Farewell Friday #7

Hello!

Got another empty for you this week :) 

Excuse my nails!

This is Marks and Spencers Essential Extracts Aloe Vera foam bath, £1 for 500ml.

I'll start with the obvious, this is an absolute bargain. I bought this about 3 months ago, and it has been used lots since then, so it lasts a very long time!

The scent is not something I would usually go for, as I tend to favour sweet scents, but this is such a beautiful, fresh, relaxing smell. I would also say it's a very unisex fragrance, both my brother and dad enjoyed using this!

You only need a tiny amount of this to create mounds of frangant, soft bubbles. This product is BUAV approved, so animal friendly. 

I would totally recommend this to anyone. There's no fancy frills, and the packaging isn't anything special, but for £1 you can't go wrong!

I am sad to see this product go, and I will be replacing it. I am very tempted to try the Cocoa Butter & Vanilla, and Peach and Almond versions!

Do you prefer fancy packaging on your products? Or do you love a bargain like me? :)

Farewell Friday #6

Hey everyone! 

I've only got a stock photo of this weeks Farewell Friday, because I left it empty in the bathroom and someone threw it away!

I've been using the Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Foaming Face Wash for a good few months, and I think I've tested it long enough to give a fair review :)

The packaging says to wet face and dispense two amounts of the foam into your palm, and massage onto your face. Firstly I will say, this product actually comes out like a foam, kind of like a hair mousse!
I don't know whether that's obvious to other people, but I wasn't expecting it! The other thing I will say is, I think I've got a fairly normal sized face, and one amount of foam was enough for me! 

Whilst I was using this, my skin did become really clear, and the best that it's been in years. I'm not entirely sure whether it's down to this, or a mixture of factors, but since I've stopped using it, my face has become a lot worse.

I used to use this twice a day, and sometimes more on problem areas, such as my chin. I would have thought that would dry out my skin, but it didn't seem to, which is really good.

Since I ran out, I thought I'd try a different tea tree wash (Body Shop), but I definitely prefer the Boots one!

Pro's:

Didn't dry out my skin

Seemed to help my spots

Lasted a long time

Wont break the bank!

Didn't have an overpowering smell

Con's:

The packaging isn't amazing (doesn't bother me though!)

The pump dispenser sometimes made a painful 'nails along a chalkboard' noise when you pressed it down

Would I repurchase? Yes, I'm going to buy it again soon! I think it's amazing value for money, and seemed to make a real difference to my skin.

The Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Foaming Face Wash is £3.59 for 150ml (currently on 3 for 2!) and can be bought in Boots stores, and online.

Anyone else tried this? Or got any Tea Tree recommendations?

Farewell Friday #5

Evening!

Quite a late Farewell Friday this week, as I have literally just finished it!

As you may know (I mention it alot!), The Little Bubble Co bath and shower gel are my Holy Grail bath products!

This vanilla biscuit fragrance is one of my faves, along with Ginger Bread and Mint Candy. It's a really sweet, almost milky vanilla scent, It's absolutely heavenly!

These can be used as body wash and bubble bath. I often find that products that are supposedly multi purpose don't work very well, but these are beautiful either way. Used as a bubble bath, it  creates mounds of fragrant foam, and as a shower gel it lathers really easily, and leaves skin feel smooth and moisturised. 

The scent lasts on the skin, but isn't strong enough to affect any perfumes or body lotions put on after.

These 500ml bottles last aaages, and are only £2.99 from Boots, and are often on offer for £2. Bargain!

I'm sad to have finished a bottle, but as you can see, I've got one and bit left over! I always have back ups of these around :)

Advantages:

 Really reasonable price, often on offer 

Big bottle, lasts agesFabulous variety of flavours (scents?)Multi purpose 

Disadvantages:
Can only find them at Boots, or Boots.com

Anyone tried these? Or know of any other delicious bath products?

Thanks for reading :)

Farewell Friday #4

Afternoon everyone! :)

What a lovely day! Hope it's as nice and sunny where you are, I can't believe the weathers like this and it's only March!

The other day I finished a product, so thought I'd do a Farewell Friday about it.

The product in question is TRESemme Split Remedy Leave In Treatment.

I bought this from Boots around 4 months ago, when I started on my hair serum/treatment obsession. 

This product claims to "restore moisture and softness,instantly leaving your hair smoother. The unique formula, with Reconstructing Complex, actually mends split ends and, with continued use, protects the health of your hair by repairing further damage as it occurs."

Now, personally I hate it when brands talk about things like 'reconstructing complex', because what does that actually mean?! Fair enough when it's something like 'contains argan oil', because we know what that is, it actually means something, and we can research it if we want more info. But what on earth is a 'reconstructing complex' when it's at home?!

Anyway, rant over! Annoying made up ingredient aside, this is a pretty nice product.

This product is designed to be used after shampooing and conditioning. You apply to mid, to ends when wet, and then dry it. You can also apply a small amount to dry ends.

PROS:

• Smells nice
• Easy to use, and you don't need much, meaning it lasts a while
• Leaves hair smooth, sleek and soft
• When left on dry hair overnight, it sinks in and leaves hair in great condition, but doesn't look greasy the next day

CONS:

• Can leave hair feeling a bit sticky if you use too much
• Didn't make any difference to my split ends
• Once you get near the end, it gets tricky to get all the product out, so I had to cut open the bottle!

Now, to be honest, I didn't expect it to make much difference to my split ends. Not only can I not see how a product can actually 'fix' them, but my split ends are pretty extreme!

My fave way to use this was overnight, on dry ends. I used this pretty much every night, and found that when I woke up the next day, my hair was smooth, less brittle/dry, and really soft. My ends didn't look greasy at all, and it didn't feel like there was any product left there. 

So, all in all, a great serum to relieve dry, brittle ends, but I'm not entirely sold on the split end mending claims!

This is £5.50 from Boots.com and instore.

Would I repurchase? Yes, definitely. It's not as good as this Lee Stafford one, but it's much better value for money, and is a fab everyday product.

Anyone tried this? Or found an amazing hair serum?

Thanks for reading :)

Farewell Friday #4

Hello guys :)

This weeks Farewell Friday is a bit of shame. It's a foundation which, formula wise, I love, but it's just not pale enough for me! I'm giving it to my friend, so at least it's not going to be wasted!

This foundation is quite talked about in the blogging/youtube world, with alot of people comparing it favourably to Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation. The foundation is Revlon Colorstay in 110 Ivory.

Pic from Boots.com

Sorry for the stock pic, my camera is broken(boo!). 

Just to give you an idea of the colouring of Revlon Colorstay in Ivory, it is the third foundation on the top row of this picture. From L-R,  Rimmel Stay matte in Ivory, Mac studio fix fluid in NW15, Revlon Colorstay in Ivory, Clarins Truly Matte in Pale Ivory, MAC studio sculpt in NC15, Bobbi Brown foundation stick in Alabaster, and Benefit Playstick in Jax(discontinued).

I've tried this foundation before, managing to get through a whole bottle. I'm hoping that my skin was a little bit darker then, but I think what actually happened was that I was walking around with foundation that was too dark for me! Slightly embarrasing, but what can ya do?!

So anyway, as I was rummaging through my makeup stash the other day, I found I had a full bottle hidden away at the bottom! I tried it on for a day, hoping that it would miraculously match my skin, but it didn't. What it did do, however, was remind me just how bloomin' good it is!

The formula is absolutely perfect! I have the foundation in dry/normal skin, but it also comes in a oily/combination formula.

I'ts quite a runny liquid, so it can be a tad messy, but it blends into the skin really easily. It dries quite quickly, but not so quickly that you have to rush to blend it in! 

It dries quite matte, but not so much that it looks too flat or fake, something I found when I tried Estee Lauder Double Wear. 

The coverage is flawless, I would say full coverage, and for me it was a foundation that you could feel was on, it wasn't particularly lightweight, but that's not something I mind. 

Revlon claim that this foundation lasts up to 16 hours. I don't think I've ever actually worn foundation for that long, but I can confirm it lasts all day without needing to be touched up. 

Pros:

Lasts all day 

Full coverage, hides any flaws/discolouration

Dries matt, but not too matt

Easy and quick to apply

One bottle lasts a long time

Comes in different formulas for different skin types

Cons:

Not pale enough for me, slightly too orange

Quite pricey at12.49 from Boots.

As it's quite a runny formula, it could maybe benefit from a pump, instead of a pour top

You can feel it on your skin. Not a con for me, but could be for other people!

Would I buy it again? If they brought out a paler shade, then definitely. The formula is an absolute dream, is just a shame there isn't one to match me. It does seem slightly pricey for a drugstore/highstreet foundation,  but I would say it is as good, if not better, than Estee Lauder Double Wear which would set you back about £26.

I would really recommend this foundation.

Thanks for reading :)

Farewell Friday #3

Hey Guys!

I'm back with another Farewell Friday, and this product I am really going to miss! Because of my Spending ban I am going to try and not repurchase it for a while, and see if I can survive without it!

The product is Garnier Pure Active Exfo Brusher Wash. Bit of a mouthful! 

As you can see from the pics above- the face wash features lots of rubbery bristles to help exfoliate your face. When I first bought this, I was abit scared of them, but they're really soft and actually feel very nice on the face! The main reason I bought this product was that it claims to help fight spots, and fade the marks left by previous blemishes, two problems I suffer with. I didnt particularly notice that it faded any marks, but it definitely helped to dry out spots. 

It also claims that are visible results from day one, which I personally didn't  notice, and that it reduces shine, but I don't tend to get very shiny anyway.

Although I didn't notice anything spectacular with this face wash, I really loved it! It feels really refreshing when you use it and leaves skin super soft and clean, without that tight feeling.

I tended to use this every other day, any more than that and it dried out my skin a little.

The face wash is a bright green colour, looks (and smells!) abit like washing up liquid. The bottle has a twist top, so that you twist it to dispense product from the hole, then twist back to lock it, so that you don't waste any product. You then work it into your face with the bristles, which help to lather up the wash.

The twist top works really well, and is great for travel!

Pros:

Feels nice and tingly on the skin

Helps to fight spots

Foams up really well

Bristle brush feels nice, and helps to exfoliate

Lasted absolutely ages 

Clever twist top means you don't waste any product

Cons:

Didn't notice any fading of marks

Didn't completely clear up my skin (that would be asking alot!)

Could be abit drying if used to much

Smelt like kitchen cleaner

Stings really badly if it gets into the eyes, and also tastes vile! (I'm clumsy with face wash!)

On the pricier side

Would I repurchase? Definitely. 

I know that there's quite a lot of cons, but I did really love this product. Sometimes it's just nice to have a product you enjoy using! It does seem quite pricey, but lasted absolutely aaages! 

I'm not going to repurchase yet, as I have a Boots own brand face wash to finish first, but I will in the future! I also think they're missing a trick with this wash, I think they should sell re fills without the bristle top applicator, then you'd be able to fill up your own bottle instead of buying more!

At the moment, I'm still using the bristle top to lightly exfoliate with the other face wash that I am using, which works really well.

The Garnier Pure Active Exfo Brusher Wash is £7.99 (now on offer at £5.99!) from Boots.

So, has anyone else tried this? Or thinking about trying it?

Thanks for reading, hope everyone is well! :)

Farewell Friday #2

Hey Guys!

Here's another product I will be saying goodbye to. Unlike my last farewell product, this one isn't pants, it's just run out! The product in question is the Lee Stafford Argan Oil, and I'm really sad to see it go!

My hair isn't in awful condition, but the ends are quite tatty, and I have split ends.

I've had this oil for about 2 months (possibly a bit longer!), and I've been using it on the ends of my hair after I wash it, and before I go to bed.

I found this lasted a while, although I've been testing out a few other hair oils, I'd say I generally used it 4 days out of the week, and definitely prefer it to the Tresemme split end treatment and the Argan Oil Treatment that I've also been trying.

I've noticed a real improvement in the condition of my hair, it's a lot less dry and damaged looking at the ends, but I have used other products so I'm not sure if I can give all the credit to Lee Stafford!

Excuse my dusty fireplace!

Advantages:

• Smells lovely
• Makes the ends of hair smooth, shiny and soft
• Lasts ages, you only need a tiny amount

Disadvantages:

• Seems expensive initially at £11.99 for 50ml,but does last ages
• Can leave hair looking a bit greasy if you use too much.  

Would I repurchase? Definitely. (But i'd probably get it on offer, when it's a bit cheaper or on 3 for 2!)

So, all in all, the best hair oil I've used! A definite 10/10!

I would love to repurchase, but I've got about 3 other hair oils to go through and I'm meant to be on a spending ban! So I'm forcing myself not to buy it :)

The Lee Stafford Argan Oil 50ml is £11.99 from Boots.com.

Does anyone have any good hair oils they use? Or any secrets to healthy hair?!

Thanks for reading, hope everyone is well :)

Farewell Friday #1

Hey guys!

Another little series I want to start :) I've basically realised I've got far too much makeup, skincare etc clogging up my life (well, my room), so I'm going to throw some out! If I do that, it means I'm allowed to buy new stuff, right?

First up,  L'Oreal Double Extension Beauty Tubes mascara. This has a white base coat which is supposed to lengthen the lashes, and a black mascara to add the colour. It's also supposed to create a 'tube' around the individual lash, for an extension effect. Sounds good, ay! Well, It's rubbish.

I tried it out a few times to give it a fair test, but then I just gave up on it! It's an actual nightmare to get off, it says it's easily removed with warm water, lies! 

You literally have to hold a cotton pad soaked in warm water on the eye, then do the same with eye makeup remover, and then you still have to scrub to get it off! 

Not good for the delicate eye area. I do know a few people who like this, so I don't know if it's just my one that is so impossible to get off, or maybe I'm just really impatient!

Anyway, the mascara lasts really well on the eyes (too well infact!), but I found it really clumped up my lashes- and actually made them feel really hard, weird!

It was very black though, and does lengthen quite well.  Back on the negative side, it doesn't add any curl, so the lashes just stick straight out- not a good look!

The brush is quite good though, a nice size that isn't too big to control. I couldn't show you the brush of the first step part because it broke when I tried to open it! Another reason to put it in the bin!

Pro's:

• Very black
• Long lasting
• Lengthens lashes well
• Good size brush

Con's:

• Way too hard to get off!
• Doesn't curl
• Clumps lashes, makes them look pretty spidery
• Makes the lashes feel really hard!
• £11.29 from Boots, which is pretty expensive for a lower end mascara

Would I repurchase? Never.

So, like I said other people seem to really like this, so maybe it's just mine that's not so good!

Anyone else tried this? What did you think?

Thanks for reading, hope everyone is well! :)