A Very Late Trimming My Stash - June And July 2022 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews*

To say that it's been a while since I last posted an empties post would be an understatement, but I'm back with one today and I have some serious catching up to do!

Although I pretty much gave up on everything else last year, at least blog wise, I still continued to collect, photograph, research and count up all of my beauty empties, so over the next few week I'm going to be sharing all of my remaining empties from last year with you, as well as all of the goodies that I've managed to finish so far in 2023.

There will be a few posts where I combine a few months in 1 post, and a few stand alone posts for your delectation and delight. First up though we're going to take a trip back to early summer, and take a look all of my beauty empties from June and July 2022.

Aldi Lacura Pink Clay & Golden Glow Multi Mask - 2 x 50ml
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream - 30g
Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips**
L'Oreal Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml

Total - 4 Items

After several half decent months in 2022 trimming my stash wise, June was a bit of a damp squib, and despite all of my best efforts I only managed to finish 4 items! and whilst none of the items that I finished were that exciting, there were a few almost holy grail standard products, and a pretty decent budget buy.

1. Aldi Lacura Pink Clay & Golden Glow Multi Mask - 2 x 50ml

First up a product from Aldi's much hyped and slightly controversial, Lacura Beauty line. This is basically 2 dermatologically tested face masks in one cleverly divided jar. You can either use the masks separately or you cocktail them and use them on different parts of the face. 

The first mask is the 'Purifying Pink Clay Mask' which is supposedly a pretty decent dupe of the much more spendy Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Porefining Face Mask. Containing extracts of Australian Kakadu Plum and Witch Hazel, it's designed to detoxify the skin, draw out impurities and refine the pores.

Pale pink in colour it has a creamy, clay like texture - it was a touch thick but it was still fairly easy to apply evenly to the skin with the either the fingers, the enclosed mini spatula or with a mask brush. Initially I felt a little bit of warmth and a little bit of tingling but that feeling disappeared quite quickly. Like most clay masks it tightened as it dried which can be a touch uncomfortable if your skin is sensitive.

Pink Clay On Application 

After about 15 minutes or so it had turned white and was completely dry. Like most clay masks it took a little bit of washing off, but after a lot of massaging with warm water and a muslin cloth off it came.

My skin initially looked quite pink and felt a touch tight and a little bit dry, but after around 10 minutes that feeling had subsided and my skin was left feeling soft and smooth, my pores were clean and less obvious, and the oil and shine on my t-zone in particular had all but disappeared (all be it temporarily), and my skin looked more matte and even.

Pink Clay After Removal

This mask was perfect for oily skin, and problematic skin that just isn't behaving itself blemish or shine wise, but what about those days when your skin is at the other end of the spectrum, and needing a little bit of moisture or a wake up call? Well instead of going out and having to be a different product, this pot also cleverly contains 50ml of the 'Lacura Brightening Golden Glow Mask'. Containing hyaluronic acid, and extracts of mangosteen and pomegranate, this mask was specifically designed to hydrate the skin, and to give it a healthy glow.

This one had more of a cream like texture, as the name suggests it was gold in colour, and it seemed to be filled with microscopic gold sparkles. Being a cream mask it was really easy to apply your fingers, a spatula or as I did a mask brush.

At first it felt quite cool on the skin but as it sat on my face I did start to feel a slight tingling sensation which lasted until I washed it off after about 15 minutes.

Golden Glow On Application

As it was a cream mask it was really easy to wash off with a muslin cloth and warm water. Again, at first my skin looked a touch pink and felt a touch tight but it quickly went back to 'normal'. On the whole my skin did look a touch brighter, and a little bit more 'awake' but I couldn't really see too much of a difference, still I loved how it looked and in a weird way it actually felt quite nice, and with the same white floral, fresh fruity scent as the pink clay mask, it smelled lovely as well.

Golden Glow After Removal

I mainly used these masks separately but I did cocktail them once or twice, and use them at the same time on different areas of my face to treat different skin concerns, for example I used the pink clay mask on my t-zone and on my chin, and the golden glow mask under my eyes and on my cheeks.

Due to the tingling I experienced I probably wouldn't recommend these masks if you have a really sensitive skin, but if you fancy a cruelty free spa treatment on budget, then this mask could be something worth trying.

As you know Aldi can be a bit hitty missy when it comes to stocking beauty products but if you can find it, this mask duo retails at around £6.99. You can on occasions also buy a 60g size of the Purifying Pink Clay Mask on it's own, both in store and online. I've always been pretty pleased with the things that I've tried from Lacura, so it's definitely worth having a look in the beauty and middles aisle next time you're in Aldi.

2. Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream - 30g

Next up another skincare item and it's one of my holy grail skincare products, the Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream.

Okay, this stuff is pretty spendy but for me it's worth every penny, and believe it or not my 92 year old godmother agrees with me! I'm in my 40's with a combination skin, and she has a drier, more mature skin, and I don't know how it does it but this stuff just works for both of us.

Admittedly neither of like heavy or sticky moisturisers, so that may be why, but the texture is a huge selling point. It has a light cream / gel texture, that sinks straight into the skin without leaving any stickiness or residue, and the skin is left feeling silky soft and hydrated. Crammed full of botanical and marine plant extracts, it can be used all over the face and if you're lazy also as an eye cream. It also makes the perfect make up base, and it never feels heavy, and it never caused any breakouts or increased oiliness. I love it and it's something that I hope that I'll be able to continue using (finances permitting!).

The one drawback is of course the price, Elemis is a prestige British brand and uses premium ingredients all of which are reflected in the price. The full 50ml size retails at anywhere between £89 and £94, with this 30ml jar having an RRP of around £63. Not cheap but a little goes a long way and if you can shop around a bit you can often get a better deal. You can pick up Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream from a variety of retailers including direct from Elemis, Boots, John Lewis, Amazon, Look Fantastic, ASOS, NEXT Beauty, and Sephora.

3. Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips

Ah! Another holy grail standard product and a more recent one, the Jolen Face Wax Strips! I was sent a couple of packets of these to review back in February / March of last year and I absolutely love them. You can read my full review here, but for just £1 a box these strips remove even the tiniest hairs, and they nearly always get the roots out, no mean feat on my previously thick and spiky tache hair! Just to add after just over a year or purely using wax strips on my upper lip area and chin, my facial are definitely finer and sparser - result! 

As well as Savers, I recently also found these strips in my local B&M store, so if you're a waxer or even if your not there is no excuse for not giving these a try.

4. L'Oreal Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml

The final product on June's list was something else that I've talked about before, the L'Oreal Elvive Wonder Water. I don't know how it works, but what I do know is that it makes a difference to my hair when I use it. My hair seems easier to control, and it's less frizzy. I actually ran out a month or so ago, and I've just started using this again after a little break and I really can see the difference. I've tried one of the newer varieties which I'll talk about in a future empties post, but this one is my real love and it's something that I will continue to use. It has an RRP of £9.99 but it's usually on offer for around £4.99 from a variety of retailers including Superdrug, Boots, Look Fantastic and Tesco. If you're like me though and you don't want to be without this product then you can lock in your saving by doing what I've done and buy it on subscribe and save, which is a kind of auto delivery option from Amazon, so you can guarantee you'll never run out ;).

So they were my June 2022 empties, not too many of them I admit but they all count, and thankfully July was a slightly better month.

Berry Smooth Strawberry Foaming Salt Scrub - 240g
O'Keefe's For Healthy Feet Foot Cream - Value Size - 180g
Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips
Gatineau Tan Accelerating Lotion - 400ml
Beauty Pro Avocado Infused Sheet Mask - 1 x 22ml Sheet Mask
Moksha Beauty Advanced Salicylic Acid & Sulphur Scrub Soap Bar - 100g

Total - 6 Items 

Yes, in July 2022 I managed to finish an extra 2 items, and I ended the month with 6 empty tubs, bottles and boxes. It was a nice mix of mainly different types of body care products with a couple of facial skincare items thrown in for good measure x

1. Berry Smooth Strawberry Foaming Salt Scrub - 240g

First up in July, one of my favourite things, a body scrub. I do love a body scrub and this one from Poundland had a nice, if slightly artificial strawberry / berry / bubblegum scent, and because it was a salt scrub, it passed the Louise scrubby test - You can read a bit more about it here x 

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Alas I haven't seen this one in store for some time, but if you see a similar looking scrub in Poundland I'd definitely pick one up and give it a go -  I've tried a few scrubs from Poundland now including a cocoa butter one I've just finished and they've all been pretty decent and good value for money, even if most of them were more than a pound (£1.50 ;).

2. O'Keefe's For Healthy Feet Foot Cream - Value Size - 180g

I'm not sure whether it's because of my thyroid issue, but my feet at times are the bane of my life - my heels are always dry and no matter how much I care for them, they sometimes even crack!

Over the years I must have spent a fortune on exfoliators, pumice stones and moisturisers for my poor tootsies, and whilst I can usually keep them under control, sometimes you need to bring out the big guns. This particular product would never win any awards for its scent or its glamour appeal, but it you have dry or cracked heels or feet, get a tub or tube of this straight away!

With no real scent this thick, white cream doesn't look that exciting but massage even the smallest amount into your feet, stick on a pair of socks and if it's at night go to bed or pop them on in the morning and go about your day as normal, and if you're anything like me in just one use you'll see a difference, and if you don't see an improvement after 7 days of continuous usage then O'Keeffe's will give you your money back.

I won't be using  this all the time but when my feet 'really' need it or when I need to show them off, I'll definitely have a tube or a pot of this on standby.

The O'Keeffe's Healthy Foot Cream comes in a variety of different configurations including a various sized tubes a 91g tub and this 180g value sized tub. Like everything I'd advise you shop around a bit as prices can vary - O'Keeffe's products are available from a variety of retailers including Amazon, Boots, Superdrug, Savers and Tesco.

3. Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips

Well, they do say that your hair grows faster in summer and so it obviously proved in June and July of last year, when I finished another packet of these Jolen wax strips. I know everyone is different but I normally need to wax properly every 4 weeks with the occasional touch up every now and then, but as I say my hairs are definitely finer and sparser than the used to be so fingers crossed that they will eventually give up and disappear completely - I live in hope anyways!

4. Gatineau Tan Accelerating Lotion - 400ml

Now I'm not going to lie this is another one of those products that I probably should have binned at least a year before I eventually finished it, but it still smelled the same, and it was too expensive and too good not to use it up, so when the sun came out last summer I dug this out and finished it off!

With a slightly old fashioned floral scent, on the surface this is just a nice, light, hydrating body lotion, but it's actually so much more than that. Containing sweet orange, allantoin, grape seed oil, narcissus bulb extract, and melanin activating peptide, this is in fact a tan accelerator. Use it for at least 2 weeks before a holiday, during your holiday, and for around 4 weeks after your holiday, and even with SPF, you will tan better and faster than you usually would, and it even works on pale pink people like me! Oh, and even if you're planning on staying in the UK, just use this instead of your normal body lotion for the summer months and then you're ready for the odd day in the UK when the sun comes out ;)

Again, as you would expect from a prestige French skincare brand, this stuff is a little bit on the pricy side with an RRP of around £55 for a 400ml bottle, but like with everything these days if you shop around you might get it a little bit cheaper or in a smaller bottle x The Gatineau Tan Accelerator Lotion is available from various retailers including direct from Gatineau, Amazon, QVC UK, Sephora and Look Fantastic.

5. Beauty Pro Avocado Infused Sheet Mask - 1 x 22ml Sheet Mask

Next up, it's another product that you've seen before and it's a product that came in the August 2021, 10th birthday edition of Glossybox UK!

I think it was an extra product as it wasn't in the official listing and I'd already received the same mask in the January 2021 box.

You can read a full review here but if you're looking for a cooling and moisturising sheet mask for the warmer months, then maybe this could be it.

The Beauty Pro Avocado Infused Sheet Mask is available for around £4.95 from retailers including Look Fantastic, Sephora and NEXT Beauty.

6. Moksha Beauty Advanced Salicylic Acid & Sulphur Scrub Soap Bar - 100g

Finally another body product, something else that you've seen before, and another one of my beauty must haves. 

Last year I was diagnosed with a skin condition called Hidradenitis Suppurativa, which causes painful spot like lumps on my body, and after reading a things about the condition and a few bits online, I was brought to this soap and I've been buying it ever since to help keep the lesions under control - you can read a little bit more about it here. I've actually just started a new bar and like most things in the intervening year has gone up - a 100g bar now retails at £9.99 from Amazon but for me it's worth every penny!

So there you have it, a very, very late June and July 2022 empties post, and what will be the first of many over the next few weeks. I'm going to try and break them up a bit with some different posts so you shouldn't get too sick of empties posts ;) but I promise that I'll try and get them all up to date as soon as possible. In the meantime if you have any questions on any of the products in this post, or if you just want to say Hi! then leave me a comment below xx

*This Post Contains Automatic Affiliate, Added Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links.

Trimming My Stash - November 2018 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

Have you ever felt as though there just aren't enough hours in the day? I'm feeling that way at the moment, and it's so easy to see why people get so frazzled at this time of year, there just seems to so much to do at times and the to do list never seems to get any shorter! The annual decorating and tidying frenzy is well and truly under way, there are gifts still to wrap, cards still to deliver and there is shopping still to be done. For a spoonie that's hard enough to deal with but throw in an attack of the sniffles, a coughy, snotty and snuffly Mummy Lou, and all the everyday tasks that still need to be done, then it's no surprise that I don't whether I'm coming or going at the minute. It's hard for everyone at this time of year, so I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself, I'm going to do what needs doing and I'm going to try not to stress about the little things, and above all I'm going to try and focus on what's important.

Having said that, although this post is up a lot later than I would have liked, this and my previous post probably marks the start of what hopefully be my busiest spell on the blog of 2018. I have lots of posts planned, they are nearly all photographed, and I'm really excited to start getting some content up, eventually! I've also got a festive giveaway planned so providing the creeks don't rise, stay tuned for some long awaited blog posts x First of all though it's time to take a step back to last month and have a look at November's beauty empties.

I was so proud of myself with October's total of 10 items, but alas I couldn't continue that success in November. I tried hard I really did but for some reason it just didn't happen and I only managed to finish a measly 3 items :( Not the best month I'm sure you'll agree but every little helps as the famous supermarket saying goes and it does, I now have 3 less items in my bulging cupboards and drawers, and I've created a tiny bit of space for potential beauty gifts (fingers crossed ;) Although there aren't many of them, the items that I managed to finish are pretty interesting and weirdly I loved them all and as you'll see, I will definitely be repurchasing two of them x 

Baija Paris Green Tea Jasmine Body Oil - 30ml
Oh K! Fruit Enriched Peeling Foot Mask - 2 x Skin Softening Socks - 2 x 20ml Sachets Stimulating Foot Essence
Simple Kind To Skin Eye Make Up Remover - 125ml

Total - 3 Items

1. Baija Paris Green Tea Jasmine Body Oil - 30ml

We'll start off with an item that I probably won't be repurchasing but I would if I could. Like so many unusual and less well known brands this product came in beauty box, I think it was either a My Little Box or a Birchbox. This isn't very well known brand but in my experience it should be, it's a French based predominantly body care brand, that seems to be famous for it's beautiful, natural aromas.

This was a beautiful, fine textured, easily absorbed body oil. You could use it as an all over body moisturiser but I tended to use it on my tiger stripes to add a bit of excess moisture and a bit of TLC! Okay, I admit it I have stretch marks, who doesn't? I'm not the biggest fan of them but thanks to growth, and periods of weight loss and weight gain, I have them and once you have them there isn't too much that you can do about them bar embrace them, and give them a little bit of moisture love. Although it doesn't get rid of them completely, moisturising can make them less visible and it can definitely prevent new ones from forming. Whilst this wasn't a miracle worker it did leave my skin feeling smooth and silky, and smelling amazing.

This oil had an amazing scent - a fabulous fresh, fruity floral green tea scent, mixed with just a hint of jasmine. It actually smelled very similar to Elizabeth Arden Green Tea, a scent that some people find a little bit old fashion but personally it's a one that I love and that I used to wear regularly. I would definitely consider repurchasing both this product and some of the other products that I've tried from Baija Paris but the range is incredibly difficult to get hold of in the UK, you can occasionally find the odd thing in TK Maxx, but other than that you're pretty much relying on resellers which is a shame, if you see it though the entire range is well worth trying x

2. Oh K! Fruit Enriched Peeling Foot Mask - 2 x Skin Softening Socks - 2 x 20ml Sachets Stimulating Foot Essence

Foot peels and peeling socks are probably one of the grossest beauty products on the market but personally I love them! There is something completely gross yet somewhat fascinating and even enjoyable about watching all of that dry skin fall off your feet! I don't even like feet that much but these things are just so satisfying - Does that make me a bit weird lol I don't know?

I've tried a lot of different types of peeling socks over the years but these ones are a little bit different to all of the other brands that I've tried so far. The box contains a pair of paper / fabric socks with a plastic lining. The socks are pretty decent quality they don't feel flimsy or thin and they have a tie which helps secure them onto your feet. The tie is a much better idea than the sticky tabs that these socks normally have, they felt really safe on my feet, they didn't feel as though they were going to slip off, and I didn't feel that I needed to put a pair of socks on over the top to hold them in place. 

Sounds pretty standard so far doesn't it but what is unusual is that the socks are completely dry, so the box also contains two sachets of stimulating foot essence (1 for each foot), which contains lactic, salicylic and glycolic acids and a variety of fruit acids including lemon, lime, orange, apple, grape and wild cherry, which you then pour into your socks.

All you do is wash and dry your feet, and then put the liquid filled socks on to your feet, secure them with the ties and then you just sit and relax for between an hour and an hour and a half, to let the liquid do it's thing before rinsing off your feet in plain, warm water.

There was no real scent to the liquid just a slight astringency, almost alcohol scent, The two phase system meant that the socks were really wet, and the liquid really did completely cover the feet. I'm not going to lie, after about 10 minutes I started to feel a tingling sensation, it wasn't unpleasant but it was noticeable, and you definitely felt as though it was doing something. 

The worst thing with this type of product is the waiting, over the next week or so your feet steadily get drier and drier, and no matter how much you want to, you can't moisturise them! I used these socks around 2 weeks ago now and it's safe to say that my feet do not look pretty! The skin is drying and peeling off on the soles, and balls of my feet and even between my toes . Soaking your feet makes a big difference and it can really help speed the process up, so for best result either shower with your feet in a washing up bowl (that's what I've been doing!), have a bath, or treat yourself to a foot spa, to really loosen off that dead skin!

Based on the initial feeling and the results so far these are probably the strongest type of these socks that I've tried, yes my feet look pretty horrid at the moment, but in a week or so they'll be smooth, baby soft and party ready x If your feet have seen better days and the thought of showing them to anyone fills you full of horror then these could be something to try, just make sure you give them long enough to work before that big event, as with these things it definitely gets worse before it gets better x Based on my current results I will definitely be repurchasing these socks again x They retail at around £8.50 from various retailers including FEELUNIQUE, ASOS and the Oh K Life website x 


3. Simple Kind To Skin Eye Make Up Remover - 125ml

As you know my quest for a new eye make up remover has been a long one - there have been lots of fails, and lots of nearly's, but at long last I think I may have found the one. Simple are specialists in skincare for sensitive skin, so why on earth did I wait so long before giving this one a go? I'm obviously not quite with it at times! 

Like all Simple products this eye make up remover is free from colours or dyes, artificial perfumes, or chemicals, it's also oil free, non comedogenic, hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested and approved, and opthamologically tested. Containing Pro Vitamin B5, it is designed to gently and effectively remove all eye make up including waterproof mascara, and it's also suitable for contact lens wearers.

As you would expect it is clear in colour and it has an almost water like appearance and texture, and no real scent. Given the slightly unassuming appearance I was really surprised at how well this worked. It removed everything that I threw at it with very little effort, long wear mascara took a little bit longer but it still removed easily without scrubbing or rubbing, and most importantly my eyes didn't feel dry or sore, and there was no watering or stinging!

I don't know if my quest is over, and I'll definitely keep trying new things, but with this product I've definitely found something that I like and that I'll continue to repurchase. In fact I've already bought another couple of bottles, the RRP for this is around £3.79 but in Superdrug in particular, it's normally on special offer so it's well worth stocking up if you like it as much as I do.

So only 3 items, but as hopefully you can see they were three very interesting items, 2 of which have subsequently become firm favourites. We're now well into December and so far I've only managed to finish one item so fingers crossed I can up my game and finish the month and the year on a high x Don't forget to let me know if you're doing something similar to Trimming My Stash and of course please let me know if you have any questions on any of the items in this post x 

Trimming My Stash And Life Lately - September 2018 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

Okay guys we're in the final straight now! There are now less than 3 months of 2018 left! How did that happen? When did that happen? Crazy times! It's taken nearly 10 months but finally I seem to be getting my head into gear and getting some stuff done! Maybe it's the fear factor and a desperate attempt to stop 2018 being a complete fail but better late than never I guess. Home and health wise nothings changed, shit is still happening on a regular basis but maybe I'm dealing with it better and channelling my stress into something more useful. I've been planning some videos and blog posts, I've started a mass sort and tidy up and I've been sorting out my beauty stash (again!)

It's funny I still probably have way too much of everything but I'm actually starting to find space in drawers and boxes and within the next of month or so I'll need to buy some body scrub, yes need! I won't be buying something because it's on offer or because I feel the urge to buy something I'll be buying something because I need it. It just shows that I am starting to make a little bit of progress in Trimming My Stash particularly when it comes to body and hair care products.

Tea Tree Daily Use Cleansing Facial Wipes - 25 x Wipes
Soap & Glory Heel Genius Amazing Foot Cream -125ml
Biotherm Anti-Drying Body Milk With Citrus Extracts - 400ml
Dead Sea Spa Magik Salt Brushing - 50g
Decleor 1000 Grain Body Exfoliator - 50ml
Maria Nila True Soft Shampoo - 100ml
Josh Wood Radiant Shine Hair Treatment Oil - 28ml

Total - 7 Items

When it came to body and hair bits September was another good month, out of the 7 products that I finished 6 were body and hair related. Although I was pleased that I finished 7 items I really need to try a bit harder when it comes to skin care and make up. The thing is though I do know where I'm going wrong; When it comes to skincare i seem to have to many bottles, jars and tubes open at once, so I never seem to use anything consistently. That's got to stop, my new plan is too finish whats in the bathroom and then try something new, rather than just trying something as soon as I get it. I often wonder why my skincare doesn't do what I want it to and that's probably why! Make up is another obvious one, I own way to much of it when you consider what I actually wear. Unlike a lot of people I don't wear make up every day and when I do I get a bit lazy and always use the same stuff. That's got to stop too, I need to wear make up more often, I need to switch up what I do wear, and again I need to finish some of those half used bottles and tubes! Sounds easy enough but as per usual we'll see what happens over the next few months x Before I start painting my face and removing make up, every three seconds though lets take a look back and see just exactly what I did manage to finish in September.

1. Tea Tree Daily Use Cleansing Facial Wipes - 25 x Wipes

I've talked about cleansing wipes a lot on the blog, and whilst I firmly believe that they shouldn't be used as part of an everyday skincare regime, I do believe that they can play their part in well, this blogger at leasts, everyday life. I use them for everything from cleaning up swatches, to wiping sticky hands, and cleaning down make up palettes,  I swear by them and the ones that I always turn to are Primark's tea tree based wipes. Although the packaging and the name has recently changed, they are the ones that I always stock up on when I'm in store.

Primark trips have been a little bit thin on the ground though this year, and in the 3 or so month gap in between visits I ran out of wipes. On a recent trip to another bargain haunt though, B&M Bargains I saw these tea tree based wipes and thought that I'd give them a try. They were the same price as the Primark ones at £1 for 2 packs of 25 wipes but unfortunately that was the only similarity. These are actually tea tree and peppermint wipes, so instead of the traditional tea tree scent that I was expecting these actually had a very strong almost minty, menthol type scent. As I say I don't use wipes that often on my face (I prefer micellar waters when I'm in a rush) but I did try these out on my face once, and to be honest once was enough. The scent made my eyes water, and I did find them to be quite drying. In the future I'll definitely stick to the Primark wipes, and despite the fact that these are also readily available in Poundland, I don't think that I'd buy them again and I'll probably use the remaining packet for my hands and for swatch clean up.

2. Soap & Glory Heel Genius Amazing Foot Cream -125ml

When it comes to foot cream I can completely understand why people like mint or tea tree based products, whilst it's true that they are perfect for deodorising and refreshing tired feet, I can't help it they just aren't my favourite scents. I love lavender, floral or fruity scents and this foot cream from Soap & Glory falls perfectly into the latter category. With a fruity fresh scent, this isn't the thickest of foot creams but thanks to the high concentration of fruit acids that it contains, with regular use it makes a big difference.

Although I suffer from poor circulation, and my feet can often feel like blocks of ice, I can't standing having hot or over heated feet so wearing socks overnight is a big no no for me, instead I apply this (or any other cream) all over my feet after a shower, then I put on a pair of socks and let the cream do it's thing. This particular cream sometimes tingles a little bit on application but it's not uncomfortable it just feels as though it's doing something. I normally leave the socks on for 2 or 3 hours if I can and when you remove them you're left with much better looking, softer feet. I've used this product a few times before after getting in a few of the Boots Soap & Glory Star Gifts and I would definitely consider repurchasing.

3. Biotherm Anti-Drying Body Milk With Citrus Extracts - 400ml

I don't know whether it's because I'm getting older or whether it's down to the noticeable change in the weather but the skin on my body is definitely feeling a little bit tighter and drier at the moment, so I'm trying to be good and applying a body lotion or body cream every day rather than just when I remember. I love thick creams and butters in the winter but at the moment lotions are my go to for daily use and this particular product is without a doubt one of the best body lotions that I've ever used. I was first introduced to this product over 10 years ago now when I won a huge bagful of Biotherm goodies in a magazine competition and I've used it and love it ever since.

Push down the pump action dispenser (not pictured - sorry!) and you're introduced to a slightly unpromising looking milky lotion, get past the initial appearance though and inhale the fresh orange,  citrus scent, and slather a small amount all over your body. Given the texture it absorbs quickly and easily with no stickiness, tackiness or roll off, and it leaves the skin feeling silky soft in seconds, and surprisingly considering the texture, it's a feeling that lasts for hours.

In my opinion to put it mildly this is fabulous stuff, and it's something that despite owning pretty much a store full of body products that I would definitely repurchase. The brand isn't that easy to get a hold of in store in the UK now but you can buy it online from sites including FEELUNIQUE and allbeauty. 

4. Dead Sea Spa Magik Salt Brushing - 50g

Earlier in this post I did say that I was starting to run a little bit low on body scrubs and as a result I've been using a few minis, and smaller products before I move onto my last 3 Christmas themed scrubs from The Body Shop, and this is the first of them. Now as you know I love salt and sugar based scrubs and as the name would suggest this one is crammed full of Dead Sea Salt, combined with coconut oil, and vitamin E. It is apparently Dead Sea Spa Magik's best selling product and it's easy to see why. It has a lovely scent, and it's very scrubby. It works best when it's applied to dry skin, simply massage it in to the limbs and problem areas and rinse away. It rinses off really easily and the high oil content left the skin feeling really smooth. The only thing I would say is that don't use this on broken skin, I accidentally used it on an area that had a cat scratch, and to say it stung was an understatement. Despite that though this was a great scrub and it's definitely something that I would consider repurchasing.

5. Decleor 1000 Grain Body Exfoliator - 50ml

Next up a scrub from high end French aromatherapy skin and body care brand Decleor. The big selling point of this one was definitely the smell, it contains real grapefruit essential oil, and with every use you got a yummy, zingy, refreshing hit of grapefruit that really revived the senses. It had a sort of oil / gel consistency which transformed to more of a milky consistency when you added it to water. It was a nice enough product and as I say I loved the scent but it just wasn't scrubby enough for me so I probably wouldn't repurchase.

6. Maria Nila True Soft Shampoo - 100ml

The final two beauty products that I finished in September were both hair products, and this shampoo and the matching conditioner, which I haven't quite finished yet, both made in appearance in the May 2018 edition of Glossybox. (You can watch my original unboxing video below or via this link). As you know I love trying out new brands and this brand is a new one to me. Hailing from Sweden, Maria Nila is an environmentally conscious brand, that is leaping bunny, PETA, and Vegan Society certified and after using this product I have to say that both myself and Mummy Lou are fans.

This is a gentle shampoo that is designed specifically for drier hair types, it contains argan oil, seaweed extract, and Maria Nila's exclusive colour guard complex, and it's also both sulphate and paraben free.

Despite the lack of SLS it still foams really well and it has a lovely fruity, floral scent that reminds me a little bit of the original Giorgio Armani's Acqua Di Gio, which is one of my favourite fragrances of all time. The scent is obviously a huge plus point for me but this shampoo is so much more than that, both me and Mummy Lou loved how it made our hair feel, and the ethics behind the brand. The brand isn't that easy to get a hold of in the UK but it goes without saying that I would definitely consider repurchasing both this shampoo and the matching conditioner.

7. Josh Wood Radiant Shine Hair Treatment Oil - 28ml

The final empty from September is another hair product and it's a product that I discovered in one of the M&S beauty advent calendars. I've seen a lot of stuff written about beauty advent calendars lately including one comment that the only people that buy them are bloggers who aren't on press lists? WTF?  and here's my two penneth, you pays your money, and you takes your choice, if you want one then get one, some are better value than others so have a look around and choose the best one for you. Personally I love them, I've quite a few beauty ones now and like beauty subscription boxes they give you a great opportunity to try something new, a new product or a new brand, or they give you a chance to stock up on minis for holidays and travel. I've got the Glossybox one on pre order this year and personally I can't wait to start opening up the doors. Why do people need to be so grumpy, critical and judgemental all the time - let people do what they want! 

Anyway enough of the rant, I discovered this product in an M&S calendar and for me and many others it was love at first use. Marks and Spencer previously collaborated with celebrity hair colourist Josh Wood to produce a range of root cover ups and hair products, but like so many things the entire range has now been discontinued and sadly Josh Wood doesn't sell anything simililar in his own salons. It's a real shame because this product in particular still has a lot of fans.

I love hair oils, you can use them as a pre shampoo treatment to add moisture and you can also use them to detangle wet hair, and on dry hair to add shine and tame frizz. I've used a lot of them and I've loved a lot of them too and this one was one of the best. Enriched with kukui and pracaxi oil it had an expensive almost designer perfume, inspired aromatherapy type scent which gently lingered on the the hair. It was slightly thick in appearance yet it felt surprisingly felt quite lightweight on the hair. It was a really nice product and I'm so sad that the range has disappeared, bar a few ridiculously priced bottles on ebay - please Josh Wood and M&S bring this one back! 

So they were my September beauty empties as I say I'm definitely going to try harder on the skin care and make up front in October, so fingers crossed I've got a few more things to show you then but if in the meantime you have any questions then please leave me a comment and if you have any hair oil recommendations I'd love to hear them too x 

AD Clinging On To Summer With NIVEA Sunshine Love Caring Shower Gel*

Despite the fact that I'm not a big newspaper reader it's hard to escape some of the sensationalist headlines and stories that they print, no I'm not talking about celebrity gossip or Double Decker buses been found on the moon, I'm a Brit so of course I'm talking about the weather!

Apparently blizzards and snow will be with us in the UK before October is out; Personally I'll believe it when I see it, but there is no doubt that the temperatures have plummeted a bit in the last week or so, but to be honest I think I am still in denial, yes pumpkins and witches hats are everywhere now and the Boots Christmas Gift Guide is out but I'm still clinging onto summer and carrying on with my 'summer' beauty routine. For once I'm not being lazy and keeping up a regular hair removal routine (more on that to come!), I'm still playing with fake tan (more on that to come as well) and I'm embracing a beauty product from heritage brand NIVEA, the scent of which takes me way back to warmer and sunnier times.

For as long as I can remember my household has been a NIVEA house. From that familiar, retro blue and white tin, to the blue and yellow bottles of their suncream, it's a brand that's intrinsically linked to so many happy memories.

In comparison to so many of my peers I was pretty old by the time I went on my first proper holiday abroad. With a giant of a dad that wasn't keen on flying, and money that could probably be spent better elsewhere my holidays as a child were UK based, I was happy and to be honest I didn't mind that much, I'd been abroad with the school and that was enough for a while. When I got into my late teens though the lure of a proper beach holiday was real, and when I was about 18 or 19 I went on a plane for the first time and I went to Spain. I still remember the excitement of packing my case with bikinis, shorts, flip flops, and of course a couple of bottles of NIVEA suncream.

I'm not the biggest fan of coconut as a scent and that's probably why over the years I've always loved the scent of NIVEA's sun care range. As you've probably gathered from quite a few of my posts, I'm pretty useless at describing fragrances, but the official line from Claire Marlow Brand Manager at NIVEA, is that the traditional NIVEA sun scent contains fruity notes of Clementine and Pear Sorbet, floral notes of Osmanthus, Blue Freesia, and Magnolia, and warm notes of Amber and White Musk. Whatever it contains though I just see it as a fresh and clean scent, it's not overpowering, it's just warm and comforting and for me and so many others it's a fragrance that just screams Summer. Conscious of the love that their customers feel for the traditional scent of NIVEA Sun, earlier this year NIVEA decided to introduce a product that would allow us to experience the scent of summer all year round, the NIVEA Sunshine Love Caring Shower Gel.

Featured on This Morning, and named as one of renowned beauty editor Eve Cameron's best Spring beauty buys, this shower gel comes packaged in a chunky, easy to hold, flip top cap bottle. The packaging embraces the traditional NIVEA Sun colours of blue and yellow, but here the yellow dominates, with the bulk of the bottle being made from a clear sunshine yellow, amber plastic which mirrors the clear, pale amber liquid within.

With the heady, yet subtle scent of NIVEA Sun, this shower gel obviously contains no SPF or UV protection but it is dermatologically tested, and it's crammed full of Aloe Vera to refresh, moisturise and soothe the skin. Only a tiny amount on a sponge or a shower scrunchie produces a rich creamy lather. It does contain SLS but in my experience I still found it very moisturising. Having hit the big 4-0 earlier this my skin is definitely getting drier but this shower gel certainly didn't exacerbate that tightness and dryness, my skin just felt smooth and clean.

If you have a little bit of winter sun planned, this shower product is perfect for removing sun lotion, salt, chlorine and sand, and for reviving the skin after a day at the pool or the beach, but even if a beach holiday isn't on the horizon it's equally good for transporting you back to sunnier climes after a day out in the wind and rain.

So if your not quite to embrace, Autumn and Winter just yet, then this is a perfect, bargain way to hold on to that Summer feeling for just a little bit longer. NIVEA Sunshine Love Caring Shower Gel has a recommended retail price of £1.99 for a 250ml bottle but if I were you I would shop around a bit and head to Boots, B&M Bargains or Asda, and you should be able to get your hands on this little ray of sunshine for less than a £1. Are you embracing the changing seasons, and all things Pumpkin, or are you desperately trying to cling on the last dregs of summer? Let me know in the comments x 

*AD / Press Sample

Nair Argan Oil Salon Divine Body Wax* - Pain Free Waxing?

You should know by now that I'm not the type of blogger that shies away from less glamorous side of beauty. Over the years I've covered all sorts of topics from dental health, to products that you can use when you have aches and pains, and cold cures, one of the less attractive topics that I keep coming back to though, is hair removal.

I know I keep saying it but body hair is really one of those taboo subjects and to be honest I don't know why - body hair is completely normal, and we all have it, some of us have more of it, and some of us have less of it, and that's just the way it is. When it comes to hair removal I firmly believe that it should be down to personal choice - if you don't like it get shot of it, if you're happy to have body hair then that's fine as well, it's up to you and nobody should judge you for what you choose to do with your own body!

I've said it so many times before but I am pretty lazy when it comes to hair removal, it's a chore, and an energy sapper that I can quite frankly do without. Whilst getting busy with a razor is probably the easiest and laziest option, I've got to be honest and say that I'd rather spend a little bit longer on a method that's going to give me a longer term result. Shaving my legs every day or every other day just doesn't make sense to me, I'd rather take a little bit of time and wax or epilate them and have hair free legs for about a month instead.

I was 17 when I first waxed my legs, and to be honest I have no idea why I kept going back for more, it was torture! I just didn't understand why people could put themselves through that - but as the years have gone by, my leg hairs are patchier and finer, and I can honestly say that the sensations is barely more than a little bit of stinging now. I'm sure both mine and my mam's waxing technique has come on a long way since then but I definitely think that there has been a big improvement in home waxing products.

Pain is probably one of the biggest reasons why some people shy away from waxing, and whilst it can smart a little, a lot of products are now promising a relatively painless waxing experience. I've got to say I'm pretty sceptical about that whole claim but I was recently sent one such product to try out and see for myself.

When you think of home hair removal brands, I can pretty much guarantee that one of the first brands that you would think of would be Nair. After many years of focusing purely on hair removal creams, they've successfully moved into the home waxing market with a wide range of strip waxes. Recently though they branched into the scary world of hot wax and released the Nair Argan Oil Salon Divine Body Wax.

Crammed full of nourishing and moisturising Argan Oil and Vitamin E, and fragrant Orange Blossom, this formulation has been dermatologically tested and especially created to be as pain free as possible, in fact they even use the tag line "Bye Bye Pain", and by and large they seem to be able to back that claim up with 93% of participants in a consumer test reporting a relatively painless hair removal experience.

So what did I think, well lets start at the beginning and talk about what you actually get in the box. Obviously the most important thing is the instruction leaflet, and if you're messing around with something that's very hot then you need to be safe, so you need to read the leaflet thoroughly. The box also contains a wooden spatula, some aftercare wipes, and a large plastic pot which contains solid creamy white, slightly pearlescent wax.

Surely there is something missing I hear you cry? Well no, not in this case, the majority of home, hot waxing kits come with either paper or cloth strips to remove the wax, but this one is a little bit different, it's basically a peel off formulation which may be one of the reasons for the relatively pain free claims? It's definitely more professional and a lot of salons now use similar products but how suitable is it for home use?

Like most home hot waxes, you need to use a microwave to heat up the wax, but in this case there is no other option, no microwave no can use! The instructions give full timings depending on the power of your microwave but basically you want a smooth, easy to stir consistency with no lumps. Once you've reached the ideal consistency I found that the wax was way, way too hot to even patch test so I left it cool for a little while before testing the temperature on the inside of my wrist.

Then you can probably guess what happens next, apply an even layer with the spatula to clean, dry legs, in the direction of the hair growth. It takes a little bit of practise to the strip thickness even and to work out how thick it actually needs to be but once you get into the swing of it isn't that difficult to do. Then you leave your strip to set for a few seconds, before pulling it off against the direction of the growth, then repeat, repeat and repeat till you are done.

Although I've tried a lot of different waxing products over the years, I've never tried using a strip free wax before, and after giving it a go and I can see both positives and negatives. The wax in this case doesn't feel particularly like wax, in fact it almost feels slightly rubbery or plasticy, which I guess is what makes so easy to peel off. It also smelled way nicer then some of the waxes I've used you could really smell the orange blossom, and almost a white flower like aroma, and believe it or not it wasn't that painful. Admittedly I'm a waxing aficionado and my legs are probably used to be assaulted now but all I felt was a bit of warmth and a bit of stinging. My legs did look red and a bit like a plucked chicken but aftercare wipes, calmed them down, and removed the excess blobs of wax. I didn't find the wax that drying thanks to the high concentration of moisturising and nourishing ingredients but the wipes, which had a pleasant fresh scent and a slightly oily feel definitely added an extra hit of moisture.

Before 

After

So it worked, it removed pretty much all of my leg hair without too much pain but I still don't feel as though I can recommend this product, why? Well this was probably the messiest hot wax product that I've ever used. Hot wax can be messy but this went above and beyond as you can see from the finished state of the pot. It was impossible not to get dribbles down the side of the tub, on other parts of your legs and in my case all over my sheets. It was easy enough to get off the tray, other hard surfaces and my legs but the wax that went on my sheets was another story entirely, you could pick the hard bits of when they cooled but even after washing you could still see and feel the odd sticky patch. If you have any leftover wax it can be reheated but my poor spatula was just a massive blob of rock solid wax and ended up in the bin :(

I've read a few reviews of this product since I tried it and quite a few them have basically said that this product just doesn't remove hair that well, that wasn't my experience though. I had no problems with it's hair removal ability, it smelled nice, and it removed all of my hair in a relatively pain free way, so in theory it did exactly what it promised but I just couldn't deal with the mess! If you're one of those people that loved peeling glue off your hands then you might enjoy this but in future I think I'll stick to Nair's cold wax strips. To find out more about Nair's hair removal solutions then please check out their official website. Nair Salon Divine Body Wax retails at around £12.59 and is available from various retailers including Boots. Are you a hot wax fan or are the cold strips more your thing? or do you just leave it to the professionals? Let me know in the comments x 

*Press Sample