April Empties

I know i am a little late with these as we’re almost at the end of May but better late than never. So i have used up quite a few products in April. Not too many makeup items as they take so much longer to use up. I did use up a couple of hair things like shampoo that my hubby binned before i could rescue them to put into the bag i have been collecting my empties in. He thinks I have finally gone mad, collecting empty bottles. He is probably right. But there is something satisfying about getting to the end of a product esp when you have as many on the go at once like I do.

So this is what i remembered to keep.

April Empties

OK – so i’ll go through what I finished up and say a wee it about that item and also let you know if  i’m planning on repurchasing.

1. Soap and Glory Clarity Face Soap– now this iI got in one of those super big Xmas gift boxes that Boots do around the festive period. I did enjoy using this and found my super sensitive skin reacted well with it. It was a really gentle exfoliator, lovely scent too – as with all Soap and Glory products. I haven’t repurchased yet because i am using an Olay one but i defiantly would buy it again.

2. Lush Tea Tree Toner Water – I have done a whole blog post on this miracle water (maybe a little OTT) no but in all seriousness I do love it. It’s great used as a toner on a cotton pad – traditional style or sprayed directly on to your face throughout the day to combat oil and keep your face fresh. I really love it and have already purchased the larger 250g size.

3. No 7 Perfect & Protect Intense Serum – Love this too, I really enjoy using a serum I tend not to repurchase the same one tho as i seem always to be on the look out for something better. I have repurchased this in the past and have used those £5 No7 vouchers to buy it. Despite being quite a small tube I found it lasts a good amount of time.

April Empties

4. Simple Exfoliating Wipes – Horrid face scratching wipes 100& won’t be buying these again.

5. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat – I used this so much then for some reason it was pushed to the back of my draw, but i spotted its gold goodness and felt like i had purchased it all over again. I’ve been really needing this as my lack of sleep is showing and this goes some way to making me look alive and awake. It’s great and lasts a hell of a long time. I had a back up so i guess i have re purchased.

6. Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight – It was OK but i hardly ever wear my hair straight so i ended up just using it as a heat spay for when i was blowdrying my hair. Don’t think i will buy again.

7. Wella High Hair Sleek Control – A frizzy hair tamer thats how i used this product and really like it. I have’t seen it again but when i do i will buy another. It was very inexpensive but really good and lasted a while. So thumbs up from me.

8. Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment – purchased this with some bday money back in October and it only ran out last month so i’d say that lasted a heck of a long time. You really only need a small amount of this and its super hydrating. I am only not repurchasing this because i am trying another Kiehl’s eye cream. One specifically for dull under eyes. I will do a blog on that soon.

April Empties

9. 2 bottles of Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf – I used a little more than normal as i’d ran out of my Jo Malone. I always have a bottle of Flowerbomb on the go and love its fresh sweet scent. I will be getting my little brother to buy me one a Duty Free when he goes on holiday in June.

10. Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter – I don’t need to say anything more than HELLO smooth legs. This is a BRILLIANT body butter and of course i have re purchased.

11. No 7 Cleanse and Care Eye Makeup Remover – A great inexpensive eye makeup remover. Super gentle and great for getting off even waterproof eye makeup. I really like this. I’m currently using a Garnier one at the moment which I don’t like as much as the No7 one. So once its all used up i’ll re buy this one.

GlossyBox Beauty Subscription

I have been signed up to GlossyBox for 6 months now and thought i would say a little about it. For those of you that aren’t aware of what GlossyBox is, it a monthly subscription where you receive 5/6 high end beauty samples in a cute box. They are for you to test and if your impressed you can purchased the full size. Often you get quite good discount codes within the box for the the full size item. Last months box was a Harrods Special and was pretty amazing, next months box is meant to be another extra special one as its GlossyBox’s birthday. SO i am excited to get that one.

Not all the items in the boxes are sample size quite a few have been full size items & all the boxes I have received the  products have far exceeded the £12 I paid. I love getting my box each month and seeing whats inside. It can be anything from nail care, skincare, haircare, body products and of course makeup. It’s a great mixture.

The products are not always to everyones liking, but on the most part i think they do a great job in terms of variety. I highly recommend GlossyBox for any beauty/product junkie. You pay monthly i pay via Paypal which is so handy and your able to cancel at any point.

Some of the brands that have appeared in my boxes have been, Burberry, Eyeko, Ojon, Orly and Caudalie – so a wide range of products and brands.

The boxes themselves are even cute and i know i am not alone in saving them for storing my nail polish or beauty products in. Its a little bit of fun and i feel its really great value for money. Here are a few snaps of some products from my boxes. Let me know if you sign up & how you find it. Oh and if anyone gets any other beauty boxes i would love to hear your thoughts & recommendations.

GlossyBox Beauty Samples

Addicted to Instagram

I have been using Intsagram for almost 18 months now mostly for my badge business – Koolbadges – but recently as more people & friends have been signing up i’ve found myself instagraming all sorts of things and i love looking through other peoples photos. The filters are so fun and can make your photos look retro, black and white, bright, sepia and all sorts of fun things. I am on as koolbadges if you want to follow me & if you leave your twitter & Instagram name below i will check you out.

It’s a fun way of seeing what people get up to and some people are so good at taking photos with it. Here is a round up of a few of my Instagrams over the past couple of weeks.

My royal cup and saucer, shu uemura eyeshadow duo, light reading, London sightseeing, Barry M nailpolish bargains, Ice cold beer.

Airport treats at Mac & Jo Malone, Mums birthday cake, Lush haul, Real techniques brushes, Brew and a Tunnocks tea cake, Yankee candle haul

bareMinerals READY Blush in Aphrodisiac

So before I purchased my NARS Deep Throat Blush from SpaceNK I popped in to the  Bare Escentuals store in Covent Garden and had a wee look at their new pressed eyeshadows. I really liked them but talked myself out of buying any due to the fact i have so many new eyeshadows to try. But i did leave the store with two purchases. The first being a super sweet Buxom Plumping Lip Gloss in the color bambi (can’t seem to find this colour on their website). Which isn’t like me at all I am not a pure pink lip gloss kinda gal. But the MUA in their had this shade on and it looked so fresh and sweet so i was won over. The other purchase was one of their new Bare Minerals READY blushes in the colour The Aphrodisiac.

This blush is a really perfect shade for a subtle hint of colour. Just enough for a flushed look. The formula of these blushes seem quite soft and creamy and is SO much easier to work with compared to their Mineral range. I’m too clumsy and heavy handed to deal with mineral anything i get it everywhere and is so hard to travel with. You end up in such a mess with product everywhere.

The packaging is not unlike NARS with the velvet esk feel to the compact case. Although inside you get a little more product. You do get 6g of Blush for £22 which i think is OK for a special purchase. I do not by any means spend this much often on anything but a foundation. I am super happy with my choice of colour and find it to be a sweet coral peach colour with a hint – not a lot of shimmer.It looks a lot more shimmery in the pan. So do not be put off.  The colour is build-able and you can make it quite an intense peach colour if you wanted a more dramatic look. I have’t used the brush it comes with & tend not too. I am so going to go back and add a few other colours to my collection. They claim the mineral colour will last up to eight hours – quite a claim. I will put it to the test.

bareMinerals READY Blush in The Aphrodisiac

The lip gloss i am yet to photograph or really test. I have worn it a few times and the colour pay off is fantastic and makes my lips tingle but can’t say for sure yet if it is plumping. I will review that in a few weeks. Do you own any Bare Minerals products? I am quite interested in their skincare. I just wish there was a shop near by that sold it. :o(

bareMinerals READY Blush in The Aphrodisiac

I like to think the products I use are good for my skin but often you just don’t know. With bareMinerals they have quite a good policy on good skin care and the ingredients they include in their products. Makes me want to learn more and add more to my collection.