the benefits. If you're looking for effective spot patches from a cruelty free and vegan friendly brand then I cannot recommend these from COSRX enough. 

*Estrid Starter Kit (£7.95)

Last but not least is my current razor and holder from Estrid that I've previously reviewed on my blog so check out that post for more in-depth information about the kit. The razor and wall mounted holder from Estrid is just so convenient, from the super handy holder to the comfortable handle and the lovely moisturising strips, it's one of the most convenient, easy and fuss free razors I've ever used. I get a very clean and close shave each time without having to use shave gels. What could make the razor even better? It is vegan friendly, what more could you ask for! 

Have you tried any of these products? What items have you been loving throughout the month of June? 

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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!

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January Empties: Bath & Body

Here are my January bath and body empties - hope you enjoy!

1. Diesel Fuel For Life Shower Gel: I received this as part of a gift set I received for my 20th birthday last summer. I like the fragrance (although not as much as I thought I would) and this shower gel was ok. Firstly, the packaging for the shower gel is very cheap and the lid/cap broke the first time I used it! The scent is nice but a bit too musky for me. I tried to find a link to this product but apparently it has been discontinued. 

2. Sanctuary Spa Body Polisher: I received this as part of a gift set a while ago and every month or two I like to throw them away and use a new one. This one was really dense and hard, it didn't let me create a lather with any shower gels/body washes which is really disappointing.

3. Dove Cream Oil Body Wash: I love Dove products, I love the scent of them. The scent of this product is a bit different to the original Dove scent that I love but it is still nice. This body wash lathered well, cleans well and it didn't dry out my skin. I also couldn't find this product on the boots website. 

4. Boots Fair Trade Bergamot Body Butter: I received a set of five mini (50ml) body butters from this range and I really, really like them! I was surprised at how much I like them. They are not as thick or as heavy on the skin as the Body Shop Butters which I like and they absorb quickly, they smell nice and they moisturise my skin really well. Highly recommended! 

5. VAV Manucure Absolue: This is a hand cream sample that I received in a beauty box a couple of months ago and it was a nice product - it absorbed well, it smells nice like lemon grass and it moisturised my hands. 

6. Sebamed Body Lotion: I received a small sample of this, again from a beauty box, and as it was such a small sample I only used this as a full body moisturised one - the rest of the time I used this as a foot cream. I do like this product, I find it moisturised well and it absorbs fairly quickly but it wasn't amazing for me. 

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Empties #2

Here is another empties post of items that I have used up over the past month or two. Today there is quite a mix of fragrance, candles, skincare etc. Enjoy!

1. Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose EDP: I received this fragrance as a gift and I just adore the scent! It is a sweet floral fragrance with strong musky notes. I Love this perfume, I have another bottle of it which I won in a Debenhams competition last year. The bottle of gorgeous, the scent is gorgeous but the longevity is not! Th longevity of this perfume on me is about four to five hours maximum! The poor longevity is a real let down with this fragrance as otherwise it would be amazing.

2. Benefit Foaming Clean Facial Wash: I will have to get some of the full sized products from Benefit - their skincare as they have been amazing! I have tried the total moisture cream and this wash as samples and they were amazing. I was quite surprised that they didn't irritate my skin. Love this face wash!

3. M&M Scented Candle: I received this from a friend at Christmas and I was quite excited to try it. Unfortunately the scent wasn't noticeable! It was almost unscented, the scent was very very subtle. Not recommended, although it did burn evenly.

4. Elizabeth Arden Gentle Hydrating Cleanser: Another skincare sample and again I am surprised that it didn't irritate my skin! The cleanser was very gentle, kind of moisturiser and it didn't dry out my skin. Love this cleanser, I may look into the full size if it isn't very expensive. Also both of the skincare samples featured were only sachet but they lasted really well for me - nearly two weeks of use. 

5. I Love...Strawberries Face Mask: I received this mask in a beauty box and I tried a a couple of weeks ago. Firstly, it has a really strange gloopy sticky texture that I really don't like, it makes it messy and difficult to apply. The mask didn't irritate when it was on my skin really but the next day my skin was blotchy, red, sore, irritated and this mask was definitely the cause as I hadn't changed anything else. It seems to have either really irritated my skin and caused a reaction or it seems to have made my almost non existent eczema flare up badly! Hate this product, if you have sensitive skin so away from this!

6. Roberto Cavalli EDP: I had a sample of this fragrance and I thought I would leave it in my uni bag if I need it. I have used it a few times and I really don't like this fragrance. It is very musky, sickly and the notes don't work together in my opinion. It is a mix between a very musky aftershave and very sugary sickly sweets - hate it! Not recommended. 

7. Primark Nail Polish Remover Wipes: I usually use my Pretty Quik remover but I only had a few of these left so I thought I would use them up. They are fantastic! They smell nice! The scent is nice, it doesn't smell like nail polish remover at all and they remove polish without a lot of effort. Recommended. 

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*5 Ways To Save Money This Autumn

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September is #Secondhand September which has started to make me think about my shopping habits and spending recently. During lockdown (we are currently still in lockdown in Manchester), I surprisingly didn't resort to retail therapy as I thought I would (not going to lie, I'm quite proud of myself). However, I do still want to cut back on my spending and save a little as many aspects of life are very uncertain in our current situation. I hope today's post gives you a few tips on how to save a little money over the next few months and if you have are tips of your own, leave them in the comments below!

Use What You Have & Upcycle 

Firstly, reusing and upcycling items, instead of purchasing new products. Using up products instead of throwing them away is one of the easiest options to save money. If you follow me on Instagram (@ofbeautyand) you may have seen my empties sneak peeks (my empties posts will be live at the end of the month) showing some of the items I have used up over lockdown. I used to be one of those people who would use up half a product and then move onto another or buy something new but having a basket in the bathroom that I am fill up with empty products definitely gives me the motivation to use up the half finished products I already have rather than spending money on new items - it is very satisfying throwing everything away when it is full!

Shopping Secondhand

Secondhand September is underway and while it isn't necessarily going to help you save a lot of money; it can help reduce your spending compared to buying new items when you need to. Shopping secondhand is also far better for the environment and is a more sustainable way to shop. Sustainability and environmentally conscious shopping is something we all need to be more mindful of in 2020. 

Review Your Bills + Shop For Better Deals

Shopping for better deals, whether you are shopping secondhand, looking for a discount code or switching providers, can all save you a little money which all adds up! Switching electricity, internet, insurance, phone or gas providers, for example, might be a little bit of hassle but it could potentially save you quite a significant amount of money. 

Make or Grow Your Own

Making your own 'fakeaway' dinners, upcycling old furniture, growing your own herbs or vegetables are not only more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives but can save you extra cash too. Takeaways can be quite expensive, if there aren't any offers or discount codes, so why not make your own. Growing you own vegetables or herbs may take more than a little time but it is so satisfying to be able to eat what you have grown in your own home. Also, if you want to change piece of worn out furniture, why not upcycling it instead of purchasing something new? Gardening and upcycling may also turn into rewarding new hobbies!

Cutting Costs 

Making a list of your expenses and cutting costs where you can is great for not just saving money but it means that you can keep track of your spending which in turn may make you more mindful about your spending habits. I've started to write down all of my purchases each month and while at the time small and inexpensive items don't seem like a problem, when they are totalled at the end of the month, it can add up to more money than you'd thought. 

Cutting costs can also take the form of energy saving and more environmentally friendly lighting. Inui are leading LED lighting specialists offering a wide range of LED lighting for commercial, industrial and domestic use. LED lighting can be a cheaper option and it can typically last longer than traditional light bulbs which may also save you money in the future!

Do you have any money saving tips? 

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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. 

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January Empties: Skincare

1. Dermalogica Clean Start Wash Off Cleanser: This is my second travel size bottle of this product (I received them both in beauty boxes). Here is the link to my empties post for the first bottle. I do really like this cleanser, it foams up very well, it cleans my skin well and it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. 

2. Lush Let The Good Times Roll Cleanser: I use up the previous Dermalogica cleanser at the end of December and I finished this one a week or two ago. This cleanser is part of the Lush Christmas collection so you might not be able to buy it now. However, it is a really nice cleanser. It smells gorgeous, like vanilla, cookies and baking and it exfoliates my skin well without stripping my skin. It also doesn't irritate my skin. 

3. Avene Eau Thermale Water Spray: I took this on holiday with me last august and I only used it a few times so I had some when I returned home and I used it as a toner. I just sprayed it onto a cotton pad and used it as a facial toner and it works really well as a refreshing mist and a toner. Although it is not good for setting makeup as the spray isn't a fine mist and I always get a lot of water sprayed onto my skin which is not what you want when you have just finished doing your makeup!

4. Mama Mio Mighty Moisture: I received this as a free gift with purchase from feelunique.co.uk a while ago and again I took this on holiday with me last august. I have also featured this product in a monthly favourites post. I love this product, it moisturises well, it smells nice, the packaging is fantastic and it doesn't irritate my skin. 

5. Burts Bees Radiance Day Cream: I received this sample with an order a while ago and I just starting using it to get rid of it as I have so many samples but it turned out to be great! It moisturises well, it smells nice and it doesn't irritate my skin. I will definitely be looking into more Burts Bees facial moisturisers!

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Week in photographs #19

My week has consisted of: really bad eczema (glam I know), lots and lots of shopping, magazine freebies, sunshine, empty reviews, cake pops and I finally submitted my dissertation. 

Firstly, Uni, I have finished my final assignment/essay for university now! I submitted my dissertation on Wednesday so I don't have any more uni, which instead of making my happy, I am a bit upset by it - I have been in school/academia since I was 4 years old and now I have to be in the 'real world' - I don't like it. Although I am looking at masters degrees - I have found a business psychology masters that I want to do at the university of Westminster which I really really want to do - so maybe this time next year I will be having interviews for a place (very exciting). I do really want to live in London!

Sticking with the positive theme, I have been shopping a lot this week (online shopping). Myself and my sister have been shopping a lot this week (we sold some things at a school fare and we won £80 on a football match on Friday - ROMA!). I have H&M, Monki, Superdrug, Urban Outfitters and Accessorize orders coming next week - watch out for a massive sister haul soon! 

Also a lot of magazines have been bringing out freebies this month, I bought Elle magazine which includes a mini Benefit They're Real Mascara which I am super excited about but I haven't tried it yet. Apparently there is a Chanel mini mascara with Red magazine and some Avon freebies with Marie Claire magazine this month - I can't find them yet but I will get my hands on them!

Some blogging/review related info now, it has been really sunny (up until today) so I have been out in the garden (being scared by bees) taking photographs of lots and lots of empties so expect to see a few empties posts and reviews over the next month. 

Now, the bad part of this week has been my eczema - it has been really really bad! Around my eyes and the tops of my cheeks has been the worst with my skin feeling like it is burning and super flaky and rough (not very nice, I know - anyone who has had eczema on the face will know). And it makes my eyes really sore and very puffy/swollen. My favourite products this week has to be my calamine lotion which really calms my eczema down but it does emphasise dryness and it makes my skin even whiter (you can't go outside with it on) and my Nivea hydro care lip balm during the day is amazing. And at night the Rodial Glam balm has been fantastic for my super dry lips - it is almost like a lip treatment. 

Now, there is the good and the bad (and quite horrible) parts of my week. I hope everyone had a great week - look out for my UK giveaway on the 9th May (for my 1 year blog birthday)! x

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Week in photographs #16

Left to right: my new Z palette, Depotting into my Z Dome Palette, next months Elle mag freebie, Haircare buys, Lots of empties to review, my hair last year, new pink ipod, Selfridges food hall, New ASOS dress, OOTD, Millies cookies, Reeses chocolate, Trafford centre, Manchester church.



My week has consisted of: my Dome Z Palette, Shopping, the Trafford Centre, American chocolate, Uni work, eczema, reviewing empties and making cake pops!

Firstly, Uni, I have a lot of work to do on my dissertation and it is kind of endless right now - I have my dissertation meetings on Mondays and the rest of the week seems to fly by. But uni is nearly over for me and I have my graduation on the 16th July - very nervous! As well as annoying uni work I have also been having eczema flare ups which are no where near as bad as they used to be but they are still itchy and horrible.

Anyway, to cheer myself up I have been doing a bit of shopping, firstly, I bought a shampoo from cheapsmells.co.uk and they were having a promotion where if you bought anything from Schwarzkopf then you received two full size hair care products. I also bought a Z palette finally - I bought the Dome Z Palette as I have quite a few dome baked shadows from my Front Cover gift sets. I also bought a jacket and dress from the new Asos sale, I sent the jacket back as it just didn't look right but I kept the red dress as you can see from the photographs above. I always buy Asos petite size 6 dresses and they fit so well  - LOVE them!

Also speaking of shopping, myself, my sister and my parents went to the Trafford Centre yesterday and I bought a few things. Myself and my sister (Aimee) went to Gap, we have never been in a Gap store, but I was looking online and they had some really nice tops and jumpers. I bought a navy and white stripe jumper and my sister bought the same jumper but it had gorgeous coral stripes (£14.99 each). I also bought a short sleeve raglan style top which was in the sale for £5.99. Then we went into the Selfridges Food Hall - I bought some Reeses chocolate as I love their peanut butter cups and we got some Millies cookies *drools* from one the the standings in the Trafford Centre. Oh, and we saw three Buddhist monks in the trafford centre, dressed in orange and one of them had an orange superdry shopping bag. Recent purchases post coming soon!

That was my week, oh and I bought Elle magazine this week and it shows that in next months issue there is going to be a free Benefit They're Real mascara! Very excited! Just a note - the picture of my hair above is from last year, I haven't had it cut yet, I think I am going to get it cut to the same length as last year though.

I hope you all had a great week x

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Snow Day and OOTD!

Today I was supposed to be going to university for the full day but as you can probably tell from the photographs below and the news reports that...it has snowed! Finally a good amount of snow has fallen on Manchester! The snow hasn't stopped falling here since last evening so my lectures today have been cancelled and the campus has been closed! SNOW DAY!

This is what I woke up to - white, white everywhere and a lot of ice too. The snow does look incredibly pretty on the ground and trees but it is not so great to trudge through! Here are some photographs of the snow where I am and an outfit of the day too!

Here is my snow day outfit! Grey long sleeve top: Primark ages ago. Coat: Dorothy Perkins. Jeans: Dorothy Perkins. Boots: La Redoute. Camera: Nikon L120. 

Snow times - my sister and I having a snowball fight - it didn't last long, its very cold outside! The snow on the grass was really deep and while we were taking pictures it was still snowing - it hasn't stopped! The multicoloured bag on the table is my 'empties bag', I was taking photographs of my empties and January favourites in the snow!

I didn't realise how red my hair looked until I went outside and it was like BAM! I hope everyone has a great snow day, if you are in the UK (or anywhere else where it is snowing..)! I will hopefully post my late week in photographs tomorrow and the last of my sale haul posts too - including some Shu Uemura, Superdrug and Urban Retreat buys! 

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