Shopping My Stash #1- Skincare

Evening! 

A few days ago, I did my first Shopping my Stash video, which you can see here.

I've done a post on the makeup bits I mentioned, which you can read here, so I though I would do a seperate post on the skincare bits I am trying to use at the moment! 

Excuse the terrible picture- this is what happens when your brain tells you it's a good idea to take a picture at 9.30 in the evening!

• Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash- I did a post on how much I hated this product, but my skin has changed alot recently, so I'm hoping it will be second time lucky, and that this will miraculously clear up my skin! :)
• Elizabeth Arden 2 in 1 Cleanser- This is supposed to be a cleanser and a toner. I have no idea why I stopped using this, it's such a beautiful product! Smells amazing, lathers up really nicely and leaves your skin feeling so, so soft and smooth.
• Soap and Glory No Clogs Allowed face mask- This is one of those self heating masks, which I'm not a huge fan of.  I stopped using this when I discovered S&G The Fab Pore face mask, but that has run out, so I'm back onto this one! My skin is terrible at the moment, so hopefully this will help keep it under control!
• De Vere Aloe Vera Skin Care Gel- I think originally I bought this to put on sunburn, but when I found this lurking at the bottom of my drawer, I did a bit of research, and Aloe Vera gel has so many uses and benefits! I am going to be using this as a spot gel, and a hand cream :)
• Steamcream- I bought this a while ago, used it for a bit, and then totally forgot about it. It's a multi purpose cream, I am going to be using it mainly as a moisturiser, and possibly as a hand cream if the Aloe Vera gel doesn't work out!

So these are the products that I have been neglecting, but am going to start using more! Feel free to link me to your post if you've done a Shopping my Stash type thaang! Thanks for reading :)

Empties #2

Morning chicas!

So, I didn't actually do a post for my last empties,  but you can watch it here if you would like :)

This is my second lot of empties, there's quite a lot, and this is going to be a pretty lengthy, picture heavy post! Apologies in advance ;)


Little bubble co vanilla biscuit, Philosophy snow angel, Britney Spears cosmic radiance

1- I go through these allll the time! The little bubble co are my HG bath foam/shower gels, but I can't decide on  my number 1 fave out of vanilla biscuit, mint candy or ginger bread. Yum :)
Highly recommend, will repurchase.
2- My first ever Philosophy product! Expensive for what it is, but smelt divine. Very cool, crisp but also sweet. Not so great as a bubble bath, but lovely as a shower gel :)
Would recommend, and repurchase, but probably a bigger size.
3-Britney never fails me, in terms of music or perfume! With top notes of mandarin, litchi and pear, middle notes of peony and tuberose,  and base notes of amber and vanilla, this is a lovely daytime fragrance. To me, it smells comforting, and even homely?! 
Would recommend, and repurchase,  but I'm not in a rush to do so.
 

 Superdrug shampoo and conditioner, Superdrug dry shampoo
1, 2 & 3- Superdrug own brand shampoos and conditioners in Coconut and sweet almond, Tea tree and peppermint and Cherry and fig, These are amazing. Super cheap, and work just as well as any more expensive brand. They all smell amazing, and my whole family loves them :)
Would highly recommend, would repurchase, and I always have backups!
4&5-  For me, this is better than Batiste. It refreshes my hair, disguises grease, and gives it volume. 
Would recommend, and have repurchased many times!


Organix coconut serum, Percy and Reed hair mask, Lush Mint julips, Body Shop chocomania lip butter 
1- I've been through two bottles of this, and love it. Smells delicious, leaves hair soft and smooth, isn't expensive and lasts a long time. 
Would recommend, and repurchase.
2- Percy and Reed hydrating mask- This also smelt amazing, like fruit salad sweets!This left my hair smooth and silky, and smelling nice, but wasn't amazing, or better than any other mask. Full size is £20.
Wouldn't really recommend, and wouldn't repurchase at £20!
3-  Beautiful product! Smells (and tastes!) like after eight mints, leaves lips smooth and free of dry patches. The only down side is that I find it doesn't last very long.
Would recommend, and repurchase (but I am going to attempt to make my own first!)
4- Body shop chocomania lip butter- This is another fabulously smelling product! Really enjoyed using this, but it didn't give me the long term hydration that my dry lips need. Also, left a white cast on my lips.
Would recommend to those who don't have really dry lips, wouldn't repurchase but did enjoy.


Garnier 2 in 1 makeup remover, Soap and Glory peaches and clean, Boots double faced oval pads.
1-  My  HG eye makeup remover! Doesn't sting at all, takes of waterproof makeup really quickly and is just amazing! 
Would really recommend, and will definitely repurchase!
2-  Used this to take of my makeup before my cleanser, but didn't find it took off all my foundation easily. This smell was overpowering, sometimes I liked it, but mostly I found it too much. This can also cause photo-sensitivity, which isn't great!
Wouldn't recommend, wouldn't repurchase.
3- Boots oval pads- Not much to say on these! They're really big, and I find one is enough for both of my eyes. They never fall apart like some cotton pads!
Would recommend, and repurchase, have 3 backup packets at the moment! 


Effaclar duo, Freederm fast track, Revlon colorstay, St Ives scrub.
1- La Roche Posay Effaclar duo. This is basically a fancy spot cream. It's pretty expensive, I didn't notice it to stop any spots or unclog my pores. It also felt quite uncomfortable on my skin, and balled up underneath foundation or moisturiser. 
Wouldn't recommend (but everyone's skin is different!), and I wouldn't repurchase.
2-  Didn't notice this took away redness, reduced my spots or unclogged my pores. This wasn't expensive though.
Wouldn't recommend (but everyone's skin is different!), and wouldn't repurchase.
3- Revlon colorstay foundation in Ivory. This is my dream foundation. Flawless coverage, matte but not mask like, and lasts alllll day! Unfortunately, this is nowhere near pale enough for me: :(
Would recommend for those not as pale as me, wouldn't repurchase unless they brought out lighter shades!
4- I tried this out recently, as I remembered loving it when I was a teen. I'm not sure if my skin has changed, or if the formula has changed, but this is way too harsh for my skin now. Smells nice though.
Would recommend if you want a heavy duty scrub, but wouldn't repurchase.

Feel free to link to me to empties posts, anyone use any of these up?
Thanks for reading! :)

Haulin' #7

Aloha!

So, I did post about my spending ban recently, buuut these things were bought before then, so I haven't failed already! :)

Here is the video:

Another highly  attractive thumbnail, naaat!

Or, if you'd prefer, you can read on :)

 

In Boots, it was two for £8 on Models Own, so I got the white nail art pen (I've not been getting on with the Ebay one!), and the Hed Kandi polish in Ibiza Mix, which I loooove.

The Eau Roma Toner water was something I picked up in Lush whilst looking for Fathers day presents (he likes soap!). It's a lovely, enjoyable product, but I think it has broken me out which is a real shame. 

 

I had ran out of my beloved Chocomania lip butter, so went into Body Shop to repurchase. I am thinking about using it in a giveaway instead though, as I have so many lipbalms!

Whilst in the Body shop, I accidentally purchased the Fuzzy Peach bath and shower gel, and Watermelon body lotion, which were both on offer for £2. The fuzzy peach is the most amazing, nostalgic smell (my mum used it about ten years ago!), and the watermelon lotion smells like sherbert. Lovely :)

Last Body shop purchase was the Japanese Cherry Blossom set, with EDT and shower gel, reduced from £20, to £10.

I made an order on Illamasqua.com as I had a 15% off code. After seeing all the beautiful pictures of it in action, I bought the lipstick in Apocalips (teal). Then, a similar accident happened, and I somehow managed to buy Sonnet lipstick (peachy nude) and powder blusher in Thrust (Chicken Run, anyone?).

I haven't worn Apocalips yet, Thrust is a surprisingly wearable blusher, but Sonnet has broken my heart! It's the most beautiful shade, but it clings to dry patches sooo badly :( I am now on a lip perfecting mission, I am determined to be able to wear it!

Illamasqua Sonnet, Apocalips and Thrust.

I also bought some clothes, but didn't manage to get a decent pic of them :(

What's everyone else been buying recently? Thanks for reading! :)

If you could check out my Youtube channel, (and maybe subscribe!), I will love you forever!

Skincare Routine

Aloha! 

I've finally got round to doing a skincare routine post! I'll warn you now, this is likely to be pretty long, so grab yourself a cuppa (or something stronger if you fancy, it is a bank holiday weekend after all!), and prepare to be in this for the long haul....

Makeup Removal 

These products, I use purely to get the makeup off my face.

Garnier Simply Essential Soothing 2 in 1 Makeup Remover is absolutely amazing. It's one of those oil/water combo's that you have to shake and then put on a cotton pad. I use this to take off any eye makeup, and lipstick. It doesn't sting at all, is really quick to use, and the only negative thing I can think off is that it does leave your eyes slightly oily. That doesn't actually bug me at all, and is definitely preferable to stinging eyes!

Superdrug Vitamin E Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. I haven't actually used this for it's intended purpose, so I can't comment on how it takes off eye makeup! I use this to get off my face makeup, like a wash except it doesn't lather!  I usually rub this all over my dry face, rinse it off with water and then go over my face once again to make sure every scrap of makeup is off! This is gentle, affordable, smells nice, doesn't break me out or dry out my skin, and takes the makeup off. What more could I ask for?! I know it's a bit of a strange way to use it, but I figure if it's gentle enough for my eyes, it will be more than gentle for my face!

Washing/Cleansing

These are two of my holy grail products. I will usually use these both twice a day.

I have raved about Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Foaming Face Wash before here, so I wont get into it too much, but it's a fabulous product! This doesn't dry out my skin, but manages to clear up my skin quite impressively. It doesn't get rid off all my spots completely (I think I'm stuck with them for life!), but when I stopped using it recently I realised what a big difference this stuff does make!

Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser- My definite holy grail cleanser! This is thick and luxurious, but doesn't break me out at all, and if I stray away from this, use something different and my skin freaks out, as soon as I come back to this it calms it down! Obviously any hot cloth cleanser will get compared to the infamous Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser, but I haven't tried it, and am perfectly happy with this!  A little goes a really long way, and the 200ml tube lasts forever.

Exfoliation/Mask

Soap and Glory the Greatest Scrub Of All- this little tube has lasted me so long! Smells lush, isn't too abravise, but leaves skin feeling so, so smooth and soft, I love it! I tend to use this about three times a week. 

Body shop facial brush- when I first bought this, I didn't want to irritate my skin by using it too much, now I use it most days! I find once a day, usually with the Boots tea tree and witch hazel wash, really thoroughly cleans my skins. I've also noticed that it tends to bring spots to the surface (sorry, gross I know!), which is good as it means you can tackle them, although this probably isn't the best product to use just before a big date/event for that reason! 

Soap and Glory the Fab Pore Facial Peel- Firstly, I have no idea why this is called a facial peel. This is a mask with little beads that dissolve as you rub them in. This also smells amazing, doesn't dry out my skin, but makes a really visible difference to the way my skin looks. This mask feels really comfortable on the skin as it doesn't dry like a clay mask and make your face feel all tight. I use this once a week, maybe twice if my skin is bad! 

Moisturising

These are the moisturisers I am using at the moment. They're both from Marks and Spencers, and part of the Formula range. I use the day cream in the morning, giving in ten mins to sink in before I put on my makeup, and the nourishing night cream at night (obviously!). They're both good, but the nourishing night cream is the best overnight moisturiser I've tried, and I've tried Elizabeth Arden, Steamcream, Clarins and many others! This has the bect consistency, really thick, but easy to apply and not heavy on the skin. Unfortunately I think these have been discontinued, but if I ever see the night cream in M&S, I'm going to stock up!

Extras

I alternate between two spot creams, I am trying to use them up even though they haven't really worked for me! Lush's Grease Lightening leaves my skin feeling tight, which isn't great, but it doesn't 'ball up' underneath foundation like Freederm's Fast Track does. For this reason, I tend to favour Grease Lightning in the morning, and Freederm at night.

As a lip stick fan, I like to try and keep my lips in good condition, and my current fave for that is the Body Shop Chocomania lip butter. Thick and hydrating, but not greasy or sticky.

So there you have it, my skincare routine! Congrats if you got this far ;)

You may have noticed that I don't use a toner. I have used some before which just dried out my skin, and I seem to be doing okay withouth it, so I'm not sure if I really need it? Let me know if you use and like toner! :)

Thanks for reading, hope you are all well!

Current Loves #1

Howdy! :)

One of my favourite things to read or watch on youtube is monthly faves, but I'm not organised enough to do them every month, and I'm also quite boring, and don't change the products I use very often! 

So, I thought I'd just do a 'current loves' post whenever I notice that I'm enjoying some different/new things :)

1 - Philosophy Snow Angel shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath.

This is just a mini that I bought from Boots at Christmas for about £7. When I first bought this, I wasn't very impressed, but I've tried it again recently, and fallen in love with it! I'm not going to even attempt to describe the scent- but it's very nice! Clean, soft and with hint of sweetness, this really does make you think of snow. I don't tend to use it as bubble bath, as the bubbles don't last long, or a shampoo, because I don't want it to strip my colour or anything, but as a shower gel it leaves your skin soft and lightly scented. 

2 - M&S Mood Rescue hand and nail cream

This hand cream has been fabulous for me recently. A few weeks ago I got quite bad eczema on my hands, and this is the only hand cream I can use that doesn't aggravate it. It's not very scented, sinks in relatively quickly and leaves my hands really soft :)

3 - Body Shop Chocomania lip butter

This isn't on the website, not sure why!

I've written about this already, so I won't go on about it too much! This is a lovely lip balm, the only one I'm using at the mo!

4 - Prada Candy perfume

My Dad bought me this for Christmas (naw!), and since then I've mainly kept it for special occasions. Recently, I've been wearing it most days, and It's reminded me how much I love it! With vanilla and caramel, this is pretty much sweetness in a bottle. The packaging is also beautiful! My Holy Grail perfume :)

5 - Collection lasting perfection concealer (light)

I've been using this every day for a while, and although I knew it was good, it was only when I tried a MAC concealer recently that I realised just how amazing this product is! So easy to blend in, doesn't crease, lasts all day, and all at such a bargainous price!

6 - Garnier Simple Essentials 2 in 1 makeup remover

This is one of the products that you have to shake up before you use, to mix the two liquids (makeup removing oil and cleansing water) together. This takes off even waterproof mascara so easily, without irritating the skin, or taking much effort. It leaves the eye area slightly greasy, but I'd prefer that to the stinging you get from some make up removers! 

Anyone have any favourite products at the mo? Are you stuck in a product rut like me, or do you change up what you use quite regularly?

Thanks for reading! :)