Monday 2 January 2017

Trimming My Stash December 2016 Edition - Empties And A 2016 Round Up

Happy New Year! Hi Guys x I hope you all had a fabulous new year, and that you're chomping at the bit for whatever 2017 has in store. 2016 wasn't the best year for me as you all know, and I have quite a few hurdles to jump over in the next month or so, but I'm determined to make the best of things, and do everything in my own power to make 2017 the best year, that I possibly can.

I'm not a one for making new years resolutions because I just beat myself up when I don't stick to them. I do however have a few things though that I would either like to change or like to achieve in 2017, nothing major though just the usual things for me, up my blogging game, think more positively, eat less junk food, and be a bit tidier and bit more organised.

Being organised and tidier is definitely something that I'm going to really focus on in 2017. Over the years I've accumulated so much stuff, from clothes, shoes, craft bits, books, and beauty bits, that I literally have no room to store anything else. Towards the end of 2016 I filled up several charity bags and I'm aiming to fill several more before 2017 is out. This is definitely going to be the year that (pardon my French) I sort my shit out.

From that statement you've probably already realised that in 2017 I will be continuing to trim my beauty stash. Again in 2017 I'm going to be on a mission to use as many beauty products as I can , and of course I'll be keeping track of all the things that I finish over the year and sharing my totals with you. Before we can move on to 2017 though, we need to a step back and look at what products I managed to finish in December 2016.

Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules = 7 Day Supply
AVON Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage Foundation - Ivory - 30ml
Wilko Barely There White Lily And Sweet Rose Blossom Body Scrub - 100ml
Elemis Exotic Lime And Ginger Hand And Body Wash - 300ml
Liz Earle Botanical Shine Conditioner For Dry Or Damaged Hair - 200ml
Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream - 15ml
Benefit The Porefessional Instant Wipeout Mask x 1 - 3ml
Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes
The Body Shop Rich Plum Shower Gel - 250ml
Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes

Total - 10 Items 

I finished 2016 on a bit of a high, and for only the second month in 2016, my total hit double figures. In December I managed to finish 10 items, and I managed to finish a nice combination of products including body care, skin care, and make up, as well as a few products that had been hanging around for what seemed like forever.

1. Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules - 14 Capsules - 7 Day Supply


I'm a huge, huge Elemis fan, and this was a product that I'd been want to try for a long time. I got these a few months ago but I used them in the run up to Christmas to give me skin a bit of a boost. The jar contained 14 capsules, 7 pink capsules that contains rose, and geranium essential oils, and Vitamin E, and 7 aqua coloured capsules that also contain Vitamin E as well as lavender and bergamot essential oils. You don't swallow these capsules instead you twist them open, and apply the oils from inside the capsules to you skin. You use the rose capsules during the day, and the lavender capsules at night. You are supposed to do a months course and what they do is basically give your skin a boost, and help to combat some of the signs of ageing and the affects of pollution and over indulgence. It hard to say whether or not I could say any real difference after a week but they were a real pleasure to use, the fragrances were amazing, and they left my skin feeling like silk, and not in the slightest bit oily. These are pretty expensive so I'm not sure I would repurchase them on their own but if they ever pop up in a QVC TSV then I'd happily try them again.

2. AVON Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage Foundation - Ivory - 30ml


This was another one of those products that I was convinced that I'd reviewed on the blog but after searching and searching, I've actually barely mentioned it and I don't know why that is. I know I mentioned it once in a You Tube favourites video which should give you some indication of what I think about it. I love it and over the last 12 months or so it's probably been one of my most worn foundations. The colour is pretty much spot on, it's very pink toned and I like the coverage, it's substantial but it doesn't feel too thick or too heavy and even on my oil prone skin it wears well. I already have another one of these on the go but AVON recently re branded a lot of their make up items and I believe that this particular one is now called the AVON True Colour Flawless Liquid Foundation. The packaging is pretty much identical and the shade names are the same so I don't think that anything has really changed apart from the name, I will be picking another one up soon though, so I will be sure to let know if anything else has changed.

3. Wilko Barely There White Lily And Sweet Rose Blossom Body Scrub - 100ml


This was from a generic, hat box bath and body gift set that I got for Christmas a few years ago now, which originally came from Wilko. As well a coming in a super cute hat box, every product smelled amazing. Think baby powder, mixed with L'Occitane Shea Butter, mixed with Elemis Skin Nourishing Milk Bath. This stuff had the nicest powdery, gentle floral scent and I loved it, but I didn't really love this particular product. It was probably one of the most pathetic excuses for a body scrub that I've ever encountered. It had a thick gel texture which supposedly contained exfoliating grains, well if it did, I couldn't feel any. It just wasn't very scrubby unfortunately - I like a pretty heavy scrub and this just wasn't one - shame though because I really did like the smell. 

4. Elemis Exotic Lime And Ginger Hand And Body Wash - 300ml


Another Elemis product, and unfortunately one that I think has been discontinued. Elemis used to do quite a few products in this fragrance and now the only one that I can find is the salt glow scrub. They've introduced a lot of new fragrances lately including the White Lotus And Lime which I can't wait to try and unfortunately I think that this is one of the lines that that they've sacrificed to make way for new things. Although this wasn't my favourite Elemis aroma it definitely had it's place. Don't think festive ginger and sweet zingy lime, this was a headier more intense fragrance, that in my opinion was pretty unisex, you get the heat and spice of the ginger, and almost bitterness of the lime. It was one of those shower products that left you feeling really clean. 


5. Liz Earle Botanical Shine Conditioner For Dry Or Damaged Hair - 200ml


This was one of the products that seems to have been hanging around my bathroom for what seems like forever. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit but I first reviewed this product way back in 2012. There was only a tiny bit left so I have no idea why I didn't finish it. Although some of the Liz Earle haircare formulations have changed slightly this conditioner was / is the most heavy duty one that they do. It a rich and creamy texture, that at the moment I found just a little bit too heavy. You don't need a lot of product and it's one of those those that you have to make sure that you rinse out properly. I did like this at the time, and if your hair is super dry I would definitely recommend giving this try but at the moment, my hair just didn't seem to like it that much. You can read a full review here

6. Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream - 15ml


What can I say about this stuff? other than I love, love, love it! It is hands down the nicest moisturiser I have used! It's an anti ageing moisturiser but thanks to its cream, gel texture, it isn't heavy and it isn't sticky. It smells beautiful, it feels cooling on the skin, and you can use it morning and night and even around the eye area. The one drawback is the price but be a smart shopper guys, and buy this from QVC when they have it on special offer, or in a TSV. The 30ml size retails at around £50 but shop well and you can get a whole kit for that price. I love it and my godmother who bless her heart, is in her late 80's also loves it. I get stressy every time I use some up but thankfully Santa was very generous and popped another pot in my stocking so i can breathe more easily and enjoy silky soft skin for the rest of the year.

7. Benefit The Porefessional Instant Wipeout Mask x 1 - 3ml


These are something that I've had in my skincare drawer for a few months now but I've just never got round to use them. I hate my pores with a passion, my skin constantly spews oil, and the pores especially on my nose and chin are always visible. Thanks to Caroline Hirons I now know that pores don't open and close like windows, but I'm always on the look out for products that can at least minimise their appearance slightly. These are essence partial sheet masks, that are specifically made for your nose and the surrounding areas although I guess you could position them anywhere on your face. Each one comes in an individual packet, you squeeze the little liquid pot to soak the mask then you pop it onto your face for about 10 minutes. They you wipe the remaining liquid over your face with the rougher side of the mask and let it sink in to your skin. Whilst i couldn't see any immediate visible changes my skin definitely felt smoother and tighter. I have a few more of these to use so it will be interesting to see if they have any long term effects. 

8. Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes 
10. Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes



Ah, my old favourites, I've been swatching a load of make up products lately and these babies are perfect for cleaning up in between shots. I will definitely continue to keep buying these and I already have a few packets in back up.

9. The Body Shop Rich Plum Shower Gel - 250ml


As much as I loved 2016's festive offerings from The Body Shop, my heart always sinks a little bit when this fragrance doesn't reappear. An alleged plum offering a few years ago just didn't cut the mustard like this one did. I was sweet fruity and delicious, and I'm still lucky enough to have a few pieces left from the year dot when this was first released - Come on The Body Shop, pretty please bring this one back for 2017!

So I finished 10 items in December which as I say, I was pretty happy with but just how many beauty products did I manage to finish in 2016, well lets take a look 

January - 7 Items
February - 8 Items
March - 4 Items
April - 9 items
May - 7 Items
June - 14 Items
July - 8 Items
August - 8 Items
September - 3 Items
October - 7 Items
November - 6 Items
December - 10 Items
Total - 91 Items

Well I managed to finish a massive 91 beauty products in 2016, and to say I'm pretty chuffed is an understatement. I'm well up on 2015's total of 78, and I'm 7 up on 2014's total of 84. I'm still a long way of 2013's tally of 130 beauty empties but I'm still pretty pleased with how many products I've managed to use up over the last 12 months. My aim for 2017 therefore is pretty clear, I need to keep up the good work and use up as many products as I can, and I need to keep working on using up all of something instead of getting bored and moving on to something else! 2017 is going to be about discipline so I will definitely be doing a round of Project 10 Pan sometime this year, and I'm also debating over whether or not to do a no buy month, when I don't go shopping at all and I don't buy anything for myself. That would be a tough for a shopaholic like me but we'll see x I'd love to know if you're planning on doing something similar this year so let me now if you're trying to declutter or even if you're planning on doing Project 10 Pan this year, and I'd love to know your plans and aims are for the year ahead so please leave me a comment below and let me know x 

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