Beauty Haul | Urban Decay, Benefit etc!

Hello!


It had been a long time since I went to the shops and just shopped, browsed the make up section etc so yesterday I decided to remedy this with Christmas gift cards in hand.

I first of all went into Boots, which I was most excited about. I can't remember the last time I went in and just looked at everything and bought what took my fancy! 


I noticed it was 3 for 2 on Eylure, so I picked up 3 pairs of eyelashes as I didn't have any left in my collection. I always used to wear fake eyelashes on nights out and special occasions but I just hadn't got round to buying more. I like more natural one's that don't look heavy but still make my eyelashes look fuller and longer. I chose: Naturals No. 33, Naturals. 020 and Lengthening No. 116. I am particularly interested in trying No. 33 has it is an angled lash with a lengthening finish so I am hoping they will look amazing with winged eyeliner and give a feline look to the eyes.


Then I picked out the Collection Powered by Witch Mattifying Pore Minimiser Primer as I noticed that morning I was coming to the end of my primer. I picked this one because I like witch hazel for acne and my friend recommended it. An absolutely budget friendly primer too so it will be great if it is good!

After, I went over to the Benefit counter. I love Benefit but rarely buy anything from there due to their prices and me liking to save my pennies. However, I thought I'd treat myself by getting the cult favourite Hoola bronzer. I was confident I would like it as everyone and their dog seems to like it so I am looking forward to giving it a go!

Then of course, I also had to lastly pick up my holy grail Batiste dry shampoo. I have spoken about this dry shampoo way too much on my blog as I just can't live without it.

I then went over to John Lewis to check out the Urban Decay counter where I saw the Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter in 'Sin'. My friend and I had seen it back in June when we were travelling in Berlin and I instantly fell in love with it. I had been thinking about it ever since so I just went for it! I had space for a decent highlighter in my make up collection and I am extremely excited to use it.

That was it for my make up items. It isn't pictured but I additionally went into Topshop and picked up a 'night out' dress which was on sale from £39.00 to £15.00! My friend spotted it and I fell in love. It is a tight nude coloured dress with black lace overlay and spaghetti straps. There is also another spaghetti strap forming a 'V' over the chest which is what had particularly drawn me to it. 

Empties #13

Last month was Empties #12 which means it is time for Empties #13!


At the beginning of June I went travelling for 2 weeks so of course I needed a can of Batiste dry shampoo to see me through it! This is a 100ml travel size too which means I could bring it on board the plane and it not take up too much room.


The Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturiser is something I have enjoyed using for years, whether this one or the grapefruit one, as it is good for acne prone skin. It is light, fresh and good for day moisturiser that will soak in quickly so you can start applying your make up!


Just over a year ago I was sent the Amphora Aromatics Seaweed & Aloe Refreshing Eye Gel to review. My favourite way to use this was to help remove my make up. You can click on the name of the product to learn more about it and my opinion!


Another seaweed product (an unintentional theme there!) is The Body Shop Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator. I used this in the shower only to exfoliate my face. I liked this product as it was a great exfoliant however it would sting my eyes a bit even if the product wasn't near them! The packaging of this has now changed.


Lastly is an Impulse body spray in the scent 'Be Surprised' Violets & Red Fruit. This is just one of your standard cheap body sprays that run out in a month or less. I don't like to use this on its own but rather in companion with perfume. 


Thanks for reading!

Empties #12

Hey guys!


I've got some more empties for you!


My first empty is of course, the Batiste dry shampoo. But this time it is the Oriental one. It works just as well as the others and I always love the big bottles of these. Forever a repurchase of mine!


The next empty is The White Collection Beauty Cream Cotton Camomile. I always used this after shaving and it helps to moisturise my skin, smooth it and stop any bumps coming up after shaving. It is the first time I've ever managed to completely finish a body butter/cream so I am pretty proud of myself! I got it in a bath and body Christmas present one year so it has been a long time coming to finish it.


Thirdly is the Natural Collection Green Corrector Stick. I go through these like nobody's business for years and I truly recommend it to anyone who suffers with red skin and/or acne. It is a green concealer you can use on redness and it counteracts it when you put your foundation over top. I love it and it is only £1.99! 


Then we have a nail polish. I don't think I've ever had a nail polish in my empties before. I always manage to finish top/base coats but never a colour polish. But anyway, this is L'Oreal 2-In-1 Protect Base + Top Coat Nail Polish which I got in a L'Oreal gift box for Christmas a couple of years ago. It is small but from what I remember it did the job well. It got a little clumpy near it's end but wasn't so clumpy that it was impossible to use.


Lastly is my holy grail, the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 'Cool Medium 02'. Yes, another concealer in my empties! I use 'Warm Medium 03' on my eyelids and 'Cool Medium 02' on the rest of my face and it is a good match. I only ever use this concealer and never stray from it because I know it works so well for me!


That's it for June! Feel free to read May's Empties here.

Haul | Travel Size Products

In June and July I am going abroad so I needed to stock up on some travel size products. All products mentioned are 100ml or under which fits in with the UK's guidelines on bringing liquids in your hand luggage.


The first item is simple but important- Carex Aloe Vera Hand Gel (50ml). I want to bring it with me so I can bring it out with me to make sure my hands are clean. I like the aloe vera one as hand sanitisers can be drying and I have sensitive skin so aloe gel helps to keep my skin calm. Pretty simple really!


The next item is a slight cheat. This item I already owned so I didn't buy it with the others but it is still a travel size product that I am bringing. This is The Body Shop Strawberry Shower Gel (60ml). It is the perfect size and the strawberry scent smells particularly fruity and perfect for summer.


Then is the travel size of Batiste Blush Floral & Flirty Dry Shampoo (50ml). The scent doesn't really matter to me but I use dry shampoo every week of my life so this is a necessity! The big bottles I usually buy are way too big to bring so this is a good size.


As someone with lots of baby hairs that stand up on end, I need hairspray. Likewise to my dry shampoo, my usual bottle is a huge bottle so would be no good for travel! This is the L'Oreal Elnett Satin Extra Strength Hairspray (75ml). The Elnett hairsprays remind me of my Mum as I always remember seeing them on her dressing table as a kid. When I used to do dance competitions she would use it on me so for that I just had to buy it when I saw it!


For heat defence, I picked up the VO5 Smoothly Does It Tame and Shine Heat Defence Spray (100ml). I actually didn't realise until after I bought it that this is for dry hair rather than wet hair which is when I had it in mind for, but it should be okay! I always try to avoid hairdryers but regularly use hair straighteners. 


Lastly is my all time favourite, Urban Decay De-slick Make Up Setting Spray (30ml). I buy this regularly on FeelUnique and love it for travelling. It keeps my make up in place well and I love it for hot weather as it has temperature control. It works wonders for stopping my make up from melting off in the heat! If keeping your make up in place on hot days is an issue for you then I really recommend this.


So that's it! Anything else I need travel sizes for I am just decanting from my full size products into empty travel bottles. 

Hair | Empties #9

Hello!


My 9th empties?! But this one is special, because this one is all about my empty hair products. If I had to pick something I liked the most about my appearance, I think I would choose my hair. I dye my hair and use straighteners on it often. So I do like to look after it!

• TRESemme Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray- This hairspray looks so manky now! A little goes a long way with this big can and I have honestly had it for years. I don't like to use hairspray all over my hair, but only on the baby hairs at the top of my head as they stick up too much for my liking naturally!

• Batiste Dry Shampoo Coconut & Exotic Tropical- My holy grail, my best friend, my saviour on a weekly basis. I can never express my love for Batiste dry shampoo enough. 

• L'Oreal Studio Line Hot & Sleek Heat Protector- I straighten my hair frequently so something to protect my hair from heat is necessary. It is a cream texture and goes on to damp hair with ease. I run it through with my fingers then use a comb to spread it evenly. Works a treat!

• Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Moistuire Kick Beauty Balm- I tried this sample size when it came in my goody bag from Bristol Fashion Week and I really loved it. I liked applying it to the ends of my hair because I suffer from split ends and it really made my hair feel thicker at the ends and looked after it! I also liked using it the front of my hair where I use the straighteners the most because sometimes the baby hairs can look a little frazzled. Great stuff! 

If you would like to read my previous empties post, click here. What are your haircare favourites?

Empties #8

I seem to go through products like nobody's business and it means I always have stuff to show you guys. How often is too often to upload an Empties post?


I've always got an empty can of Batiste Dry Shampoo in my posts, I swear. I use Batiste about twice a week without fail and I absolutely love it. This is the Original scent.


If you've read my posts for a while you might know that I adore the mango scent from The Body Shop. The Mango Body Scrub just looks and smells delicious! To honour my favourite scent, I used up The Mango Body Mist which you can read my review on here. 


Next is the Nivea Oil Free Moisturiser Day Cream. I picked this up in an offer on Nivea moisturisers and I loved it. It is so light weight and doesn't feel heavy or clogged up on the skin. It didn't sting my sensitive skin and soaked in quickly enough that I could apply my make up soon afterwards. Bonus! 


One of my favourite nail polish brands is Models Own. They have such a large range of nail polishes in kind of big bottles and they are always of nice quality. This is their top coat from their HyperGel range, which mimics a gel nail. There is still a little bit in the bottle but I can't reach it with the brush and the formula has gone super gloopy. However, I liked it whilst it lasted even though it was a bit thick!


Last of all is The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil. Again, if you've been reading my blog for a while you might know that I love the tea tree range from The Body Shop for my acne prone skin. Whenever I had a spot coming I would cover it in this stuff! It's probably better to use at night time than before your make up routine because it does take a while to soak in but it really is the best choice for pesky spots. I wrote an ultimate guide to The Body Shop Tea Tree range which you can see here.


Have you used up a lot of products lately? I always find that I seem to finish things in an abundance all at the same time, rather than over time!

Empties #7

Hello everyone!


It is that time again where we see what products I have finished and emptied off recently. 

• Batiste Dry Shampoo Original- I probably go through more of these than anything else.
• Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water- My holy grail make up remover. Read my review here.
• L'Oreal Studio Line Hot & Smooth Straightening Cream- I've lost count of how many years I have used this. Perfect for my thick, straight hair.
• The Body Shop Strawberry Shower Gel- The size of this shower gel meant that it lasted me quite a few months. Their strawberry range always smells lovely.
• The Body Shop Chocomania Sugar Body Scrub- I always love my body scrubs from The Body Shop! Read my review here.
• Neutrogena Visibily Clear Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Moisturiser- I've used this loads in 2014/15 and it smells amazing. Read my review here.
• Nina Ricci Nina Perfume- One of my top favourite perfumes that I've used time and time again. It is a family favourite! Read my review here.

To read my empties #6 post, click here!

What products have you used up recently?

Favourites | The Best Hair Care & Perfume of 2015

So yesterday I posted my 'Favourites | The Best Skincare of 2015' blog post. Today I want to do the same thing, but with hair care and perfume! I'm not massively into hair products and perfume so this is a small post but it certainly deserved to be mentioned. If there is a review on a product I will link the review next to it for you!

HAIR PRODUCTS

• Batiste Dry Shampoo Original. My holy grail dry shampoo I've been using for years!   (review)

• VO5 Nourish My Shine Bedazzling Oil Heat Protector. A new one to my collection this year. I love it to protect my hair from the heat of hairdyers and straighteners and it certainly makes my hair shiny. 

• Schwarzkopf Moisture Kick Beauty Balm. Another new item to my collection after getting a sample at Bristol Fashion Week. I like to put it at the ends of my damp hair to help my split ends and keep the ends of my hair feeling nourished and not dry!

PERFUME

• Paco Rabanna Black XS. I first got this from my friend Antonia for my birthday and since then I have used that up and got another one. I love the packaging as it is quite dark and alternative (which is what I like) and I always get compliments when I wear it. 

What were your hair care and perfume favourites? My ultimate make up favourites will be coming next!

4 Products I Always Repurchase

Batiste Dry Shampoo

After dabbling with a few dry shampoos at the beginning of my dry shampoo journey I finally settled on Batiste dry shampoo. Batiste has changed the hair game for me forever. Before dry shampoo I was washing my hair every other day and as somebody who sees hair washing as a chore, I absolutely hated it. But since using Batiste I only have to wash my hair twice a week. It has saved my life! It doesn't really matter to me which Batiste I use (there are various scents) but I usually go for the original one or the tropical one.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water was also a game changer for me as it persuaded me to give up the make up wipes for good. Before I discovered this I was still using make up wipes (oh the horror) and I never found my skin to be totally clean. However, now with the help of this, a cotton pad and my daily face wash, my skin seems a lot cleaner and I have less break outs. Yay! It also makes removing eye make up easier which is a plus.

L'Oreal Line Studio Hot & Sleek Heat Protect Cream

I have been using this after washing my hair for as long as I can remember. Definitely before even watching beauty YouTubers, reading blogs and my love for make up were even a thing.  I use this hair cream on damp hair and then brush it through with a comb. It protects your hair from heat and frizz for about 3 days, which is good for me as I straighten my hair quite a lot. It calls itself a sleeking balm and I couldn't agree more.

Natural Collection Green Corrector Stick

Finally we have the product that I NEVER skip in my make up routine. As someone who regularly suffers from acne and has red acne scars, this is a life saver for me. I put this on redness and the green counteracts the redness for a more flawless skin-tone look after foundation. What's great is that this stick is only £1.99 so I literally buy at least 5 at a time. I also sometimes get red dry patches on my neck and when I want to cover it up this also helps loads. Unless my skin ever gets better than I don't think I will ever stop using this.

So there we have it! Those are 4 products I always repurchase and have been doing so for years. As you can see they are game changers for me. If something works so brilliantly for you, then why give it up? They are holy grail products and will probably continue to be so for many years to come.

What are some products you always repurchase? Let me know!

Empties #4

Hey!

It seems my empties are mainly skincare based this time!

First we have the Batiste tropical dry shampoo. I don't really care what type of Batiste dry shampoo I pick up, as long as it is Batiste. I love Batiste dry shampoo and it has changed my hair forever. Before I discovered dry shampoo I was washing my hair every other day but now I can wash my hair only twice a week. As someone who HATES washing their hair, this is a great positive!

Next is the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. This is also a life changing product for me for removing make up. Discovering this beauty stopped me using make up wipes forever and is my absolute holy grail make up remover. To read my review on it, click here.

Then is the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Grapefruit Moisturiser. This has featured on my blog multiple times as it is my favourite moisturiser. It smells great and is good for my acne prone skin. To read my review on it, click here.

Lastly is The Body Shop Tea Tree Cleansing Foam. This is my second or third bottle of this as a fan of the Tea Tree range in The Body Shop. It slightly dries out my skin sometimes but otherwise it does the job!

That's it! It seems these empties are all my holy grail products which I use time and time again so you'll probably see them lots more.

What are your holy grail products? Let me know!