Empties #3 | Repurchase?

Since I've moved out I've been trying to make an effort to actually finish products rather than start using them and then buy something new so abandon them and repeat - it's a viscous circle and this house isn't big enough to contain all my half full beauty products!

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat
I really do get through my fair share of these which is unfortunate as they're a little on the pricey side but in my opinion completely worth it. I don't think this little gold pen needs explaining but just in case you're not sure it's meant to add some radiance to your skin and adds light to wherever you apply. I really can notice when I've skipped this step in my make up regime.
Repurchase? There's a new one in my make up bag as I type this!

Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effect Faux Cils Mascara
I'd used this once before and never got along with it so when I received this in a gift set at Christmas I was a bit dubious but wanted to give it another go and then I left it gathering dust in a drawer until I came across it again a couple of months ago and I still don't get on with it. I don't know what it is that I don't like but it just doesn't give my eyelashes that oomph that I want!
Repurchase? I gave it a second chance but I am afraid that is was Faux Cils last!

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish
I am pretty sure that you're all very familiar with Cleanse and Polish! It's basically a holy grail hot cloth cleanser that gets rid of all that grime that gets stuck to your face during our busy days and I really do see such a difference in my skin when I use it religiously, it's so clear and a lot brighter.
Repurchase? Already done!

Nip+Fab Pistachio Sundae
I am heartbroken, I've just gone to link this up and do a little restock because I really do love this body butter so much and it's been discontinued?!?! Say what?!?!?! Nip+Fab did you actually use this and smell how gorgeous it is and feel how smooth you were left no matter how scaley you were?? Obviously not or this would still be available to buy, boohoo!!!
Repurchase? I definitely would if I could but for some inexplicable reason this has been discontinued!

Origins Make A Difference Rejuvenating Cleansing Milk
I can never get all of my make up off, especially eye make up but when I wash my face with this it feels squeaky clean because it melts away all dirt and unwanted panda eyes. I did enjoy using this but I didn't notice that much of a difference to my skin but maybe that's because I never persevered with it enough.
Repurchase? Not at the moment but I would be happy to receive it in a beauty box and give it another go.

Bioderma Sensibo h20
Another product that needs no introduction! I love Bioderma and so does my skin - it's amazing for when you want to get every little trace of slap off and it's so gentle around the eyes that you can really get in there and remove those stubborn bits of mascara and eyeliner.
Repurchase? Hell yeah and I've upgraded from the 250ml to the 500ml!

Tresemme Platinum Strength Shot
I can't even tell you how many of these that I've got through since Glossybox introduced me to these little shots of wonder! I can have the most unruly mane known to man but 60 seconds of this on the mid lengths to the ends of my hair and I can actually get a brush through it. I love this stuff!!
Repurchase? I already have a little stash to make my way through.

Origins Make a Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment Lotion 
I really like to use this at the end of the day if my skin is feeling extra grimy to try and give it a little bit more life. It's meant for dry skin and really does help to hydrate it.
Repurchase? Not right now as my skin is more oily than dry at the moment but I'll keep it in mind if the winter dries me out!

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush
If you want super soft skin then this is what you need in your life! It's amazing for getting rid of that last little bit of fake tan that won't budge and I used it on my legs after shaving them to get rid of those pesky ingrown hairs!
Repurchase? I definitely wouldn't turn my nose up at it next time there's a 3 for 2 on.

Vaseline Active Fresh Deodorant 
Don't get me wrong, this does what it says on the tin but I absolutely hate this stuff and only got it because it was on offer! I can't stand the smell of this, I don't know what it is about it that just makes me feel sick, I think I'd rather ditch the deo and embrace the smell than smell of this, I hate it!!
Repurchase? No way.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Shampoo & Conditioner
When I started using this I really did like it, it made my hair soft and shiny and for the first few weeks there was a bit of lift that wasn't there before but I don't know if my hair just builds up a defence against it because it seems to happen with all the shampoos I use - to start with I'm amazed and then just nothing!
Repurchase? If they were on offer in Boots in the future I probably would give them another whirl.

Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle
I definitely need all the help that I can get in the hair detangling stakes and this worked really way plus it protects from heat, safeguards colour, adds shine and conditions, a lot of little bonuses there! I really like using this and was sad when it ran out especially for it's lovely sweetie-esque smell that was right up my street!
Repurchase? I probably would do but even just looking for a link to this product has proved impossible so I think I'll stick with things that are more easily available for me to get my hands on!

Jelly Pong Pong Fairy Lashes Mascara
I haven't even used this all up but I just needed to get rid of it! It left my lashes clumpy, there was no extra length and it just ended up all flaked down my face. I don't know what it is with me and mascara, my eyelashes seem to be very picky!
Repurchase? Nope!!

So there you have it, everything that I've managed to get through in the past few months and now I have a very empty bottom bedside drawer ready for me to fill it up with empties again!

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Topshop Lip Crayon in Powder Room

Topshop Lip Crayon, Powder Room £7.00

I can't even keep count of the times that I've swatched or picked up and put down a Topshop lip crayon, it's one of those things that I really wanted to try but never got round to buying (come on, we've all got them!) I actually ended up with this because it came in a Selfridges Beauty Box and it was a big part of the reason that I forked out for the festival box earlier in the summer.

Powder Room is a really bright, vibrant pink with a slight hint of peachiness in there somewhere making it a bit easier to wear. It's a matte finish and if I had to give this a rating from one to ten on its matteness it is off the scale! I don't know about you but when I've got something on my lips I want to apply it and forget it's even there while it carries on working its magic but with this lip crayon you can feel it all the time, it's so drying and chalky once applied. Now don't get me wrong, once it's on it looks amazing but it doesn't feel amazing and after a while I get that built up residue around the inside of my lips which I get quite conscious about because it looks bloody awful. This really does remind me of the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils as the formulas are very similar.

Powder Room isn't up on the Topshop website at the minute but I'm sure you'd be able to pick it up at a Topshop with a good sized make up stand. If your lips are prepped and primed this looks really nice on and it doesn't take a lot to build up good coverage it's just a shame that the formula lets it down but that's the nature of the matte lipped beast!

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E.l.f Mineral Eyeshadow | Elegant, Celebrity & Natural

E.l.f Mineral Eyeshadows - £3.00

Firstly I must apologize for these appalling pictures, I wanted to retake them but by now the boxes are long gone and the packaging isn't that pristine - must try harder! These eyeshadows are from my very first E.l.f haul which was quite a while ago now, there's been another one since then but as that was made up mostly of Birthday and Christmas presents I had to keep it under wraps but there are a couple of reviews in the pipeline!

I am definitely a neutral eye kind of girl and my eyeshadow collection is minuscule so when E.l.f had an offer on that was too good to refuse I thought it was the perfect opportunity to stock up on a few eye products. I went for 3 mineral eyeshadows and I haven't really used loose pigments on my eyes since I used to over do it with the multicoloured Barry M Dazzle Dusts when I was in college! The three colours that I chose were Celebrity which is a lovely beigey bronze, Natural is nude and Elegant is a light champagne and is also perfect to use as a highlighter - all three shades are a shimmer finish but not scarily glittery.

I absolutely love all three of these and will definitely be going back for more - for £3 the colour pay off is so strong and they just last and last with minimal creasing and that's even without a proper primer, the only thing I've been wearing underneath is MAC Bare Study. I can't even say that they're messy because I never end up with the pigments half way down my face, it's literally a few specks under my eyes and that's on a bad day - I use the Real Techniques Duo Fiber Eyeshadow brush to apply these and it seems to pick up the perfect amount of product. I couldn't recommend them more if you're looking to expand your eyeshadow collection without breaking the bank as they're as good as any other higher priced shadows that I've used!

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Beauty Advent Calendars 2013

Image from Weheartit & edited by me

Christmas is a-coming guys and dolls!! Since the discovery that there doesn't just have to be chocolate behind those little numbered doors one of my favourite parts of the run up to Christmas is picking my advent calendar and getting a little beauty themed treat every single day for nearly a month. These calendars are slowly but surely creeping out of the woodwork and here are the ones that I know of so far but I'm sure there will be a couple more released in the run up to the most wonderful time of the year!

Ciate Mini Mani Month Calendar

This was my calendar of choice last year and I'm swaying this way again because nearly a year on I'm still regularly using practically all of the shades that I got last year and that is what I call value for money! With this you get 24 mini paint pots including 4 caviar beads and 3 limited edition glitters that will not be found anywhere on gods sweet earth except behind one of these little doors. At £42 it's a little bit on the pricey side but you're guaranteed good quality nail varnish from Ciate and it if you think about it this way - it works out as £1.75 a polish and I don't know about you but my purse opens a lot easier thinking of it like that!

Benefit Countdown to Love Calendar

Finding a beauty fanatic who doesn't love Benefits innovative products and quirky packaging is like my bank balance still being intact the day of a new MAC collection release - rare! The countdown to love calendar is going to contain tiny little versions of all our favourite Benefit products like High Beam, The POREfessional and Benetint. It comes in at £50 and is available for one day and one day only on November 2nd so catch it while you can!

Boots 24 Days of Beauty Calendar

This is Boots first ever advent calendar and it keeps coming in and out of stock on the website although it is in stock as I type this. At £30 it is one of the most reasonably priced calendars out there and contains brands such as - Soap and Glory, Balmi, Rimmel, Seventeen and Vichy. The only thing that puts me off this (I've had a peek at the spoilers) and it's the fact that there's quite a few perfume samples and I get enough of them in my Glossybox!

Selfridges Advent Calendar 

This is definitely one for if you want to treat yourself or if someone extremely generous wants to treat you, it costs an eye watering £84 but doesn't it look amazing?! It's jam packed with luxury brands such as YSL, Lancome, Armarni and Viktor & Rolf. So if you fancy a bit of luxury in your life for 24 days and you have a spare £84 knocking about this one is for you!

So there you have it, this years beauty calendar offerings but I'm sure there will be a few more to come. Last year there were Liz Earle and You Beauty calendars so I'm keeping my eyes peeled! Will you be going for a beauty advent calendar this year or be sticking with Cadburys?

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MAC Runway Hit Lipstick

MAC, Runway Hit £15.00

Ruby Woo has reproduced and out popped seven brand spanking new Retro Matte lipsticks! MAC have recently brought out a whole collection in honour of the very popular formula and don't quote me on this as there seems to be a little bit of confusion but all of these new shades are permanent except for three which are Runway Hit, Steady Going and Fixed on Drama but saying they are limited edition I've already seen them restocked on the MAC website a couple of times.

Runway Hit is a really unique nude shade with a peachy tint and I'd even say that there was a slight hint of pink in the mix. I haven't got anything close to this in my lipstick collection so it's a really nice addition although I would say if you've got quite pigmented lips this might not be the shade for you. I much prefer a matte lip to a glossy finish but the other couple of MAC matte lipsticks I have are an absolute nightmare to apply and highlight every imperfection possible but I was pleasantly suprised with how this applied. I applied it straight from the bullet and there was a little bit of tugging but not enough to put me off. Because this is such a true to matte formula it wouldn't hurt to prep your lips before wearing this as it may stick to any dry patches so it's best to have a baby soft canvas to work with. As the formula is so clingy the wear time is ridiculously good, you can eat, drink and talk the day away and this bad boy isn't budging! 

I really love the Retro Matte finish and I couldn't be happier that most of these are now permanent shades so I don't have to rush out to collect them all!

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October Glossybox 2013

Glossybox, £10 plus p&p

I wasn't even going to do a post on this months Glossybox because it's so rubbish but that little creature of habit inside of me got the better of me! The theme of this months box was very Halloween/autumn appropriate - Dark Romance, I was really excited for this box and was thinking berry shades and dry skin banishing moisturisers...erm I thought wrong.

MeMeMe Cherub's Blush Cheek & Lip Tint

This is meant to be a bit of a dupe for Benefit Benetint and is probably the only fitting thing in the box. It's a raspberry coloured tint for cheeks and lips that will leave a nice 'flushed by the cold' look. I'm more of a peachy cheeked girl but the whole point of this box is joining the dark side so I'll be giving it ago although I do think it might end up at the bottom of my make up basket.

Katy Perry Killer Queen Perfume Sample

I hate getting perfume samples as much as the next person but I'm a little biased with this one because as you all know I worship at the alter of Katy Perry. This is a little bit too heavy for me and completely different from her other perfumes (that I own - Katy, I love you!!!) Floriental is the perfect was to describe this but it's a good job I didn't fall head over hells with this because there are literally 2 squirts in the little vial.

Monu Illuminating Primer

This is the one thing that I was really excited to see nestled in that black shredded paper, I've never actually bought anything Monu myself but have received quite a few bits in beauty boxes and have loved them all. This is an illuminating primer that is meant to brighten up your complexion and I definitely need that now the weathers on the turn because my skin takes a bit of a battering!

Premae Multi-Vit Smoothie Serum

This is a kind of pre-moisturising step but I struggle enough remembering to moisturise without adding another step into the equation! You can also add this to a liquid foundation to make a BB cream and I probably will get more use out of it this way but my BB creams have been stored away until we get a shred of heat again.

Vita Liberata Latte Illuminating Skin Finish

This is a bronzer for the body which I have no idea how this made it into the Dark Romance box, I'm embracing the English rose look and letting my natural paleness shine through, my vitiman D intake is flagging so I'm definitely not bronzed and even if I was these 2 sachets wouldn't even cover one of my arms.

This months box is bloody terrible, did anyone actually get a decent variation of this 'Dark Romance' box?!

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Midweek Pink Winter Coat Wish List #16

Whether it's pastel or bright, pink coats are definitely having a moment this winter! I'm in the market for a new coat now that it's starting to get a bit chilly and after getting three winters out of my current coat I don't mind spending a little bit more. I do think that picking a good winter coat is important because knowing the good old Brit weather like we do you'll be wearing this coat day in and day out from the next couple of weeks until early March and even beyond (Boohoo, summer you seem so far away now!) These are my top pink picks on the high street at the minute and I see a bit of an oversized, boyfriend style pattern going on which I love for winter because I've always got a few layers on and it leaves room for that and I'm definitely up for anything that will help to hide those winter pounds that I'll inevitably gain in the lead up to Christmas!

The thought of a candy floss pink coat slightly sweetens up the cold weather that's on the way - Winter I'm ready for you, bring it on!

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Bourjois Little Round Pot Cream Blush in Nude Velvet

 

 

 

 

Bourjois Little Round Pot Cream Blush, Nude Velvet £7.99

I couldn't be any later to the party than I am with this but it's better to be fashionably late than never turn up at all! In the 150 years that Bourjois have been around their Little Round Pots of blusher have proved very popular and this year they've had a little update into cream blush territory. I only started using cream blushers at the beginning of the year and haven't looked back, I'd say that I probably use them more than I do power blushers now so this is a welcome addition to my blusher family!

There are four shades of blushers and the colour of each pot corresponds with the colour of the blush inside. These pots really are little - they're so tiny and compact, I was a bit worried at first that the size would mean that there wasn't much product but I've used this so many times now and have hardly left a dent so there's a good amount of product in this little round pot! There's also a mirror inside which always comes in handy when you're on the go, even if it is the smallest mirror in the world.

Nude Velvet is a pale peach shade and I think that because it's so light and subtle it's probably better suited to us fair skinned beauties. It's such a natural shade but at the same time it really brightens your skin up. I absolutely love the formula of this blusher, it's so soft and easy to work with. I use my fingers to apply this and much prefer applying it that way rather than using the Real Techniques stippling brush like I would usually with a cream blusher - I couldn't have asked for something easier to apply and blend! It's a cream to powder finish so would suit oily skin types as it doesn't leave that dewy look.

I'm reaching for this little pot on a daily basis and if you haven't got your hands on one then there's no time like the present as Boots have £2 off Bourjois at the minute taking this down to £5.99!

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Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion Body Mist & Body Lotion

  

When I was shopping in London I made a beeline for Victoria's secret with one thing on my mind - their infamous body mists! There were 3 scents that I was after and I came away with two of them plus a couple of extra moisturisers. Coconut passion was at the top of my body mist list, it's the combination of my two favourite smells in the world, coconut and vanilla and I definitely wasn't disappointed.

I wish that someone had invented scratch and sniff posts before I got these because I cannot explain how heavenly Coconut Passion is, it's such a sweet and creamy scent, the perfect blend of coconut and vanilla without ending up on the wrong side of being sickly. I wear the body mist in the day for something a bit lighter than perfume and because it's only a mist the lasting power isn't amazing but it definitely lingers for quite a while.

I'm as in love with the scent of the Body Lotion so I won't keep banging on about that (hands down one of the best smells in the world. EVER) I love it when body lotions come in squeezey bottles, I find it so much easier and less messy. It's a lot thinner than any other body lotions I use but absorbs into the skin super quickly so you're not left with loads of excess product trying to find a spare bit of skin to use it up on! I usually use this in the evenings (I like my bed too much to faff around moisturising in the mornings, thank god for Vaseline Spray and Go) and I still smell as coconutty in the morning, the lasting power of the scent is amazing! 

I only have one regret in welcoming Coconut Passion into my life and it's the fact that I now can't live without it and have become a little obsessed!!

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Midweek Wish list #15

It's hard to believe but this week I have one thing and one thing only (well, technically two...) on my wish list, this probably won't happen again so I need to relish the moment! I've skipped Riri Woo the last couple of times that it's been available and never really gave it a second thought until a few weeks ago when I saw a picture of someone wearing a lipstick that I needed in my life and it just happened to be Rihannas take on Ruby Woo. Do I do the rational thing and take advantage of a Debenhams 10% beauty event and order Ruby Woo (which is practically identical) or do I get blinded by the pretty rose gold packaging, torture myself with swatches on Google images and blog reviews and wait until the Riri launch? This collection was available online on Monday in the US and from what I've seen it was carnage to get hold of with most things being sold out within an hour - the UK launch date is tomorrow and I'll be there refreshing the page like a crazy woman and won't breath a sigh of relief until  my order is confirmed, MAC why do you do this too us?!

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