Bioderma

A Few Empties Sept / Oct 2014

- Vicki 7 Comments

October Empties 2014

Dove Refresh & Care Dry Shampoo 200ml for £4.59 – I bought this after my trusty Batiste ran out & wanted to try something new. I wasn’t completely won over by this Dove offering. I have dark hair & this left residue and my hair felt chalky and squeaky after using it. I wouldn’t say it was great at absorbing the oil either, I did find this gave my hair volume and yes it smells nice but thats not a massive selling point if the product is less that effective as a dry shampoo. I now have a Herbal Essences one that I’m trying so I will let you know how that works out for me. I really struggle to find a dry shampoo that doesn’t leave a white cast on my hair. If you have found one you love let me know

MONU Brightening Boost Serum* 15ml for £22.50 – I really liked this serum and found it lightweight and hydrating. It was good at keeping my complexion looking bright and healthy. I also used it on the backs of my hands as it contains Vitamin C which helps combat free radicals and helps even skin tone and also Hyluronic Microspehers which hydrate and plump the skin helping to reduce the visibility of wrinkles & those are concerns I have with my face but also my hands & I thought it worked well for both. Do you do this & use products on more than area?

NUXE  Melting Cleansing Gel 125ml for £12.00 – If you’re looking for a gentle but effective cleanser then this NUXE one is for you. The rose scent it quite strong but don’t let that put you off, the gel I would say felt more like a cream but either way you massage it on to dry skin & I like to spend a good few minutes massaging it in then rinse off with warm water. You will be left with smooth, hydrated and beautifully cleansed skin. Its so gentle and if like me your skin can react and go a little red after cleansing you will love using this NUXE offering as it was so calming and gentle that it didn’t flair up my redness or irritate my eyes. Another amazing product from NUXE!

Eyeko Skinny Mini Liquid Liner £12.00 – Utterly disappointed with this eyeliner. It wasn’t very black & applied patchy and it transferred on to my upper eye area which was so annoying. I also found this dried out very quickly. I am a liquid liner addict & wear it daily so I have worked my way through quite a few different liners over the years & this was one of the most disappointing ones. I hate to be so negative but Eyeko are now quite an expensive brand & this fell short of the quality I’d expect from them.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O 100ml for £4.50 – As I have said a few times, before I’d tried Bioderma I just couldn’t understand how it could be that much better than other Micellar Waters but it really is. I think the stand out thing for me is the fact it leaves my skin so very soft & it never stings my eyes. I always cleanse after using this but I do like to remove my eye makeup with a Micellar Water & this one Bioderma is the best I have tried, the Garnier one comes a very close second.

Bath & Body works Hand Sanitizer – Another one bites the dust. I only have one more of these left from the 10 I bought whilst in San Fransisco last year & thats a Pear one. This Vanilla Berry Sorbet one smells lovely & good enough to eat (although I wouldn’t recommend it). I always have one of these in my handbag & on my desk just to keep bacteria at bay (germaphobe). My brother is heading to NYC in November & he has promised to get me a few Christmas ones. I’m so excited.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

My Holiday Skincare – Amsterdam Edit

- Vicki 8 Comments

At the end of August I spent a week in Amsterdam, its a city I have visited a couple of times before & I just love it there. Its such a beautiful and vibrant city. I thought I would share with you my travel skincare. I must say I was very pleased with myself as I normally over pack & this time I was determined to pack light & take samples and sachets which I had been hoarding for a while now.

First up is my blue and white polka dot Dirty Works wash bag, this was so handy as I was able to hang it up in my hotel bathroom & have easy access to all of my toiletries. It has two small compartments & a much larger one at the bottom with a zip.
Travel Skincare

Skincare for Amsterdam

My Amsterdam Skincare

Travel Skincare

In the top compartment I had:-

Bath & Body Works Hand Sanitiser in Vanilla Berry Sorbet. I never leave home without one of these bottles & once in Amsterdam I transferred it to my handbag.

Essence Makeup Wipes* – I used these as hand wipes & found them very useful. I used all 15 wipes throughout the week

Razor / Tweezers / Hair Bobble & Earbuds – All necessities.

Amsterdam Skincare sample s

In the middle compartment are my sachets & I had been hoarding so many. They’re perfect for holiday.

I took 7 Kleenex Face Cloths instead of my normal muslin cloths as they took up less space and I didn’t have to bring them back in my suitcase. These Kleenex Face Cloths have been discontinued

Estee Lauder Stress Relief Eye Mask – I love using eye masks & these ones are so hydrating and calming. I also took a set of the DHC Revitalising Moisture Strips Eyes – Another pack of eye masks. I like to sleep in these ones, so when I wake up my under eyes look fresh and my concealer doesn’t sink into my fine lines.

Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Sheet Mask – These are so nice after a long day sight seeing and just keep your skin looking plump and hydrated. It’s cooling on the skin and once you take the mask off you can pat in the remaining Hydraluron (don’t want to waste that).

Bio Beaute NUXE – I didn’t need to use this Moisturiser so I have it saved for my next trip

Kiehl’s Rosa Arctica Lightweight Cream – This was a very lightweight moisturiser and it had a velvet finish. It wore very well under my foundation. I’m tempted to purchase the full size of this.

Garnier Ultra Lift Moisturiser – I like how smoothing and hydrating this Garnier cream is. It always makes my skin feel instantly soft.

Amsterdam Skincare Essentials

Garnier Mineral Invisible Deodorant – I normally use a natural deodorant which is in a glass bottle & didn’t want to take that away so bought this Garnier one. It was good but I do prefer to use a natural one & didn’t bring this back home with me.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Natural Bronze Gradual Tanner – LOVE the sun kissed glow this gives. It looks so even and natural. Its one of my favourite discoveries of 2014. I couldn’t go away without it. It helps my legs look 100% better than they usually do.

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Lotion – This smells lovely & grown up. It was the perfect size for 7 days & I used it all up in that time.

Skincare Samples

Batiste Dry Shampoo – No one wants greasy hair! I always have a mini can for when I travel. It’s not my favourite dry shampoo but it does a good job.

Tresemme Heat Defence – Just a good lightweight heat protector. Since having my haircut short I do use heat a more often than I used to so I had to bring this with me to stop my hair drying out & I will purchase the full size.

Elemis Revitalise Me Shampoo & Conditioner – These were really nice and hydrating and left my hair feeling nourished and glossy.

Moroccanoil Treatment Oil – This is very nourishing and helps keep frizz at bay. I like how smooth and silky my hair feels after using this.

Travel Skincare

Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth  Face Balm – This is a lovely gentle balm cleanser with tiny granules in so it exfoliates away all the dead skin and leaves your skin feeling very smooth. It also removes every last scrap of makeup so you’re skin feels very clean and fresh. I loved using this each night and will purchase the full size.

Radical Peptide Infused Antioxidant Serum* – I love this serum & it keeps my skin looking glowing and healthy. I save it for special occasions & holiday.

Bioderma – Can we just have a moment for how cute this mini bottle is. I like using this to remove my eye makeup as its gentle and you don’t have to rub at your eye.

Merumaya Treatment Toner* – After a long day sight seeing and being in the elements this helped to keep my skin hydrated, bright and feeling soft. It feels very fresh on the skin and has that recognisable Merumaya scent (which I love).

ESPA Optimal Skin Pro Serum – The only product I used on my face over night & I LOVE this serum so much. If you need to wake up with skin that looks well rested and very healthy then this is the serum for that job. It is like great skin in a bottle. I don’t think I have used a serum / oil that is this nourishing. I only have good things to say about it & could go on all day. I have spoke about it many times on my blog.

Murad Essential C Eye Cream – This wasn’t very gentle & stung my eyes. I have used a couple of other products from this range & really liked them but this eye cream wasn’t a hit for me & after 2 days I stopped using it.

Apivita Face Cream SPF50 – This didn’t break me out & wasn’t too greasy. It was quite thick when I first applied it but after It was massaged in it felt nice on my skin & I like to wear SPF50 on my face. Even though we had mostly rain you can never be too careful.

Let me know if you think I managed to pack light for a weeks holiday. Also let me know what you take away with you.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own

July 2014 Empties

- Vicki 10 Comments

What I used up in July 2014

REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser* – I really like to use this in the evening as my first cleanse because Its great at removing every trace of makeup, decongesting your skin and it was gentle enough to take around my eyes. Its creamy and hydrating and left my skin very soft. Full review of this here

dr Organic Vitamin E Deodorant – This has been my go to deodorant for about a year now. It does a good job, its gentle and leaves my underarms soft. Its also free of any harsh chemicals which I like. I have many backups – a girl can’t be without deodorant.

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser – This is my favourite budget friendly hot cloth cleanser. I always stock up on this when Boots do their No7 vouchers. Its a bargain but it is also gentle and you get a lot of product for your money 200ml last me a good couple of months. If you haven’t tried this yet give it a go, I highly recommend it.

Organix Teatree Mint Shampoo* – I finished the conditioner in this range last month. My husband really liked this shampoo & conditioner duo. I thought it was hydrating and left my hair manageable but not flyaway & it smells so minty & invigorating. Perfect for the mornings. When I can get to a Waitrose I will be replacing them & they last for ages as you get 385ml of product.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir – I have a love hate relationship with this face mist. I really dislike the scent but I like how refreshing it feels on my skin. I like using this when I fly (which isn’t that often) as it a really nice way of keeping hydrated on a flight. Im always torn about buying it & tend to purchase it when its on sale.

No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Toner – This was my morning toner & it felt like it took forever to use up – this 200ml bottle lasted for about a year. It is a gentle toner that helps hydrate and sooth the skin. I did really like it & would repurchase it again.

REN Vita Mineral Active 7 Eye Gel  – I loved using this eye gel and really liked it for my overnight eye treatment. It helped tighten (but not dry out) the skin around my eye and left the area looking bright and well rested. It was so gentle and felt cooling too. It lasted me about 3 months so thats a big plus.

Bioderma – This was my first bottle of Bioderma & I always wondered what the fuss was all about. Now I know. This Micellar Water is SO good at removing makeup and leaving my skin very soft. It was gentle and you didn’t need to tug or rub to remove eye makeup, it didn’t sting my eyes at all. This bottle lasted me for 2 months & that was using it almost daily. I will 100% repurchase this.

Bee Good 2in1 Cream Cleanser* – This was so lovely and really good for my skin. Its creamy texture was soothing and left my skin feeling clean and fresh. Its kind on the skin, good to bees & a British skincare brand so it ticks all the boxes. This has been a lovely brand discovery & I have a few more products from them in my skincare routine. I’m really enjoying them all.

Indeed Labs Hydraluron Face Masks – If you’re skin needs a boost of moisture then these are the masks for you. They’re sheet masks and look funny & a little scary when on but they work like little miracles. These leave my skin feeling plump, radiant and my makeup sits so much better after using them. After using the mask make sure you pat the excess product in to your skin. Shame to waste all that Hyluronic Acid goodness as they’re are quite expensive but if your have dehydrated skin they will be worth every penny.

Kleenex Shine Absorbing Sheets – These have sadly been discontinued but Home Bargains were selling them for 29p a pack (50 sheets in a pack) so you better believe I bought a butt load of them. I will never run out. These have been a staple in my handbag, on my desk & in my car during this crazy heat wave. They keep me looking shine free & don’t interfere with my makeup.

MUA Undress Your Skin Radiant Under Eye Concealer – This was a little meh & didn’t really do a lot of concealing. This would be better used as a highlighter in my opinion. Oh and this has a shimmer to it, not what I want in a concealer.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Feeling Lucky : French Skincare Win

- Vicki 15 Comments

I am an avid reader of Claire & Nic’s blog Agent Smyth & was thrilled to discover I’d won their 500 Followers Giveaway, I thought you might be interested to see what goodies came in my prize. I was so thrilled as it was a French Skincare giveaway and I must be the only beauty blogger on the planet who has yet to really try much French Skincare. The only thing I’d tried was the Caudalie Beauty Elixir and the scent of that reminds me of San Francisco as I took it on the plane with me & sprayed it every half an hour like a crazy lady trying to keep hydrated.

A selection of French Skincare

Bioderma – I have wanted to try this for the longest time but I really don’t like shopping online. I’m more of an in store put your hands on it kind of shopper and I’ve never been in a shop that sells this. So to say I am excited to use this is an understatement. Im currently using the Garnier Micellar Water & it will be great to see how they compare. I think I already know the answer to that.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+ This is another cult blogger favourite and I could really use some of it’s pore unclogging abilities right about now! Let me know if you have used this & how it worked best for you.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir – As I said I have had a couple bottles of this over the past 2 years and sometimes I love it & other times the scent of it is overpowering. Depending on what mood I’m in the minty scent is too much for me. I do think its a nice facial spritz and its refreshing. I like to take it traveling as its a handy in flight pick me up.

NUXE Reve de Miel Honey Lip Balm – This is quite possibly the most talked about lip product in the blogging community & I was too excited to wait to photograph this before I stuck my finger in it & smeared it all over my lips. It smells lovely and sweet and is quite thick in texture. I liked how it felt on my lips, not greasy but you can feel a layer of balm on there. My lips are currently smooth & very happy. I’m converted to the NUXE way of life now.

So thats my French stash of prizes and I’m treasuring each one & I’m delighted to have won – they’ve certainly come to a good home that will use them all up. So thank you ladies (Claire & Nic)  for the amazing prize & congrats on the 500 Followers. If you’re not already following them pop over & show them a little love.