Merumaya Iconic Youth Serum

Product Empties September & October 2015

- Vicki 3 Comments

Beauty Product Empties Oct 2015

The Body Shop Vitamin C Face Mist

I love using face mists and think they’re a great way of keeping your skin hydrated and feeling refreshed. This Vitamin C one from The Body Shop leaves my skin looking radiant and it has such a zesty uplifting scent. This is a great face mist for the warmer months. I also think its such a great affordable option. This bottle lasted me months and I will be repurchasing this for sure

Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier EDP*

I get so many compliments when I wear this perfume and I think its such a gorgeous luxurious scent. Its quite a sweet fig scent and it wears a really long time on me. I have written a full review of it here if you’d like to know a little more about it. I would repurchase this again in a heartbeat.

Olivine Atelier Love + Roses Beauty Mist

Another mist but this one is more multi functional and is somewhat of a cult product. I loved everything about it, from the Pinterest pleasing packaging to the huge list of ways it can be used and of course all the beauty benefits too! This isn’t just a run of the mill face spray Olivine Atelier have included lots of ingredients that will help hydrate, soothe and combat the signs of aging, if you want to know more then pop over & read my review. I have another bottle of this and I don’t think I will ever be without it. I am also pleased to say Love + Roses is 100% natural, vegan, cruelty-free, eco-friendly (the glass bottles are reusable and recyclable) and made in small batches with love in the Pacific Northwest.

Beauty Product Empties Sept 2015

Merumaya Iconic Youth Serum*

If you have read my blog for a while you will know all about my love for the British Skincare brand Merumaya – unrivalled skincare at affordable prices (honestly they’re that good). Their Iconic Youth Serum is one of my favourite products from their ever growing range, I like how nourishing this is & it instantly makes my skin my skin feel velvety soft. This serum has an exclusive complex of 10 clinically tested, active ingredients all used in full concentration, its such an incredible product and my skin has never looked more radiant. I’m sad this has run out & I will be placing an order before Christmas so will get another tube then.

Giorgio Armani Fragrance Si

This is one of my all time favourite perfumes. It has notes of Vanilla, Blackcurrant, Rose de Mai and Patchouli and base notes of blond amber which give it a sophisticated musky scent. When you initially spray this you can smell the Vanilla which gives it a sweet scent but it calms down to reveal a chic musky scent which lingers all day. I always treat myself to a bottle from duty free so lets hope I jet off somewhere soon so I can restock.

Laidbare Pack Your Bags Eye Cream

I’m addicted to trying eye cream & this one was spotted whilst buying healthy snacks in Holland & Barratt. I would describe it as quite a thick cream but it does absorb quickly and leaves my under eye area feeling smooth, soft and hydrated. I wouldn’t say it got rid of my bags but I did like it as an eye cream. It contains Buckwheat wax which helps reduce puffiness and dark circles and Shea butter which is great at hydrating. Its pretty affordable & I would use it again.

Beauty Product Empties Oct 2015

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I have repurchased this so many times & I like it, its as simple as that. I use it most days and a 400ml bottle lasts a couple of months. I do buy this in Savers and thats where I have found it cheapest. There are so many micellar waters on the market now & this is up there with the best I have tried and its easy to get hold of and affordable. So ticks all the boxes for me.

Origins Super Spot Remover

Oh this little product is my go to treatment for angry blemishes. I put a layer of the gel over the spot and let it work its magic. I like that its instantly cooling on the skin and you can feel it working right away. I think it really helps calm and treat the area and stops blemishes from becoming too sore & angry. It always helps heal them faster too.  This bottle might be small but the contents are pretty mighty & last a heck of a long time. I have just opened a fresh bottle which is always satisfying so I’m ready to combat and angry blemishes!

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara*

This has been my favourite Benefit Mascara, I love that it lengthens my lashes without looking spidery and it doesn’t clump but it makes your lashes look thick and full and it really does hold a curl. The packaging is super cute too. I’m hoping to have a tube of this in my stocking this year, so fingers crossed.

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.

Delving In To My Sample Stash #1

- Vicki 19 Comments

The lovely Amy over at SRSLYLOU did a post recently all about her mini sample products & It inspired me to have a look through my stash & look a few out to start using. I tend to keep them for short breaks & when I run out of a full size (before repurchasing), but I have no holidays planned for a while (cries) so I thought I would take her lead and start using a few of them. Its a great way of discovering new products and many of my HG products I discovered because of a sample. I also seem to have built up an unhealthy (bordering on hoarding) amount of minis. You seem to acquire quite a few samples these days from things like Subscription Boxes, Magazines & Gift With Purchases so they accumulate quickly.

When I got to routing through my stash I discovered I had quite a few exciting products hiding in there & here are the ones I have added to my routine over the past month.

Sample Sizes Skincare

NUXE Multi Use Dry Oil 10ml – I’m always at a loss on how to use this. So I have been using it on the ends of my hair at night to nourish them especially in this dry hot weather my dark locks have been feeling the brunt of it – I just massage a few drops on the ends and let it work its magic over night. I have also found this is a great for the dry patches on my legs so I have been using it after shaving for an intensive treatment. Let me know how you have found it works best for you. This little 10ml bottle is going to last me all year as a couple of drops seems to go very far.

Benefit It’s Potent Eye Cream 3g – This adorable sample pot was in the recent British Beauty Blogger ‘The Dream Box’. I like using an eye cream & think this is going to be a great day time one as it’s not too heavy or greasy. Its a brightening eye cream which is something I look for & I need all the brightening help I can get under there! I will let you know how I get on with this.

Benefit Some Kinda Gorgeous 1.8g  – This is a sample I have had for a few months but the shade was a little too dark for me until now (hello summer skin). I wouldn’t purchase the full size of this after a couple of hours it is very oily on my skin despite it being a cream to powder formula. If you have normal skin & need a light coverage then this might work for you. I like the light / natural coverage it gives it just doesn’t wear well on me at all.

ESPA Optimal Skin Pro Serum 4ml – All I have is love for this facial serum. I do have the full size which only has a few uses left in it & I’d totally forgot that I had a sample size in my stash. I’s so happy I found this as I’m going to Scotland for a couple of weeks soon & this will be coming with me. It is the perfect overnight treatment, I wake up with glowing, plump and very fresh looking skin. I even put a few drops of this under face masks for an extra skin boost. Although it is an oil it isn’t greasy or too heavy, I have worn this during the day when my skin was really dehydrated & it worked wonders. Its a very versatile serum.

REN Satin Perfection BB Cream 3ml – I love a light coverage & have a number of very well used & loved BB Creams in my collection & this mini sample of the REN one is right up there with the best of them. It gives my skin a dewy (not greasy) finish so looks healthy and natural. This is perfect for those days where I want a little coverage & to even out my complexion but still want my freckles to be visible. For a BB Cream this lasts all day on me without breaking down or oxidising, I wish it had a higher SPF as 15 isn’t that great for a product I tend to use in the Summer.

Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate 5ml – I suffer from fine lines on on forehead & around my eyes so I’m excited to really put this to the test. I have only used it a couple of times but even in that short space of time my skin looks & feels smoother. I hope that it continues & if so I think I’m going to like the results. This is also over time meant to improve skins radiance with the high concentration of Pure Vitamin C. In terms of texture this feels warm on my skin when I first apply it & the texture is quite silicony but once I massage it in it feels Matte and smooth. I’m excited to see how I get on with it & will let you know.

Merumaya Iconic Youth Serum – This was a Twitter sample giveaway that my friend Hayley nominated me for & you all know my love for the British Skincare brand Merumaya – unrivalled skincare at affordable prices (honestly they’re that good). I have the full size of this too & love how nourishing this is & it really smooths out my skin. I’m hoping that this will help with my dull looking complexion & give me a boost of radiance. Did anyone else get a sample of this? Are you liking it?

Elemental Herbology Cell Plumping Facial Hydrator SPF 8 15ml – If you have more mature skin you will enjoy this moisturiser, it plumps, hydrates and firms so thats great for skin thats looking for a little more than just a standard moisturiser. I like to use this when my skin is feeling quite dry & dehydrated as its lightweight but very nourishing. It smells very botanical and luxurious. I find it wears well under my makeup & helps my foundation go on smoothly. I’m not sure I would purchase the full size as that costs £44.00. I will finish this sample up and see if it really WOWS me enough to part with that amount of cash.

Bourjois Mini Blush in 04 1g- This is the sweetest blush, its tiny and very travel friendly. Its a cream blush so quite nice for the warmer months when you want to wear lightweight makeup & look all glowing & healthy. This is a peachy shade and has quite an iridescent finish to it so I like to wear it as more of a cheek highlighter & I just tap a little on to the high points of my cheek with my finger & blend it in. It reflects the light & gives you a pinch of colour. Its a sweet little product & I think I rescued it from my sample stash just in time for Summer!

By Terry Baume De Rose 3g – How was such a blooming lovely product sat unloved in my sample box? Its a crime I tell you. I have had this sat on my desk for the past couple of weeks & I love using it, maybe a little too much as its going down quite quickly. This leaves my lips so soft, it is hydrating too & working from home I get very dry lips & this has been soothing them back to their kissable glory (errr OK, so they’re just very soft). No need to reapply a hundred times a day, this is long lasting and once applied your lips will be smooth & feel lovely for hours. I know once this is finished I will be buying the full size pot.