Trimming My Stash - October 2019 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews*

Right, only two catch up posts to go and then we can finally say goodbye to October x First up October's beauty empties

Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm - 105g
Kueshi Double Effect Make Up Remover - 100ml
Woo Woo Cranberry Wipes pH Balance For Intimate Use - 12 Wipes
Natura Potato & Parsley Infused Under Eye Mask - 1 x 3g Pair
The Body Shop Vanilla Pumpkin Shower Gel - 250ml

Total - 5 Items 

To be fair after the highs of finishing 11 items in September (read my post here), October was nearly always going to be a disappointing month, but I've got to say that I'm actually not that disappointed. 5 items is still a pretty respectable total, and even if you ignore a few recent buys,  I still have 5 less skincare, and body care items to use up, so I guess it still counts as a win.

1. Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm - 105g

First up one of my favourite cleansers of all time, from one of my favourite British brands of all time. I am a huge fan of British brand Elemis, and this award winning product is without a doubt one of the best products that they, and believe me they make a lot of fabulous things so that's a pretty high accolade.

This semi solid balm contains a whole load of good for your skin ingredients including mimosa, and rose waxes, starflower oil, elderberry, coconut oil, Shea butter, sweet almond oil, vitamin E, as well as the key ingredient in Elemis Pro Collagen range, Padina Pavonica which is a type of seaweed. It also contains some gorgeous botanicals including orange, clove, eucalyptus, lavandin, mint, and chamomile, which give it a beautiful, if slightly strong, spa like, aromatherapy based scent. 

Massage a tiny bit into dry skin, and the balm melts down into a oil, add a touch of water, and it turns into a milky cream, remove your make up with a warm muslin cloth, or flannel, rinse and dry and your skin is left feeling clean, soft and hydrated.

If you have an oily or combination skin like I do, don't worry this will still work for you, it doesn't leave my skin feeling oily or greasy, in fact it almost seems to help balance the oil production, and help with dry patches. I only use it at night, as I prefer something a bit lighter in the morning, and with the texture, ritual and scent, I think it makes a lovely pre bedtime treat.

As I say the scent can sometimes be a little bit strong for me and I because of the aromatherapy oils I don't use it on my eyes, but other than that it's a fabulous product that I will continue to use, and I already have a pot or two in back up.

This particular size retails at around £44 direct from Elemis, but it's also available on it's own and in sets from various other retailers including Look Fantastic. Feel Unique, Debenhams, John Lewis, and from where I get most of my Elemis products from, QVC UK.

2. Kueshi Double Effect Make Up Remover - 100ml

This was the first of three items, that I received in subscription boxes. It was so long ago now that I can't really remember but I think that this came in a Glossybox.

I can't find too much online about them but I believe that Kueshi are / were a Spanish brand. Containing Aloe Vera and Chamomile this was a dual phase eye make remover comprising of a blue, and a clear liquid. The blue liquid was a gentle, refreshing lotion, and the clear liquid contained oils that were designed to remove even the toughest eye make up. All you do is give the bottle a good shake to combine the two phases, then as usual you apply it to a cotton pad.

I have quite sensitive dry, but watery eyes, and I'm wary about trying new eye make up removers but this actually wasn't bad. It removed everything that I threw at it from notoriously hard to remove mascara and water resistant liner, with no irritation and no rubbing. My one issue was that despite non greasy claim I did find that it left a slightly oily residue on the eyes, that you had to rinse away, other than though it was decent and it did the job.

I can't find this particular product on any UK based websites, and I can only find it on a few European sites such as ekosmetik all be it in a slightly larger size, and slightly different packaging for around €15.99.

3. Woo Woo Cranberry Wipes pH Balance For Intimate Use - 12 Wipes

Next up another subscription box item, and something that I received the July 2019 edition of Pink Parcel. You can read my initial thoughts here, but basically what they were, were intimate wipes, containing Aloe Vera, and cranberry extract. With a lovely fresh, fruity scent they weren't the thickest wipes that I've ever used but I don't particularly mind that because they are biodegradable and flushable.

As I've said before I can take or leave specific intimate products, I wouldn't buy these all the time but these wipes are good for that time of the month, or for when you're on holiday or on the go, and you went to freshen up a bit. This pack of 12 retails at around £2.25 from Superdrug

4. Natura Potato & Parsley Infused Under Eye Mask - 1 x 3g Pair

We've reached product number 4, and that was another product that I received in a Pink Parcel. This cooling mask came in the September 2019 edition of Pink Parcel, and you can read my full review here. They did what they promised and cooled and soothed the eye area, my skin felt refreshed, and looked less puffy, and felt more hydrated, and moisturised. A pack of 3 pairs retails at around £5.95 direct from Beauty Pro and from various retailers including Feel Unique.

5. The Body Shop Vanilla Pumpkin Shower Gel - 250ml

Finally an autumnal limited edition from The Body Shop's Vanilla Pumpkin range. Containing Madagascan vanilla extract and pumpkin fragrance, this is a rich and creamy shower gel, that I would personally describe as a shower cream. You only need a tiny amount to produce loads and loads of soft creamy, moisturising bubbles. It leaves my skin feeling soft with a light warm, sweet, vanilla based scent that smells good enough to eat.

I absolutely love this scent and I was fully intending to stock up on it this year but by the time I made it into The Body Shop, a couple of weeks ago, they only had the new festive scents and Vanilla Pumpkin was long gone. A sensible person would have left the shop but old habits die hard, and I ended up picking up a few Juicy Pear products instead, which after such high hopes is the only Christmas limited edition that I actually like this year ho hum! Anyways I have a scraping of Vanilla Pumpkin Body Butter left, and about 2/3 bottle of shower gel remaining which I'm going to really enjoy using, before moving onto some of the older festive limited editions from The Body Shop that I still have in my stash.

So they were my 5 items, despite a couple of beauty buys this month so far, I've already finished a couple of items already in November, so here's hoping that I can punish on over the next two months and finish 2019 Trimming My Stash on a high! Any questions as per usual, leave me a comment and let me know xx 

*This Post Contains Both 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 - February 2018 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

"March Comes In Like A Lion, And Goes Out Like A Lamb"

I must admit I love old saying and proverbs like this and if the last few days are anything to go by then hopefully things can only get better weather wise, from here on it. With Storm Emma and the Beast From The East the last few days in the UK have pretty much blurred into one, thanks to a windy and snowy viewpoint - I mean isn't it supposed to be Spring by now? Never mind we've officially said goodbye to February and since it was another pretty useless month for me I'm more then happy to turn over the page of the calendar and hopefully move on to brighter weather and better things.

Before that we need to take a quick look back into the depths of February and have a little peek at my February beauty empties.

Gatineau Floracil Gentle Eye Make Up Remover - 400ml
The Body Shop Frosted Cranberry Body Butter - 200ml
The Body Shop Spiced Apple Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 300g
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - Coconut Breeze - 40ml
Prada Candy Florale Eau De Toilette -50ml
Erno Laszlo Firm And Lift Firmarine Hydrogel Mask - 1 x Mask - 25g

Total - 6 Items 

Considering February is the shortest month of the year, I have to say that I am pretty pleased with myself for finishing 6 whole, beauty products. It goes without saying that I would liked to have finished a few more but since I managed to finish a nice combination of body, hair, and skin products I'm going to give myself a pat on the back. No make up again, unfortunately, so that's something that I need to work on, but I did manage to finish a bottle of perfume, for the first time in goodness knows how long, so I'm counting February as a win, at least when it comes to Trimming My Stash, anyways.

1. Gatineau Floracil Gentle Eye Make Up Remover - 400ml

Whilst I don't consider myself a typical Gatineau customer, (anti-ageing isn't my biggest skin concern) - I am slightly in love with two of their products, their tan accelerator and this eye make up remover. It isn't the most budget friendly product on the market but it works, it takes every scrap of eye make up off, it smells nice and it doesn't sting or irritate my increasingly sensitive eyes. I would buy this product again and again but and here is the big but, this particular formulation has been discontinued!

It always, always worries me when this happens, especially with eye make up remover, in fact I'm still bitter about the whole Boots Botanics revamp! but fingers crossed that one of the two new eye make up removers that Gatineau have introduced will work as well as this one did for me. It's a pricey gamble admittedly but thanks to a recent QVC UK TILI Box (you can watch my unboxing here) I do have a bottle of the new Floracil Plus Gentle Eye Make Up Remover to try so here's hoping that it does the business. My old, old fall back is Lancome Bi-Facil but I always on the look out for a more budget friendly option so if you can recommend an eye make up remover for sensitive eyes then let me know x

2. The Body Shop Frosted Cranberry Body Butter - 200ml

Like most bloggers I'm probably guilty of using the phrase "love" and "holy grail" way too often, but in this case it's justified. The Body Shop Body Butters really are one of my holy grail products for when my skin is at it's driest, I swear by them for saving sun ravaged skin in the summer and it goes without saying that a must have in the winter months.

I've bought so many over the years that I've lost count of all of the scents and the formulations that I've tried but I particularly love their festive and Christmas scents. Alas this one has been AWOL for the last few years now but it's one of my all time favourites. It's sweet, and fruity and at the same time slightly tart, and despite being a "festive" fragrance, I'm a fruity fan and it's definitely something that I would use all year round. I'm really hoping that The Body Shop will bring this fragrance back at some point but in the meantime I'm really enjoy their Frosted Berries scent.

3. The Body Shop Spiced Apple Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 300g

Another festive product from The Body Shop, and another product that I'm going to use the word LOVE about! Again this scent wasn't brought back for Christmas 2017, but as always if I love a scent enough I'll stock up! I've loved both of festive apple scents that The Body Shop have released over the past few years but this one in particular just screams Christmas and baking! Spiced Apple reminds me of hot spiced apple juice (Costa Coffee Anyone?), apple pie and cinnamon rolls. It has a sweet yet tart apple scent, combined with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and all of the spices that you would associate with Christmas. I love the scent and I love sugar based body scrubs so this one was always going to be a winner. It was nice and gritty, but it contained enough scented oils, to leave the skin both exfoliated, and moisturised, and did I mention that it smelled amazing? A winner and I'm sorry to see this one go.

4. Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - Coconut Breeze - 40ml

I've talked about this product a few times already both on the blog and on my You Tube channel, and I'm sorry but it's another product love in! I feel as though I need to keep talking about because it really has made such a difference to my hair, and it is without a doubt one of the best hair products that I've used. I know some people don't get the hype around this product but if your hair is crap, damaged, and dry then please try this product! Originally invented for the icon that is Audrey Hepburn, this pre-wash conditioner has made my hair feel like hair again, it's not only softer, and smoother, but it feels stronger and more resilient.

This is one of the limited edition scented versions and it's a product that I received in the Third Edition of the QVC UK TILI Box (see my unboxing here). Coconut Breeze is the perfect summer scent, I'm not always the biggest fan of coconut based scents but this wasn't just pure coconut, it was a warm summery mix of coconut, almond, vanilla and jasmine. You can still get your hands on this version in the larger size, but if this one isn't to your taste you can still get the original fragrance free Elasticizer, and both the Geranium and Neroli, and the Elderflower and Rhubarb fragranced varieties. Which ever scent you choose just try it! I honestly can't recommend this stuff highly enough x


5. Prada Candy Florale Eau De Toilette -50ml

It's that word again love, well after all February was the month of love so it makes sense I guess that I finished so many products that I really do love. I love perfume anyway and even if I'm having a drab t-shirt and leggings day, like today, then I'll still apply a few squirts of fragrance. I love to smell clean and fragrant, what can I say that's my thing and this is one of my favourite fragrances.

I have a lot of fragrances in my collection but this is one that I just keep coming back to, the original Prada Candy was just way too sweet for me, I like sweetness in a fragrance but I don't like anything too sickly, and Prada Candy Florale has a gorgeous floral note that just knocks the edge off the sweetness of the original.

I'm useless at describing scents but according to all of the descriptions ;) Candy Florale features top notes of limoncello, with the floral scent of peonies at its heart before damping down to a sweeter, warmer base of caramel, benzoin and musk.

Whatever, lol all I know is that I like it a lot! Thankfully I have another bottle and a roller ball in back up but it's a fragrance that I will continue to purchase and ask for.

6. Erno Laszlo Firm And Lift Firmarine Hydrogel Mask - 1 x Mask - 25g

Finally, another skincare product and this was another product that I acquired via the QVC UK TILI Box (Have a watch of my unboxing here), and this is another product with an Audrey Hepburn connection. Dr Erno Laszlo was a dermatologist and skincare specialist who could count both Ms Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe amongst his clients. Although he passed away in 1973 his high end skincare line and his philosophy still carries on to this day.

After recently trying and loving a hydrogel mask from another brand I couldn't resist giving this one a go after I rediscovered it whilst tidying out my skin care drawer and it was another winner. Basically hydrogel masks are like a pumped up sheet mask. In this case you got a two piece face fabric / paper type sheet mask which is covered with a thick gel like layer, which in this case is infused with essential oils and botanicals including argan oil, and grapefruit extract. Simply pop it onto your face and sit back and relax and let it do it's thing.

This mask is designed to help firm, tone and improve the appearance of fine line, and the elasticity of the skin, and for me it certainly did that. Where are the previous hydrogel mask that I used was all about moisture, this one definitely left my skin feeling cool and soothed but at the same time, tighter and more toned.

Masks like this are a real treat, they are easy to use, there is no mess and you can usually see a result of some sort in less than 30 minutes. I'm definitely going to look into trying some more hydrogel masks in the future, and whilst I did really like this one it is pretty price prohibitive at around £50 for four masks so I probably won't be repurchasing. If you want to treat yourself though you can find this Erno Laszlo at various retailers including lookfantastic, Sephora, Harvey Nichols, Beauty Expert and Harrods.

So they were my February empties x  If you have any questions on any of the products that I've mentioned or on anything else that troubles you then please leave me a comment below, and don't forget to leave me your eye make up remover recommendations x

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

Late again I'm afraid, I think you can guess from my previous post why I've been AWOL this week but  I can type again and I'm back with my November 2016 empties

Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Remover - 125ml
Benefit They're Real Mascara - Jet Black - 8.5g
Baylis & Harding Skin Spa Rose Ylang Ylang & Patchouli Body Smoothing Polish - 200ml
Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water - 50ml
AVON ANEW Clean Anti Ageing 3-In-1 Cleansing Water - 200ml
John Frieda Frizz-Ease Smooth Start Hydrating Conditioner - 250ml

Total - 6 Items 

Last month I managed to finish 6 items. It's not as many as I would have hoped but some of these items have been floating around my bathroom and my bedroom for a little while now and I managed to finish item, and a couple of skincare items so it's all good.

1. Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Remover - 125ml

From the very first moment that Boots started messing around with their Botanics Eye Make Up Remover. My quest for a new product to remove my eye make up started. I know I have a couple of old favourites from Gatineau and Lancome that I can fall back but I desperately wanted to find something a more purse friendly price point. I've bought a few so far without much success but seeing as a have really sensitive eyes I thought I'd try a product from a brand that specialises in sensitive skin. I actually really liked this product, a clear liquid, it removed even the most long wear make up without making my eyes burn, run or sting. It retails at around £3.45 for a 125ml bottle and I definitely liked it enough to consider a repurchase. The one drawback is that you did quite a bit of product so if you wear a lot of eye make up, it probably wouldn't last long.

2. Benefit They're Real Mascara - Jet Black - 8.5g

I'm going to be honest and say that I've been using another mascara so I'd actually forgotten about this one hence it was probably open for way longer than the 3 months shelf life - whoops. What can I say about this one? Some days I love it, some days it drives my round the bend, on a good day it gives that perfect false lash effect or bad days it turns into a clumpy mess. Funnily enough the longer I had the better it got. Despite my frustrations with it the good days do outnumber the bad and it's definitely a mascara that I would and already have bought again. You can read a full review here x 

3. Baylis & Harding Skin Spa Rose Ylang Ylang & Patchouli Body Smoothing Polish - 200ml*

This was a product that I was sent to review many many moons ago (2014!), it was a recent rediscovery and it still smelled and looked fine so I finished it off. You can read a full review here x Although I still prefer a more grainy,  sugar or salt scrub the real winner here was the scent. It had a pleasant oldie worldly rose scent with just a hint of the heady other ingredients. Unfortunately the Skin Spa range appears to have been discontinued but they still do a wide variety of fragrances especially at this time of year, including a new rose scent, and an amazing Blackberry and Apple scent that I'm obsessed with.

4. Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water - 50ml

5. AVON ANEW Clean Anti Ageing 3-In-1 Cleansing Water - 200ml

Next up not one but two micellar / cleansing waters. I think micellar waters are the new cleansing wipes but thankfully most of them are a lot kinder to the skin. You can either use them on their own or as I've been doing as part of a double cleanser. These are two products at opposite end of the price spectrum and I've really enjoyed using both of them. I will be reviewing both of them in the future so that's all you're getting for now x

6. John Frieda Frizz Ease Smooth Start Hydrating Conditioner - 250ml*

The final product that I'm going to share with you today is another one that's be lingering around in the bathroom since the year dot. This product was something that I received as part of a trio of press samples from the John Frieda Frizz Ease range. As one of the first haircare lines on the market for girls with frizzy and curly the entire Frizz Ease range is truly revolutionary. Although this particular product has now been discontinued, and the full line has been reformulated and repackaged I can't praise this hair care line enough. From coarse and unmanageable hair, to a silky smooth, easy to comb main, this range of product is an affordable must have if you have hair that doesn't behave. You can read my original review here x

So that was my November empties post x After another rough month I'm hoping to be a lot more productive on all fronts in December, so lets hope that I manage to finish the year with a bang and use up some more products, and that I manage to get my blogging hat back on x If you have any questions please leave me a comment and I'll get back, I'm a bit behind with blog comments, but I should be up to date within the next day or so, so please bear with me xx

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

Hey Guys x It's the first of the month and that means that it's empties time again. I've been a busy bee this month sorting out my entire toiletry stash, so I know exactly what I've got and what I need to use up. and what needs to go in the bin. I've moved everything that's been opened and half used into the bathroom and my aim is to use those up before I start on anything new. I really love trying new things but toiletry wise I'm looking forward to rediscovering some old favourites and of using some products up. Speaking of which lets see what beauty items I managed to finish in July.

Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes For Combination Skin - 25 Wipes
Nivea Daily Essentials Extra Gentle Eye Make Up Remover - 125ml
Easy Nails Fast & Fruity Acetone Free Nails Polish Remover - Peach Fragrance - 50ml
Balance Me Skin Brightening Exfoliating Body Polish - 220g
Fair Squared Vanilla Shower Gel - 10ml
Make Up Gallery Well Polished Cuticle Oil - 10ml
Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel - 100g
OPI Chip Skip Nail Lacquer Chip Preventor - 15ml
Total - 8 Items 

Although I didn't managed to surpass or equal June's total of 14 items, I still pretty pleased to have finished 8 things. Again I've finished a nice variety of products including some body care and some skin care items, and I also managed to finish a few things that have been lingering on for a while.

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

Nuff said really, hot, and sticky weather, and lots of swatches to clean means another packet of these bit the dust

2. Nivea Daily Essentials Extra Gentle Eye Make Up Remover - 125ml

It always seems that I'm on the lookout for something beauty wise, and at the moment I'm on the hunt for a good, budge eye make up remover. Gatineau is my brand of choice but it isn't cheap so I'm on the lookout for something a bit cheaper. Recently my local Superdrug had an offer on their Nivea skincare so I picked this eye make up remover and the Nivea Daily Essentials Eye Make Up Remover. I've only managed to use this one so far, and I have to be honest and say that I don't love it. Don't get me wrong this stuff removes even the most hard wearing mascara, and long wear eyeshadow but like a lot of removers it makes my eyes sting and water. I'm going to give the other bottle ago but based on this one I'm not expecting a lot and my search for the perfect eye make up remover goes on.

3. Easy Nails Fast & Fruity Acetone Free Nails Polish Remover - Peach Fragrance - 50ml

This was an emergency purchase many moons ago on the way to a blog event. Three of my nails chipped before I even got on the bus and I needed something quick and easy to take my nail polish off. I bought this pot from Bodycare and an emergency purchase was about all it was good for. If I remember rightly it struggled to take the polish off, the quality of the sponge inside was really poor and it the tub leaked everywhere. I've been using it to remove clear  nail strengthener which was about all it was good for thankfully now though it's dried out and I can bin it. The only plus point was the peach scent - needless to say I won't repurchase!


4. Balance Me Skin Brightening Exfoliating Body Polish - 220g

This was a My Pure review product from way back in 2014 and I loved it. I love a good body scrub and that's exactly what this one is. I love salt and sugar based scrubs and this one is salt based, it was nice and gritty with a moisturising oil and shea butter base, this scrub had a refreshing and revitalising spearmint based scent. It left my skin feeling silky smooth and alive. Fabulous stuff - you can read a full review here. I don't think My Pure sell this in this format now but they have do have do sell a product in a tube that sounds almost identical x


5. Fair Squared Vanilla Shower Gel - 10ml

This was a subtly scented, moisturising shower gel that  was kindly sent and I recently reviewed in one of my Sample Saturday posts x You can read my full review here x

6. Make Up Gallery Well Polished Cuticle Oil - 10ml

This is the second bottle of this Poundland oil that I've finished lately and it probably shows my current obsession with cuticle oil. It makes such a difference to the state of your nails and at the moment I'm applying it numerous times a day. My favourite oil of all time is OPI Avoplex but it's pricey, this was a pretty decent accompaniment to my OPI but my new love is Primark's PS Cuticle Oil. It's the same price as this one and I prefer it so I'll only be buying this one again in an emergency

7. Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel - 100g

What can say about this cult product from Lush that hasn't already been said! Snow Fairy is one of Lush's most popular products of all time. This pink sugary, sweet shower gel, which is packed full of fine glitter is a Christmas limited edition, So come December time me and my fellow Snow Fairy lovers try to stock on as much as we can for the year ahead. I've used it quite sparingly so far this year so I still have another small, and a medium size bottle to use up but come December, I'll definitely be buying more x

8. OPI Chip Skip Nail Lacquer Chip Preventor - 15ml

Ah Chip Skip, one of OPI's most misunderstood products and one of my personal favourites. I have heard so many people referring to this as base coat and then saying it's rubbish! Well that's because it isn't a base coat. If you can't get nail polish or strengtheners to stay on your nails then you need this. Chip Skip is a clear watery liquid that you paint onto your bare nails, it soaks into your nails, and then you apply your base coat and polish on top. What Chip Skip does is remove any of the grease and oils from your nail surface that can lead to your polish peeling and chipping. A lot of people recommend wiping your nails with either alcohol or nail polish remover instead but this product is much easier and less messy to use. I think it's makes a real difference and it's something that I will continue to use. A little goes a very long way and because it isn't a polish, it doesn't go thick or gloopy so you can use it till the very bottom of the bottle.

I'm pretty excited now I've completed my toiletry sort out, to get going, and to get some products used up. I've rediscovered a couple of half finished shower products that I'm going to start with and hopefully I'll manage to work my way through a few more products in August.

I know I mentioned Product 10 Pan in my last empties post, and although I'm not quite ready to start it, it is definitely going to happen next month. I've got a lot of beauty haul posts to go up and then hopefully I'll be able to start Project 10 Pan in September and get some of my make up used up. If you've posted an empties post on either your blog or on your You Tube channel then link me up so I can have a nose x

Madara Multi Action Micellar Water - A Review For My Pure*

Listen to any beauty guru or skincare specialist and they will tell you that there is no point spending money on moisturisers and serums if you aren't cleansing your face properly. I think by now we all know how to do it - warm water, a muslin cloth or a flannel, and a cleanser carefully selected for our skin type , but sometimes, be honest, it can be too much of a chore. I stick to it for about 90% of the time but sometimes, I either don't feel well enough or I'm just too tired to do it properly. In the past I would have just reached for a face wipe but nowadays I'm more likely to use a micellar water.

Ah the micellar water - the perfect invention for make up artists, people in a rush and dare I say it for lazy people like me. Whilst a micellar water can't and probably shouldn't be a replacement for a proper cleansing routine, there are some good ones out there and whether you use them as the first step in your routine, as an eye make up remover or just for emergencies, they can be a useful and versatile addition to your regime.

There are a lot of micellar waters on the market at all price points, and believe it or not for something so simple they can vary an awful lot. I've tried a few and some I've loved, some I've hated and others I've just felt a bit mehh about. I think I've found a one that I really love, but I'm always looking to try something new so for one of August's My Pure reviews I decided to try one from Latvian brand, Madara.

The Madara Multi Action Micellar Water with Hyaluronic Acid is designed to cleanse, balance and hydrate the skin. It's suitable for vegans, it's gluten and nut free and it isn't tested on animals and like the rest of the products in the Madara range it's also certified organic. Suitable for all skin types including the most sensitive. it contains moisturising aloe vera, skin quenching hyaluronic acid, witch hazel, and northern peony extract, which it known for it's calming properties.

It comes packaged in a hard, frosted plastic, 100ml bottle, with a flip top cap. The bottle is quite hard so you need to shake it a little bit to get the product flowing. 

Like most micellar waters it's a clear solution, that resembles water. It's probably a tiny bit denser than water and whilst it doesn't feel oily, it does feel more hydrating then say water on its own. The scent reminds of some of the Living Nature products that I've also tried from My Pure, it's subtle but there is definite herbal hint and you definitely pick up the witch hazel. I'm not fussed on the scent but really it's all about how it performs.

First up some before pictures - basically I'm wearing the same make up that you can see in yesterday's post plus some blush, lipstick, mascara and some cream eyeshadow x 

Before

 

and the afters x  All I've used is the micellar water on some large cotton wool pads and I've just gently wiped the solution over my face and my eyes.

After

and just to prove that was all I did, here are the cotton pads I used to prove it.

Well it certainly took everything off including my mascara and my long wear eyeshadow but how did it feel? Pretty good as it happens, it instantly melted my make up and it took virtually no effort to remove my eye make up, so no rubbing, no pulling and no tugging! Perhaps more importantly though there was no stinging, it literally felt as though I was removing my make up with water. My eyes are notorious for reacting to cleansers and eye make up removers but when I used this product there was no stinging, no burning and no watering. My eyes were fine and so was the rest of my face, my skin isn't that sensitive but it can be sensitised by product but again there was no redness, and no stinging or irritation. The pinkness that you can see in the after picture is just my normal skin colour, in fact I would even say that my skin felt  even better after I'd used this product, there was no dryness or tightness and my skin actually felt hydrated and though it had, been given a drink of water!

I'm so, so impressed with this product - okay I'm not too keen on the smell it did everything it promised and more. The only other drawback bar my personal opinion on the scent is the size of the bottle. It's only 100ml and if you used this product regularly as an eye make up remover or as main cleanser, it wouldn't last very long. That said if you're an occasional user or if you want an all in one product for holidays or for travel then this size would be fine but Madara if you're listening please make a bigger size! The Madara Multi Action Micellar Water with Hyaluronic Acid comes in a 100ml bottle and retails at £12 from My Pure. Have you tried a micellar water before? Let me know your favourites below xx 

*Sample

Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover - A Product Rave

If you've read my blog for some time you'll know that I love trying new products, foundations, mascaras, skincare, you name it I love trying it. Sometimes it doesn't matter which new brand you try though, you always keep returning back to "the one". I have to say I'm still looking for my holy grail in a lot of things but I've certainly found my holy grail eye make up remover.

For years and years I just used a normal facial cleanser or just bought the first thing I saw on the shelf, more often than not though it was an abject fail, it didn't take everything off or I was left with sore, stinging and streaming eyes. I found a couple of eye make up removers that worked for me the very spendy Gatineau Floracil and the nearly as spendy Lancome Bi-Facil. I really rate both of these eye make up removers but the only problem was that I went through them at the rate of knots, making them an expensive inclusion in my daily routine. I decided to see if I could find anything cheaper, and many lovely ladies on a forum I used to post on recommended Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover.

I have to say I was a bit iffy as to whether it would work considering the price but I gave it ago and I have to say I have never looked back or bought another eye make up remover since - I am well into double figure purchases and this has to be probably my most repurchased beauty product ever.

It comes in 150ml plastic bottle with a metal cap (no it doesn't rust liloo ;) and is a dual phase remover so you need to give it a good shake. It contains Iceland Moss Extract to moisturise and soothe the eye area. I have to say I have never once had any reaction or any stinging with this product obviously you may be different but I really love this product. I also leaves you eyes feeling super refreshed and not too oily which is essential for any specs or contacts wearer.

It looks a very pale almost translucent green when you put it on a cotton pad but the colour does sometimes alter due to the natural extract.

The best way to really show you how effective this is, is to do some before and afters :)

Before 
Foundation, eye base, a few colours from the Naked Palette, Urban Decay liner, and No7 mascara - just an average amount of eye make up really ;)

After
One very dirty cotton pad - I tend to use about 2 pads per eye, sometimes more sometimes less depending on what I'm wearing :)

Voila - these pics was taken straight after removal no redness or watering :)

Impressive eh! What's even more impressive about this product is the the price just £3.05 for 150ml, not only that but the Botanics products are often on 3 for 2, which I think they are at the moment, so I tend to stock up and save at the same time:) As I say everyone is different and what suits me might not suit you and vice versa but this is definitely a holy grail product for me. Any questions please ask x