Montly Empties - May 2012

I don't expect to be able to do this each month, as I don't finish products all the time. I will do as often as I have some interesting empties to show and that I can actually talk about.

1. ELF Flawless Finish Foundation, this was a pretty decent foundation for the small price tag. I'm not so sure I'll buy it again, it was OK but there's a whole world of foundations out there for me to discover!

2. Herbal Essences 'Tousle Me Softly' Shampoo and Conditioner. I have been fed up with my straight hair for sometime, so I bought this shampoo to try and embrace my natural wave/curl. To be honest, I was really hoping that it would be this miricle worker and that it would airdry to this fab beach wave look. Of course it didn't. But my Russell Brand-esque hair was definitely tamed. So I used it all up and did my hair the usual way. I use conditioner on my toddlers curly locks and they were perfection with this conditioner! I won't buy this again.

3. Vitamin E Radiance Moisture Cream. I have spoken about this before, while I liked it, I won't buy it again. It gave my skin a nice glow to it, without looking like I've dipped it in a bowl full of shimmer. But I don't think it suits my skin. I do love the Vitamin E range, and think I'll try the day cream.

4. The Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel I love this. I will definitely buy it again, it's a gorgeous scent and really wakes me up and sets me up for the day.

5. The Body Shop Almond Body Butter. I love these body butters, I think am going to try each scent and chose my favourite. I'm not sure I will buy this scent again, though.

Have you tried any of these products?

Thanks for reading xx

May 2012 Favourites

Is it me or does May seem a distant memory already? I think the long Jubilee weekend has something to do with it. Late,as ever, here's my May Faves...

1. Berber Oil Hair Treatment. This was inside this months Glossybox, while I thought the box was a bit of an anti-climax, this was my favourite product. The oil makes my hair shiny, more manageable and doesn't weigh it down. I really love this.

2. No7 Blush in Coral Flush, I've had this for a while but didn't use it a lot, but this month I found myself reaching for it a lot. It is a gorgeous coral with a teeny amount of shimmer in it. It lasts well, and gives a gorgeous hint if colour to my cheeks. There are further photos below.

3. The Body Shop Olive Body Butter, this was given to me by a work colleague because she didn't like it. I absolutely love it! The scent is really light and fresh and it absorbs into the skin a dream. I will definitely buy this time and time again.

4. No7 Airbrush Away Primer, this is the first primer that I have used properly. I have had primer samples before from a previous Glossybox, but this is fab! It's like superglue for your foundation. I have even been for a run and my foundation is still perfect by the end of it. (I don't make up my face for a run, to be clear!)

Here's a couple of photos of the blush:

You can see the little flecks of shimmer in it

This is quite heavily swatched, it's been a really dull day today. On the skin, you can see the really subtle shimmer.

My favourite NOTD goes to Leighton Denny Babydoll, because I really wasn't expecting to like it as much as I do!

And there you have it! My May Favourites. Have you tried any of these products?

Thanks for reading xx

James Brown Photo Fabulous Haircare

When I usually buy shampoo and conditioner I usually go for whatever is on offer in Asda while I am doing the weekly shop. This was a birthday gift from my aunty (in a gift set). I wouldn't have bought this for myself as its fairly expensive to me at £6.99 per bottle. A link to the James Brown range in Boots.

But, oh my, I love love love this stuff. The scent is completely to die for. It's a fresh, almost masculine scent.  I used it at the gym last week and another woman asked me what it was, she loved the smell. My hair seems easier to style. Well, I say style, blast with a hairdryer and straighten. And it stays clean for days, while the divine scent stays in your hair.

link

I also love the packaging of this. They just pop out at you on the shelf amongst the other shampoos. The moisturising shampoo lathers up a treat while filling the bathroom with its smell. Totally lush! (And I never say lush ;))

Unfortunately, I can't find a link to this on the Boots website.

The conditioner claims to give thristy hair a nourishing, glossy shimmer. I could not agree more with this. I use quite a bit of product to get it all over my hair, as the instructions say I leave for 2 minutes and then rinse thoroughly. My hair feels so soft when rinsing it out. I love that soft feeling you get when washing conditioner out.

link

The Intensive Treatment is a complete pleasure to use. It is for 'thirsty, dry hair that lacks moisture'. It also states to use this twice a week, I don't. I use it as and when, I only wash my hair twice a week. Possibly more if I've been to the gym or swimming. I use as the instructions say, massaging it thoroughly into my hair root to tip and then leave for 30 seconds and rinse for twice as long as you would a usual conditioner. I was surprised I only had to leave it in for 30 seconds, but it worked nicely. Not sure I need this, so wouldn't buy it again, as the Moisturising Conditioner works great for me.

I will without a doubt buy these products again, I am so happy I got this as a gift. My aunty knows me too well! My hair feels so fab after using this. It feels healthy and looks shiny. Always a good combo, right? It feels such a treat to use.

Now, after gushing about this I am going to use it....

Have you tried this range? I think I may try a few of the other products in this range.

Thanks for reading xx

Superdrug Coconut & Sweet Almond Intensive Conditioner

This was featured on my Payday Treats  Post. My hair was starting to feel really dry after swimming and this was winking at me from the shelf :)

Like I've said before coconut is one of my favourite scents. And this smells so yum. What I have found with a few products that I have used in the past that they smell gorgeous in the bottle, but the scent doesn't stay on my hair very long. I only wash my hair 2 - 3 times a week, I have don't have the time to wash it more than that (That, and I am too lazy to actually make time to wash it more!) The coconut scent stays on my hair until I have to wash it again.

The instructions say leave this to work for 3-5 minutes depending on the moisture that you need. I leave it on for about 5 minutes.

It's a bit slimey, but nice to use. My hair is fairly long, about to my shoulder blades, so I use a fairly big blob to get from the roots to tips. It makes my hair so shiny and moisturised, even after swimming.

Here's what it looks like in the palm of my hand

I bought this for £1.49 which is a great price, but now its on offer for 79p! Grab it!

Will I buy it again? Possibly, it doesn't have a 'Holy grail' status yet, I'm going to try other ones also. But I won't disregard it, if purely for the gorgeous smell!

While on the subject of haircare, I also bought Superdrug Chocolate Brownie Dry Shampoo at the same time.

Just thought I'd mention that I'm not all that impressed. My hair feels yuck when I've used it and it turns the bottom of the bath brown when washing it out. My hair looks and smells OK though.  I'll use them all up, I hate wasting things. But I won't be buying these again.

Thanks for reading xx



Payday Treats! Part 1...

It feels like I have been waiting for payday for forever! Today I did a hop, skip and jump into Boots and Superdrug itching to spend some of my hard earned wages (OK, earned. ;))

There's no award winning photography here (is there ever!?). I was dying to blog what I bought and didn't want to wait for daylight. So I am splitting it into two posts. The make up will have to wait for daylight to photograph.

Anyway, enough of the waffle. Here's my haul..

Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Care Range:

Hot Cloth Cleanser

SPF 15 Radiance Moisture Cream

Exfoliating Facial Scrub

Nourishing Night Cream

This little lot cost me £7.98! Reeesult! I've read great things about the Hot Cloth Cleanser, and I've been dying to use it. The cost of just one is £5.99, but you can buy 2 for £3.99. How fabulous is that? I am looking forward to try all of these products and will do a review on each one. I don't want to overload my skin (it will be an oily mess!) so I will do it bit by bit.

Superdrug Chocolate Brownie Dry Shampoo

This was a deal, buy one get TWO free! So I got three for £1.99. I haven't tried this one before, so I am looking forward to. I am a brunette, and the usual dry shampoo makes it grey.

Superdrug Coconut and Sweet Almond Intensive Conditioner

I started swimming again this week, and my hair is so dry after, despite using loads of conditioner. So I thought I'd give this a go, and for £1.49 its no biggy if its rubbish. It smells lush! I am a sucker for coconut, it is one of my favourite scents. Hair products don't usually excite me, I normally buy whatever is on offer at the supermarket. But, I think I will make more of an effort now, purely for research purposes for the blog ;)

Montagne Juenesse Face Masks

Blemish Mud

Passion Peel Off

Green Tea Peel Off

Strawberry Souffle



I've said before, I love face masks, and I'm addicted to using them right now. Peel off face masks are oh so satisfying to use. I can't wait to try them all. These were from Home Bargain 3 for £2. I also bought one from Boots for £1 to get my spend over £5 for another No7 voucher.

I looked at my Superdrug receipt, and I saved a whopping £8.96! Ace!

Thanks for reading xxx