Trimming My Stash - June 2016 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

Hey Guys x I hope you've all had a lovely Saturday x The weather isn't that great for the first Saturday in July, but I'm British so I'm pretty used to summer being a wash out! I really can't believe that it's July already - I've already had a few Christmas in July press invites which is terrifying - where is this year, and where is my life going!

I've had another up and down month but I'm thinking positive and battling on regardless, blogging again has taken a bit of a back seat but I'm feeling really motivated at the moment, I've got a lot of ideas and I've got a lot of new posts planned. Before we look forward though first lets look back at June and focus on my June beauty empties.

Boots Botanics Cleansing Toner All Bright - 250ml
L'Oreal Kerastase Cristalliste Luminous Perfecting Conditioner - 75ml
OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil To Go - 7.5ml
The Body Shop Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt - 300ml
Hello Kitty Liberty Art Fabrics Body Scrub - 50ml
Bumble And Bumble Bb Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Conditioner - 60ml
Benefit Sandal Scandal - 130ml
Chanel Illusion D'Ombre - 84 Epatant - 4g
Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes For Combination Skin - 25 Wipes
Ole Henriksen The Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths Brightening - 10 x Quilted Cleaning Cloths
Pixi Glow Tonic Exfoliating Toner - 250ml
Impulse Tease Body Fragrance - 75ml
Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub - 300ml
Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes For Combination Skin - 25 Wipes
Total - 14 Items

Yeah - I managed to finish 14 items last month, which is best performance of the year so far. As well as managing to finish a lot of half finished product I also managed to finish a really nice mix of products, including some body care, skin care, and hair care items, and shock of horrors I even managed to finish a make up item!

1. Boots Botanics Cleansing Toner All Bright - 250ml

I've been using this Boots toner for a little while now and for the price I really like it. If you like Pixi Glow Tonic then this is an okay budget alternative. At just £3.99 for a 250ml bottle, this toner of AHA's and Hibiscus. It brightens and freshens my skin without any of the tingle associated with pricier exfoliating toners. Is it as good as Pixi Glow Tonic or Alpha H Liquid Gold? not in my opinion but it's a decent product and it's something that I will always pick up when it's on offer.

2. L'Oreal Kerastase Cristalliste Luminous Perfecting Conditioner - 75ml

This conditioner from L'Oreal's famous Kerastase range was something that I received in a beauty box. I've got to say that it didn't really wow me it was a good everyday conditioner but it didn't make that much of a difference to my hair. The only real plus point and the point that took this product to the next level was the smell, I absolutely loved the scent, put this fragrance in a perfume bottle and I would most definitely buy it, as a conditioner though I would happily use it but I wouldn't go out of my way to repurchase.

3. OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil To Go - 7.5ml

OPI Avoplex is without a doubt my favourite ever cuticle product. It smells amazing, it sinks in quickly and it works. This is the travel or on the go version and instead of coming in a glass bottle it comes in a squeezy plastic tube with an attached brush. It's a little thicker and more gel like than the original formulation but it works just as well, and it's a lot easier and less messy to carry around. I've already repurchases the original glass bottle for home use, but for travel and holidays I'll definitely repurchase this on the go version.


4. The Body Shop Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt - 300ml

When The Body Shop's Honeymania range launched, you couldn't go on twitter or read blogs without somebody raving about it. Personally though I wasn't interested, honey for me is the devils food, I hate the taste of it and I think that the smell is even worse!  Fast forward though to December 2014 and I was invited to a festive event at a branch of The Body Shop in Newcastle Upon Tyne. After receiving an amazing hand massage and finding out some more about their Christmas range I was lucky enough to received a fabulous goodie bag which contained this product. I tried it full expecting to hate it but shock of horrors I didn't, I loved it! It has a tiny bit of sweetness to it but what you smell instead of the sickly sweetness of honey, is a beautiful heady floral aroma. You can swirl a bit of this sticky, honey like gel into the bath, for a bubbly milky bathing experience or you do what I've been doing over the last few months and use it in the shower. It is specifically a shower product but put a small amount onto a shower scrunchie, and you have a super foamy, deliciously scented shower. Since I don't have a bath tub anymore I probably wouldn't buy this specific product but I would definitely consider buying some of the other products in the Honeymania line. You can read all about my The Body Shop experience and read a mini review of this product here.

5. Hello Kitty Liberty Art Fabrics Body Scrub - 50ml

I love Hello Kitty and I love florals so I was all over this Boots exclusive collection from a few years ago. Apart from the super cute packaging, again the best bit about this product was the smell. This scrub and the entire Hello Kitty Liberty range had the most amazing powdery, slightly Shea butter based, floral scent which I loved, unfortunately in this case though I just didn't love the product. This scrub had a liquidy, cream base with tiny, teeny, nut shell like particles. I like a good, grainy scrub but for me the grains in this one were just too fine to do the job properly, which is a real given everything else it had going for it is a real shame.

6. Bumble And Bumble Bb Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Conditioner - 60ml

For me one of the best parts about blogging is getting the opportunity to try something new, and hopefully finding something that you love, and this product was a case in point. I received and reviewed this product just under a year ago now, and I loved it so much that I went straight out and repurchased it. This is really nice range and this conditioner made me hair feel instantly smoother and thicker. You can read a full review of this, and of some of the other products in the Invisible Oil range here. Blogging is a fickle thing and I'm currently loving another product but this is still something that I would definitely consider repurchasing x

7. Benefit Sandal Scandal - 130ml

This is the first of two empties that I'm absolutely devastated to have finished because they can't be replaced. Nowadays we probably know Benefit Cosmetics best for their quirky and innovative make up range, but back in the day there was more to Benefit then just brows and blushers. When Benefit first launched in the UK they used to have a nice little core collection of body care products, all fragranced in their signature Maybe Baby scent. As well as bubble baths, shimmer, balms, and body creams, they also produced this pretty amazing foot cream. I'm not a huge fan of minty foot creams, so this one with the floral Maybe Baby fragrance was perfect for me. With a rich creamy texture,and crammed full of AHA's to attack that dry skin, it came with a cute pair of pink and white pompom socks. This was a perfect overnight foot product, the dry skin disappeared within hours and it left the feet feeling silky soft. This was my favourite ever foot product and I'm very, very said that it's been discontinued :(

8. Chanel Illusion D'Ombre - 84 Eptant - 4g

Something else that I'm devastated to have finished is this Illusion D'Ombre eye shadow from Chanel. This shadows have the most amazing mousse like, cream texture, they apply and blend like a dream either with the brush that's provided or if you're feeling really lazy you can apply them with your fingers. This shade is Epatant, a beautiful metallic silvery, grey, taupe, green, that changed in the light. This was one of my go to eye shadows for a long, long time, it was easy to apply, the wear time was good, and the finish was super impressive. In theory this shadows should have been binned a long time ago but thanks to using a damp brush, and spraying it with Fix + I managed to hydrate it enough to finish the pot and I'm sad. Why am I sad? Well I love the formulation and I for this one could even justify the £25 price tag but unfortunately Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Epatant is no more, I can't find it anywhere so I think it's been discontinued - farewell Epatant I loved you - even if nobody else obviously did.

9. Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes For Combination Skin - 25 Wipes

Your probably sick of seeing these in my empties post but yes this month I finished another two packets of these babies and I bought some more. In one day I took 158 swatch photographs so these babies have been busy mopping up swatches and for freshening up on sticky days. They're full of tea tree so they leave your skin feeling cool and fresh, I don't use them on my face that often but they are a good standby.

10. Ole Henriksen The Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths Brightening - 10 x Quilted Cleaning Cloths

Dear readers, I have a confession to make I used this face wipes on my face and nowhere else! I don't why I did it maybe it was because I thought that a high end skin care brand would make a decent caring wipe and good for you wipe and  do you know what I did actually quite like d these. I got this ten pack of Ole Henriksen wipes in a beauty box, and feeling lazy one morning I picked these up and give them a try. They were a really nice quality, thick and quilted wipe, with a lovely citrus and vanilla scent. They left my skin looking really fresh, and bright and feeling squeaky clean, if a tiny bit sticky. Although I'm definitely not a cleansing with wipes convert, these were a good quick way to cleanse my skin and I actually felt as though they had some skin care benefits. I probably wouldn't repurchase these but if you're interested these wipes retail at around £12 for a pack of 30.


11. Pixi Glow Tonic Exfoliating Toner - 250ml

This was my first ever bottle of Pixi Glow Tonic, and I'm a total convert. As much as I love the feeling and results from Alpha H Liquid Gold, I love the convenience and ease of use of Glow Tonic. You can fit it into any skin care regime, just use it to replace your regular toner and you're good to go. Again full of AHA's this toner has made such a difference to my skin since I started using it regularly, my skin is smoother, and clearer, I get less breakouts and my pores aren't as obvious. I love this stuff and I will definitely continue to use it. All you need to remember to do is use a bit of SPF on your face, but you should be doing that anyway. You can find out a little bit more about why I love this in my March / April Favourites Video which you can watch here 


12. Impulse Tease Body Fragrance - 75ml

Whilst searching through my extensive beauty stash I found a whole load of new and half finished body sprays -  Isn't that always the way when you've bought a new one, note to self - maybe if I was more organised and tidier this wouldn't happen! Anyways if ever there was a product to take my back to my early teenage years it would be an Impulse body spray. Every girl I knew used to reek of them and we always used to try and be the first to try a new fragrance. My favourite used to be the one if the dark blue can, I don't remember the name now but they all smell pretty similar and the fragrance of this one took me right back. This one has that same sort of sweet, musky scent that I remember so well, the one I liked was a bit more fruity but this one is definitely trying to a bit more sophisticated with the musky undertones. I probably wouldn't repurchase this particular scent but at between £1 and £1.99, these are a pretty bargainious way to recapture your childhood.

13. Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub - 300ml

Another product that featured in my March / April Favourites Video (you can watch it here) and something  else that I love. This is exactly what I look for in a body scrub - I'm a huge fan of coarse salt and sugar scrubs and this one is exactly that. Crammed full of sugar, and moisturising oils, it has the zingy, citrus, lime scent, that we've come to expect from the Sugar Crush line and I love it. I like using on dry skin for a really intense scrub, just massage it in and rinse it off and your skin is left feeling smooth and silky. I will definitely buy this again and again x


14. Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes For Combination Skin - 25 Wipes

Yes I finished another packet x You can read my thoughts above x 

Well that ended up being a much longer post than I'd planned so I really hope that you managed to stick it out until the end. I finished a lot of products last month and I really can't see me doing as well in July but you never know, as per usual though I'll give it my best shot.. I've got a few beauty hauls to show you over the next few weeks but then I will definitely be starting Project 10 Pan so hopefully in July I'll have a few more make up items to show you but we'll see x Thanks for reading and if you have any questions on any of the items that I've finished then please let me know x

Life Lately And Trimming My Stash - June 2015 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

Hi everyone x It's been a couple of days but I'm back with my June empties post. I'm glad to see the back of June if I'm honest, it's being a very stressful, rubbishy, up and down sort of a month. A slight case of the sniffles developed into a full on chest and lung infection that I'm still trying to get rid of, and that I've have subsequently passed on to my mum. Throw in the fact that the bathroom fitters turned up pretty much unannounced last week and left us without a bath or shower for over a week and you'll get some idea of where I'm coming from.

It's been a tough couple of weeks, and circumstances have not only affected my blog but they've also affected June's Trimming My Stash.

Avon Violet Bubble Bath - 1000ml

Mini MAC Zoom Lash Mascara - Black

Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment - 100ml

Avon Blackberries And Vanilla Bubble Bath - 500ml

May Beauty The Incredible Face Mask - 10ml 

May Beauty The Incredible Face Mask - 10ml 

Total - 6 Items

Although I managed to finish 6 items, if things had gone my way it could have been a lot more. Illness meant that I just couldn't be bothered to carry out a full face, body and hair care routine, let alone wear a make up so I've still got a few nearly finished, products teetering on the edge 

I did manage to finish two bath products and a few Lush and Bomb Cosmetics pieces, but due to the bathroom fitters turning up at least a week ahead of schedule, I ran out of time to finish all my bath things and I've been left with a few bottles of bubble bath. I should be able to use the majority of them as shower products though so hopefully nothing will go to waste. 

So what were the products that I finished in June and what did I think of them?

1. Avon Violet Bubble Bath - 1000ml

I'm a huge fan of these Avon Bubble Baths, they are really affordable, and they come in a variety of permanent and limited edition fragrances. This one was a full litre size of the Violet Bubble Bath. When I first used it I was a bit disappointed as it wasn't the strong Parma Violet fragrance that I'd anticipated but on reflection it was still a nice product with a pleasant violet aroma, without being too strong or too sweet. I think this was one of the limited edition fragrances but it's always worth taking a look at these when you see them in the brochure no matter what the fragrance. They are great value for money and they do exactly what you'd expect from a bubble bath.

2. Mini MAC Zoom Lash Mascara - Black

I'm not sure how big this was but it was a tiny little sample that I got with an online purchase. This is one of MAC's best selling mascaras and I got around 2 weeks use from this size. I've used the full sized version and whilst I don't think it's anything special or exciting, it's a decent mascara that separated and seem to lengthen the lashes. I'm not sure I would repurchase but it's isn't bad.

3. Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment - 100ml

This is a pre wash, hair mask that I love, and that Mummy Lou loves. I've used this for a few years now on and off and it's something that I will continue to use. I think Mummy Lou bought this one but I was recently sent a batch of Ojon goodies which included another pot of this magical substance so I'll do a full review for you soon.

4. Avon Blackberries And Vanilla Bubble Bath - 500ml

Another bubble bath from Avon and another limited edition. This one had quite a runny formulation and the blackberry and vanilla fragrance to me smelled quite fruity, and almost creamy and coconut like. Like all of the products I've used in the this range, a small amount of product goes a long way and produces a mass of bubbles, so these large bottles last a long time, and are good value for money. I think I only have one of these left, a strawberry fragrance, so I'll be using that one as a summer shower product.

5.May Beauty The Incredible Face Mask - 10ml 

6.May Beauty The Incredible Face Mask - 10ml 

This is one of the reviews that I should posted a week or so ago. I was sent these masks to review and the review will definitely by live on the blog this weekend so if you have blemish prone skin, then stay tuned x 

So they were my June empties, if you have questions on anything I've used up please leave me a comment and I'll get back to you x 

Our new new shower room should hopefully be finished tomorrow and do you know what? I can't wait to give my new shower a try and to get some products used up x It's been a festival like existence in my own home and believe me it hasn't been fun especially since we've all been so poorly.

Speaking of which I just want to thank you again for your patience and good wishes during my poorly patch x I'm hoping to start posting regularly again from today and I'm going to try and get things back to normal. I've got a few overdue press sample, PR and brand reviews so they will probably go up first, but after it will be the usual mix of hauls, reviews and recipes x Thanks for reading and following and I'll see you soon x 

Trimming My Stash - May 2015 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

Well here we are we've survived the first 6 months of the year, this year is flying by and I'm in total denial that in 6 months time we'll be opening the doors on our advent calendars I refuse to even think about it when we haven't had any summer yet - I had the heating on yesterday! seriously what is wrong with this weather?

Anyone enough of the blogger being a typical Brit and complaining about the weather - it's time to reveal May's empties.

Elemis Jasmine And Rose Milk Bath - 125ml
May Beauty The Incredible Face Mask - 10ml
Beauty Formulas Body And Face Cooling Mist - 150ml
Barely There White Lily & Sweet Rose Blossom Bath Salts -100g
Total - 4 Items

1. Elemis Jasmine And Rose Milk Bath - 125ml

I've talked about this product before and I have to say it's love. I'm a huge, huge Jasmine fan, and who doesn't like the smell of roses. Add those expensive and pure extracts to Elemis' famous Skin Nourishing Milk Bath and you have the most indulgent bathing experience you can imagine. You can use this in the shower but in my opinion for the most luxurious and pampering experience you need to use it in the bath. The water is delicately scented, and feels super soft and silky on the skin. I love it but I'm not sure I can justify the spendy amount to just use it in the shower - the bath is where it's at and it's the way to see this product at it's best.

2. May Beauty The Incredible Face Mask - 10ml

This is something that I was sent for review purposes and I'm in the processes of testing it out at the moment. It's a face mask ideal for people with breakouts and problem skin and a full review including scary pictures will be on the blog in a few weeks x

3. Beauty Formulas Body And Face Cooling Mist - 150ml

It's not often that a product appears in an empties post before or without appearing in a haul post but this product was bought and used up in less than a month. Basically it's a cooling water spray that you can pick up quite easily in Poundland. Due to my illness and the amount of medication that I take I tend to get quite warm at night, and my skin especially on my feet often feels itchy and as though it's on fire. I've kept this on my bedside table and if I've had a hot or itchy spell I've had a quick spritz, and I have to say it's helped a lot . The pressurised container keeps it's cool so it's great for freshening up especially when the weather is warmer, and I'll definitely be picking another one up this week.

4. Barely There White Lily & Sweet Rose Blossom Bath Salts -100g

This bottle of bath salts came in a gorgeous, hat box gift set, that originally came for Wilko. Bath salts can be seen as a tiny bit old fashioned but these salts had a gorgeous smell. If you've ever smelled either the L'Occitane Shea Butter Body Lotion, or the Elemis Skin Nourishing Milk Bath than you'll know what this smelled like. It had a soft, delicate almost creamy baby powder type scent which I loved. Unfortunately I can't find any trace of this product or anything else in the range on the Wilko website but I still have quite a few of the products still to use up and I'm going to enjoy using all of them.

4 items in one month to be honest is disappointing but I have also finished a lot of Lush and Bomb Cosmetics products including some bubble bars, melts, and a few ballistics that I haven't included so it isn't all bad.

Bath products again dominate my list and it's just as well - After several cancellations we have yet another date for the bathroom refit so I'm really running out time to use up all of my bath products. I've made a serious dent in my bubble bath collection but I still have a few large bottles left, I'm thinking that I could use some of them as shower gels so hopefully nothing will go to waste. Instead I'm going to try and use up my remaining Lush items, I was actually doing okay and I only had a few bits left but I got a few bits for my birthday - I'm not complaining though nothing beats a Lush bath and I'm going to take full advantage while I still have my bath. If you have any questions or comments on anything I've finished or my Trimming My Stash posts then leave me your musings below xx

Sweet Showers With Yes To Blueberries And My Pure*

Way, way back when I first started reviewing products from My Pure, one of the first brands that I fell in love with, was Yes To. The brand uses a high percentage of natural ingredients, and the entire range is both paraben and cruelty free.

The Yes To brand is divided into several sub brands depending on the skin or hair, type or concern, and the key active, natural ingredient. I'd already tried products from the Yes To Carrots, Grapefruit, Cumbers, and Tomatoes lines but I hadn't tried anything from one of the newer ranges Yes To Blueberries, so for one of April's My Pure items I decided to take the plunge and pick something out.

I'm going to hold my hands up and say that the Yes To Blueberries facial skincare line probably isn't for me - it's specifically geared towards people with a drier skin, and people who are concerned with lines and ageing. I may be in my mid to late 30's but oiliness is still much more of a problem for me so I decided to try a body product instead.

The Yes To Blueberries Dry Skin Ultra Hydrating Body Wash is paraben, SLS and petroleum free and contains a massive 95% natural ingredients. As you would expect from the name the key ingredient is the blueberry. Blueberries are a natural anti-oxidant that can help to support and that can help with skin renewal, add the other key ingredient of this product pure African Shea butter and you have a product that claims to moisturise and soften the skin.

First up the packaging none of your delicate little bottles here, all of the Yes To body washes and hair products, came in huge chunky 500ml bottles, so the bottles are easy to handle and you're getting a lot of product for your money.

I've tried most of the other body washes from Yes To and this one has the most distinctive texture by far. Whilst the majority of the others resemble a clear shower gel, this one has a milky almost, creamy appearance and much thicker texture- this is very much a shower cream as opposed to a gel.

I've read a couple of reviews where people have said that this didn't foam too well but that definitely wasn't my experience. A small amount of product onto a shower puff produced a lovely, creamy soft feel lather and it also passed my bath test - If you have dry skin and you want a creamy, bubble bath without SLS then I would definitely give this ago.

Because of my illness and medication my body skin can be prone to both itchiness and dryness but after using this product I didn't even feel as though I needed to use a body lotion. My arms especially felt smooth and supple and were left delicately scented.

Ah, the smell I haven't mentioned that up to now but it's definitely something that I need to talk about. Buy a blueberry scented product from the chemist or the supermarket and you normally get something with a sickly, sweet, berry aroma. I have to say I'm all for that and I really like it but more often than not, it will be a synthetic, created fragrance that's never even seen a blueberry in it's life.
In reality blueberries just don't really smell like that, they actually don't have a lot of fragrance. This product has a very distinctive scent, it is a bit fruity and maybe a bit citrussy but it's quite herbal and a has an  almost lavender aroma. It's actually really nice but it just wasn't what I was expecting given the name but what your getting is a 95%  natural product with real natural ingredients and scents.

I've thought about it and thought about it and I actually can't say anything negative about this product. Both me and Mummy Lou, who tested it with me loved both the feel and the result, and the all be it unexpected scent. My first love will always be the now discontinued Yes To Tomatoes Purifying Shower Gel but this is definitely a very close second and a product that I will thoroughly enjoy using over the weeks and months to come. The Yes To Blueberries Dry Skin Ultra Hydrating Body Wash retails at £7.99 for a 500ml bottle from My Pure. Thanks for reading and if you would like to read some more of my Yes To reviews then either have a look in the search bar or click on the Beauty Product Directory tab above xx

(*Sample)

Sweet Blackberry Memories Courtesy Of Treacle Moon

Although it isn't really the season for blackberries I love them, in fact I love all berries (bar cherries!) but there really is a special place in my heart devoted to the humble blackberry

I know you can get cultivated ones all year round now but I have so many good memories of going out either with my parents, or with my friends and their parents, with a bowl ,or an old ice cream tub and picking them fresh from the hedgerows every autumn.

It's funny how scents can transport you to a different place and time, and the smell of Treacle Moon Sweet Blackberry Memories Bath And Shower Gel took me right back to those crisp autumn days of my childhood.

I'm a huge fan of those sweet berry scents but this is really quite different. You can smell the fruit but at the same time you can almost smell the tartness and sourness  of the berries combined with a warm, almost spicy cinnamon scent - This product is basically blackberry and apple crumble in a bottle!

I've been using this product in both the bath and the shower but again this product comes into its own when you use it in the shower - the aroma is intensified and you get lots and lots of bubbles from just a small amount of product. Although it does contain Sodium Laureth Sulfate, it is paraben free and it isn't tested on animals.

I absolutely adore the Treacle Moon range and although this isn't the sweet burst of berries that I imagined it would be I still love it from evoking such happy memories from my childhood. Treacle Moon Sweet Blackberry Memories Bath And Shower Gel retails at just £2.99 for a 500ml bottle from Tesco. It does say on the bottle that it's a limited edition so if you want it I'd move fast just in case x Next on my list to try is Honeycomb Secret but I also the Apple Pie, Lemonade Days and Raspberry Kiss, decisions, decisions x 

Trimming My Stash - March 2015 Empties And Mini Reviews

Hey everyone x I hope you've all had a good, Good Friday x I've had a really busy and tiring day prepping blog posts, and baking some yummy things which should be on the blog on the next 7 days - very exciting but in the meantime it's time for my March empties post.

Benefit They're Real Mascara - 4g
Cowshed Knackered Cow Relaxing Bath And Shower Gel -100ml
Elemis Quiet Mind Relaxing Bath Elixir - 300ml
Jelly Belly Cotton Candy Bath Soak - 30g
Total - 4 Items 

Well it wasn't a great month was it? I only managed 4 items mehhh so many things just seem never ending at the moment, but I did manage to finish a few bath things so there are a couple of positives.

1. Benefit They're Real Mascara - 4g

Some days I hate this mascara, some days I love it x Hmm this is just a mini one so I'm going to review the full sized They're Real which I also own and make my mind up once and for all

2. Cowshed Knackered Cow Relaxing Bath And Shower Gel - 100ml

I think this mini bottle with a magazine freebie and I'm kind of glad it was, in ideal world it was something that I should have liked but I just didn't. I love lavender and eucalyptus but the smell of this was just so weak and insipid that you could barely make out the essential oils. This was one of my first Cowshed products and I hate the fact that I was so disappointed. This brand gets a lot of hype so if any of you have any recommendations I'd love to hear them.

3. Elemis Quiet Mind Relaxing Bath Elixir - 300ml

A beautiful, beautiful bath product and something that I'm sorry to have finished. Unfortunately I think this product has been discontinued as I had trouble finding it but it had an amazing scent  - a combination of patchouli, ho wood and eucalyptus. Not the most traditional aromas when it came to relaxation but this definitely did the job and scented the house out at the same time. If you are interested there are a few bottles available on Amazon but they aren't cheap, and you can also get a small sized bottle in a few kits from Feel Unique and Debenhams x

4. Jelly Belly Cotton Candy Bath Soak - 30g

I have no idea where this was from or how old it is but what it was, was a tin of foaming bath powder with a sweet, candy bubble gum scent. It wasn't bad and it turned the water a fabulous pink colour. I probably wouldn't repurchase it though even if I wasn't losing my bath tub.

So they were my March empties x I'm feeling a bit more positive about April's empties and I hoping to finish a few skincare products as well as continuing operation bath tub x Are you a blogger or You Tuber that posts about your empties? If you are then I'd love to hear from you so please leave me your links below x

Easter Indulgence Without The Calories Courtesy Of Treacle Moon

My name is Louise and I have a confession to make, well it's not really a confession, it's more a well known fact - I am a chocoholic! There are two foods that I couldn't live without - chocolate and cheese. and over the long Easter weekend I aim to ignore my calorie intake and eat plenty of both.

I have no willpower but if you know someone that does, or someone that can't eat chocolate or doesn't celebrate Easter then there are a few calorie free options for those Easter and spring time gifts.

The most obvious one is a bunch of flowers, I love flowers and we currently have two vases crammed full, but like chocolate eggs they can be expensive and they don't last more than a few days. Nothing lasts forever but if you want an affordable and guilt free, gift option then it might be worth having a look at the Treacle Moon range at Tesco.

I'm a huge fan of this range of food and fruit scented bath and body products and some of their spring additions are perfect for the person that likes something a little bit sweet but without the guilt.

The new additions include bath and shower gels in Sugared Almond Tart, Marshmallow Hearts and Honeycomb Secret, and a matching Honeycomb Body Butter. The Sugared Almond Tart has a big marzipan scent so it's not for me.I personally found Marshmallow a little bit sweet, but I can definitely see myself picking up Honeycomb Secret, which has a gorgeous Crunchie, cinder toffee scent to either use on it's or to mix with one of their other new additions - Dusted Cocoa.

These new additions aren't available in my nearest little Tesco, but on a recent trip to a Tesco Express I managed to have a proper look and a sneaky sniff.  Treacle Moon Dusted Cocoa Heaven Bath and Shower Gel was by far my favourite, so it went in my trolley.

The thick formula works equally as a bath foam or as a shower gel, but if you use it as a shower gel you get the full on chocolate scent. To me this doesn't smell like say a bar of chocolate, instead I think it smells more like chocolate cake or brownie mix, or even a rich, chocolate butter cream

I guess the only problem with this is that it makes me want to bake, and therefore eat chocolate cake - not great if you're watching your weight but I guess it could work as a substitute for some, strong willed people :)

The best thing about this product is the price and size of the bottle. The majority of shower gels in the Treacle Moon line retail at just £2.99 each and come in 500ml bottles. A small amount of gel goes a long way making this product great value for money.

If none of these fragrances are for you, you can also get various fragrances including Raspberry, Blackberry, Apple Pie, Coconut, and Vanilla. Sweet Blackberry Memories and Honeycomb Secret are next on my list to try but if you've tried any of Treacle Moon products I'd love to know what you think x 

Oh and if you're lacking in willpower like me or if you like chocolate as much as I do ,then you might want to check back on Saturday for an Easter recipe to make your mouth water xx Thanks for reading and don't forget to follow xx

Trimming My Stash February 2015 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

I'm late again but it's February empties time x It wasn't a vintage performance by any means but I still managed to finish two more products than I did in January

Old Wives Tail Jojoba And Clove Organic Oil Hair Treatment - 100ml
Steam Cream - Jane - 75g
Skin Blossom Therapeutic Bath Soak - 300ml
Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes - 25 Wipes
Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift And Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm - 100ml
I Love...Cranberry Celebration Nourishing Body Butter - 50ml
Total - 6 Items

Again it was a nice variety of items, with some skin care, some body care and some hair care. I didn't manage to finish any make up in February but I'm just about done with two items so hopefully I'll finish them this month.

1. Old Wives Tail Jojoba And Clove Organic Oil Hair Treatment - 100ml*

This was something that I was sent for review and it was something that I loved but something Mummy Lou nearly worshipped. The smell was amazing and it left my hair feeling like silk. You can read a full review of this fabulous stuff here.

2. Steam Cream - Jane - 75g

This is the second pot of Steam Cream that I've had a whilst I like it I'm still a bit on the fence and I just don't get the hype. The beautiful tins for me are the major selling point and probably the reason why this product has such a cult following. The cream has a nice texture and nice lavender aroma but it just doesn't wow me - I didn't particularly like it on my face so I've been using this as a body cream. I will be reusing the tin for storage but I can't see myself repurchasing another tin unless that is I find the elusive LouLou tin x

3. Skin Blossom Therapeutic Bath Soak - 300ml*

If you watched my January favourites video the you'll probably already know how much I loved this product. The lavender scent was soothing yet intoxicating and it was the perfect product to use before bedtime. You can read a full review of this product here x If I wasn't losing my bath next month then I would definitely repurchase this one.

4. Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Cleansing Wipes - 25 Wipes

I've lose count of how many packets of these I've used. Containing tea tree I predominantly use these wipes for swatch clean up and for freshening and emergency cleansing

5. Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift And Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm - 100ml

This is one of my favourite cleansers of all time x Packed full of moringa oil, and plant waxes and essential oils, Emma Hardie Moringa Balm smells fabulous and removes literally any type or brand of make up that you can think of. With a melting, balm texture I initially thought that this would be too oily for my skin, but the ingredients are both balancing and moisturising making it suitable for all skin types. It left my skin clean, smooth and radiant. If you have this and you have a stray spot or pimple, pop a little bit of the balm on and it will gradually take away the redness and inflammation. Love, love, love this stuff and although it's pricey I will definitely be repurchasing this once I've used up my cleanser stash.

6. I Love...Cranberry Celebration Nourishing Body Butter - 50ml

Another festive, limited edition product from the I Love line from the year before last. This had a thick creamy texture but it absorbed into the skin quite quickly leaving the skin soft and deliciously scented. The smell of this cream was the real selling point for me - it didn't smell like any of the other cranberry products that I've tried, instead it had a really mouthwatering fruity scent that reminded me a bit of rhubarb. I loved the smell and I'm disappointed that it was a limited edition. I'm now on the lookout for toiletries that smell of rhubarb, so if you know of any please let me know x

So they were my February items but what about March ? Well as I say I'm nearly done with a couple of make up items but for me March will about bath products. The bathroom renovation is getting closer and I still have a bagful of products still to use up. I guess most things can still be used in the shower so I'll be concentrating on things that are specifically for the bath like aromatherapy based products, bath salts, and of course bubble bars and ballistics - sod the water rates - I'll be enjoying my bath while I still have it ha ha. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions on any of the items that I finished please leave me a comment x

(*Samples)

January 2015 Favourites

I know it's nearly the end of February but I've just got round to uploading my January Favourites video. Slapped wrists I know, but I thought you might like to watch it x 

Product Mentioned 

Collection / Collection 2000 Colour Match Foundation - Ivory 1 

Make Up Revolution I♥MAKEUP  Naked Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette 

(You can read my review here x )

Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File

(My holy grail nail file ! You can read a full review and product rave here)

Elemis Pro Radiance Hand And Nail Cream

*Skin Blossom Therapeutic Bath Soak

(I've reviewed this product too - check my review out here x)

Prada Candy Florale Eau De Toilette 

I've already reviewed the majority of the products in this video for you but if you would like to see a review of either the hand cream or the the foundation then leave me a comment and let me know x 

No reviews of the Prada Candy Florale  though lol if you watch this video you'll know that describing fragrance isn't my strong point ha ha. Fragrance is such a personal thing and it so hard to describe a scent in the majority of cases unless you're an expert but I know I like it and that''s the main thing! 

I'm a bit of a fragrance junkie though so I'm thinking of doing an updated perfume collection video x Don''t worry though I will do my research this time round haha x Let me know if that is something that you would like to watch and of course don't forget to subscribe to my You Tube channel for more inane ramblings x 

Thanks for reading and watching and I'll see you tomorrow with a review xx

(*Sample) 

Trimming My Stash - January 2015 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

It's hard to believe that we're already one month into 2015. It honestly doesn't seem two minutes since it was Christmas but here we are at the beginning of February, and hopefully one step closer to spring.

As much as I love the freshness of the air at the moment all I really to do at the moment is eat, sleep, have bubble baths and hibernate, and that's something that I think is reflected in my first Trimming My Stash post of 2015.

Tesco Pro Formula Radiance Toner - 200ml
Avon Spiced Cranberry And Orange Bubble Bath - 1000ml
The Body Shop Rich Plum Shimmering Bath Bubbles - 400ml
Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel - 125ml
Total - 4 Items

Okay 4 items isn't a particularly impressive start but it does pretty much represent my January. First up skincare - a new broom sweeps clean as they say and at the moment I'm trying to use up some those half finished bits before I start testing some new and exciting things, I only managed two skincare items in January but I'm sure I'll manage a few more in February. The only other items that I managed to finish were bubble baths. I love, love, love my bath but the cogs are turning and the re-development of our bathroom edges ever closer, and thankfully my bath product mountain is starting to look more like a large hill - fingers crosses I'll manage another bottle or so this month.So what did I think of the products that I finished...

1. Tesco Pro Formula Radiance Toner - 200ml 

Nice toner, good price - you can read a full review here x

2. Avon Spiced Cranberry And Orange Bubble Bath - 1000ml

I've been using this bottle on and off since Christmas 2013! These litre sizes from Avon seem to go on forever and this one was no exception. This had a slightly zesty, slightly citrus aroma and produced lots and lots of bubbles. This product is no longer available but it did appear in November and December of this year in a smaller Snowman shaped bottle. If you want a lot of bubbles at a decent price I can't recommend these bubble baths highly enough. I have a few different fragrances to finish and if I wasn't losing my bath I'd definitely be trying out the new Pomegranate And Peony variety.

3. The Body Shop Rich Plum Shimmering Bath Bubbles - 400ml

This is one of my favourite ever festive fragrances from The Body Shop. Not only did I buy numerous back ups at the time, but I also scoured ebay, and outlet stores to stock up on one of my favourite scents. I have a couple of shower gels left, one more bubble bath and a body butter and then it's gone :( It was warm and fruity and mouthwatering - please The Body Shop bring it back.

4. Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel - 125ml

My final empty for January is another discontinued product - Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel, I actually really liked this orange scented cleanser and I'm pretty sad that it's been discontinued. You can read a full review of it here x

I'm really hoping that I can do a bit better in February. My aim is to finish some more skincare, some more bath products and maybe a bit of make up. Are you doing something similar in 2015? Let me know if you are x

Festive Fun With The Body Shop, A Discount Shopping Opportunity And Some Mini Reviews*

If you're a regular reader of my monthly empties posts then you'll already know that I'm a tiny bit obsessed with The Body Shop. I've been shopping there since my early teens or is it tweens that they say now? From White Musk fragrance, to Japanese Washing Grains, Kiwi Fruit Lip Balm and Dewberry everything, some of my earliest beauty memories are associated with The Body Shop. 

Although most of my old favourites are long gone, lots of new ones have taken their place, I'm a huge fan of the Tea Tree skincare line, and you'll always find at least one of their Cocoa Butter products in my bathroom cabinet. As I've mentioned on numerous occasions though, my real love is reserved for their limited edition Christmas scents, from Sparkling Ginger, to Rich Plum, Cranberry, and Vanilla Spice, I've probably tried it, loved it and then bemoaned it's demise.

Last Friday along with lots of other North East bloggers I was invited along to an evening of festive fun at The Body Shops, Eldon Square branch, right in the heart of Newcastle city centre. Normally I wouldn't have considered going shopping on Black Friday but I braved the crowds and the nightmare that was public transport and headed into town.

The store was still open to the public and given the day and the time of year it was busy, but the staff welcomed us with open arms and couldn't do enough for us. After welcoming us with soft drinks and mulled wine we were given the chance to explore the store and a chance to try out some of the new festive items. Members of staff were on hand to answer any questions that we had, and we also were given the opportunity to have a mini makeover (this is the lovely Becca having here make up done), or a hand massage.

As per usual The Body Shop have got it spot on when it comes to Christmas. Although I wouldn't say no to any of their products in my stocking, they have a fab range of gift sets and gift items ranging from just £4.

The highlights as per usual are their Christmas specific fragrances. Available in both gift sets and as individual items, this years fragrances are Glazed Apple, a sweet, apple fragrance, not dissimilar to Apple Sourz, Frosted Cranberry, a sweet yet slightly tart fruity fragrance and finally the one that's stolen my heart this year, Vanilla Brulee.

I'm a huge, huge fan of Costa's White Hot Chocolate and to me that it the smell of Vanilla Brulee. It's sweet and creamy, with just a hint of burnt sugar. It not as spicy as some of their previous vanilla festive lines, but it was love at first sniff.

I was one of the bloggers that was lucky enough to have a hand massage, and the festive scent that I chose was of course Vanilla Brulee. The assistant did the one hand challenge. My hand was soaked in the Bath Jelly, then massaged with the Body Polish, before being gently dried, and then massaged with the Hand Cream. Finally my hand massage was finished off with a squirt of the Vanilla Brulee Eau De Toilette. My hand literally felt like heaven and I just couldn't stop sniffing it!

It's no surprise then that I bought a couple of Vanilla Brulee items. Given the mountain of bath products that I have to use up and the increasingly tight timescale I couldn't justify the Bath Jelly so instead I went for the Vanilla Brulee Shower Gel which retails at £4 for 250ml

To accompany it I went for the body butter, I'm the hugest fan of The Body Shop Body Butters, and this one is no exception, crammed full of vanilla extract and cocoa butter it smells like something you want to dig a spoon into. Their body butters aren't the cheapest but they really do last. You can get a mini size gift set but the Vanilla Brulee Body Butter in this 200ml size retails at £13.

I have to say I was really good and only made one other purchase. You might have seen him earlier but I just couldn't resist.

I loved last years Gingerbread Man and I couldn't resist this Bob The Polar Bear Bath Sponge. He's just £4 and the Perry The Penguin variant is £5. Either of them would make a lovely stocking filler or even as  an extra large tree decoration.

As well as the things that I bought, the lovely people from The Body Shop also kindly gave us a bag of goodies, including some very festive shortbread and candy canes,

and a little wrapped Christmas pressie. I know some people have opened their parcels but I'm going to try and be good and keep mine for the big day :)

We also received a lovely cellophane package containing four products from some of their newest, and some of their most popular lines. I've had a little play with some of them so I thought I'd let you know my thoughts so far.

Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream -  30ml - £5.00

If you ask me The Body Shop Hand Creams are ridiculously underrated, in fact my mum actually prefers their rose scented one over a certain French brands equivalent

Absinthe has an almost cream, gel texture, that sinks into the hands incredibly quickly  and leaves them smooth and soft. It has quite a strong, herbal scent and whilst it could be too much for some people, I actually quite like it. It does linger on the skin, and even after chopping onions and garlic, I could smell it and not the food odours. So far so good this cream does indeed leave your hands soft, and clean.

Vitamin E Cream Cleanser - 200ml - £8.50

I'm going to hold my hands up and say that this is the only product that I haven't had the chance to try. Both me and Mummy Lou have used products in the Vitamin E line in the past though and we've both been pretty impressed.

One of their oldest skincare lines and suitable for all skin types most products in the range are characterised by that light floral, almost rose scent. This cleanser feels creamy, yet non greasy on the skin and it'd definitely something that I will be trying out soon.

Vanilla Lip Gloss - 12ml -£7.00

Although I'd fell out with lip gloss over the last few months I seem to be using it more now the colder weather is here. As the name suggests this one has a lovely vanilla flavour and scent.

It's quite sheer but it's crammed full of sparkle making it ideal for the festive season. It would look fabulous on it own for a more subtle look but personally I'll be wearing it over colours for a full on dramatic, sparkly look.

Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt - 300ml - £8.00

My name is Louise and I hate honey with a passion. The word honey had put me off this range before I'd even seen it in the flesh, I'm going to hold my hands up though,I was wrong and in this case I've saved the best till last.

To me Honeymania doesn't really smell of honey, instead it has a sweet, rich floral fragrance. Swirl a bit of this sticky gel into a warm running bath, and you get a bath full of bubbles with an intoxicating scent that literally filled my house. It  only goes to show that you shouldn't judge anything on it's name alone. I'll definitely be taking another look at the Honeymania range next time I'n in store.

As you can see this goodie package really does have a little bit of something for everyone and it could very easily be divided up into 3 or 4 gifts. These four items are of course available individually but if your a fellow North East beauty lover then keep on reading!

On this Thursday and Friday (the 4th and 5th December), the Eldon Square, Newcastle branch is holding a Love Your Body members event. I'm a huge fan of the scheme, you pay £5 to join, which entitles you to 10% off your purchases as well as special discounts on event days and free gifts. Shop in the Eldon Square store this Thursday or Friday and whether you're a new or an existing member you will be able to get 40% off everything and if your total spend is more than £30 after you discount is applied then you will get a free gift worth over £28. Whats in the free gift? Well it's the four products that I've just talked about. Not only that if you mention me, aka Louise, LouLouLand or LouLou699 then you will also get an extra mini goodie bag, and extra special service.

Unfortunately (sob) I'm not going to be able to make it into town this week but last weeks event has ignited my love of The Body Shop to new heights, and I'm definitely going to be stocking up on some more festive goodies before they disappear for good. Are you a fan of The Body Shops festive ranges? Leave me a comment and let me know x 

(*This Post Contains Goodie Bag Contents And Products Purchased With A Discount)