Trimming My Stash - November And December 2021 Edition - Empties, Mini Reviews, And A 2021 Round Up*

Hey Guys,  It's been a little while since I've posted any of 'my own' content, so I want to apologise for taking yet another unexpected break but I haven't been too well. About a month ago now I developed a really nasty chest, and sinus infection, and ended up with a course of antibiotics, and a steroid nasal spray which thankfully did the trick or so I thought! To cut a long story short I'm ill again with exactly the same thing, my immune system just seems to have given up the ghost! Although I was offered a telephone appointment with a GP next week, I actually want to see my GP face to face so she can try sort out my ailing body out for once and for all, so I've got to wait a little bit longer for an appointment, so fingers crossed I can hang on till then! In the meantime though for the sake of my own mental health I'm trying to avoid the horror and inhumanity that is the news, and I'm keeping hydrated and throwing myself into a bit of craft and some blogging x  

Before I get into today's post though it's time for cake and I want to say a very belated thank you to all of you. On the 12th February my blog celebrated it's 15th birthday - I can hardly believe that I've been sharing my life and my thoughts you for over 15 years now. It's crazy when you think about but as I slowly edge towards 2 million all time page views, I can honestly say that I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you guys. So I want to say a huge, huge thank you to everyone of you for reading, commenting, sharing, and supporting my blog through thick and thin x 

So to celebrate my blogging birthday, all be it a few days late, I've got an epic empties post for you, and today I'm sharing both my November and December 2021 empties, as my final totals for Trimming My Stash 2021.

AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Shampoo - 250ml
Bubble T Peach Hand Cream - 60ml
Nair Wax Strips - Face - 12 Wax Strips
Alpha-H Gentle Daily Exfoliant - 50g
Rodial Dragon's Blood Eye Masks - 1 x Pair - 5g
AVON ANEW Radiance Maximising Tonic - Vitamin C & Glycolic Acid - 200ml
The Body Shop Hand Cream Vanilla Pumpkin - 30ml

Total - 7 Items

First up lets take a little trip back to November; the month of fireworks, the start of winter, and of course in my world beauty empties. Although in comparison it wasn't the best of months, I still managed to finish a fairly respectable 7 items, including a few skin care items, a couple of hand creams, and 'sniff' a now discontinued haircare product!

1. AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Shampoo - 250ml

I always knew that this day would come, and in November it finally did as I finished my very last bottle of the AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Shampoo! From the first moment that I tried it, I fell in love with the fresh and fruity with a hint of mint scent, and I loved the effect that the combination of arginine and the keratin complex had on my hair.

For a 'budget' shampoo it made a real difference to my hair, and whilst I've found another Advance Techniques range that I love, when I eventually finish the remaining bottle of conditioner, I will remember this range with fondness.

2. Bubble T Peach Hand Cream - 60ml

Next up the first of two hand creams, and this one is from fruity tea and cocktail inspired brand, Bubble T. Back in 2021 I received a Bubble T Hand Cream in the fragrance Peach Bellini in the February edition of Glossybox UK, and I loved it! The scent was super sweet and fruity, and it was a great everyday hand cream. Alas when I came to try and repurchase it, like so many products that come in subscription boxes, I couldn't find it anywhere!

What I did find though was this Bubble T Peach Hand Cream, and do you know what? Apart from the size, it's pretty much identical! From the ingredients (shea butter and aloe vera), to the sweet fruity scent, there really isn't that much of a difference between the two. 

Thankfully this one is still pretty widely available and is available from various stockists including Beauty Expert and The Bath & Body Shop, where it retails anywhere between £1.99 - £2.99.

3. Nair Wax Strips - Face - 12 Wax Strips

When it comes to beauty products, 2021 was definitely a year of discovery, I tried lots of new things, and some of those products have ultimately already achieved holy grail status. Top of my new holy grail list is of course the Beauty Pie Sugar Scrub, but these bargaintastic facial waxing strips are right up there!

At just £1 a pack they do the job, and my upper lip is smoother than it's been in years! I wasted so much time and money on other methods when all I really needed was a wax strip,

I will definitely continue to buy these but in the last month or so I have been trying out a few different facial hair removal products, and one of them is also a potential repurchase, so these babies may have a rival, but more on that in a future post x 

4. Alpha-H Gentle Daily Exfoliant - 50g

This is another one of those products that I'm almost embarrassed to show you because it's so old! I don't know how long ago it was that I bought this, but I think that it must have came in a QVC UK kit when I purchased the brands famous Liquid Gold.Obviously from Australian skin brand Alpha-H, this is basically a micro exfoliator, designed to remove unwanted skin cells, as well as improving texture and reducing pigmentation.

Containing pineapple and green papaya enzymes, and bentonite clay, the bottle contained a fairly fine white powder. It didn't have a lot of fragrance, it just smelled ever so slightly fresh, and chalk like.

Designed to be used on cleansed skin, you mix a small amount with warm water until you get a creamy paste; you then massaged it on your face for around 1 minute before rinsing with warm water.

Whilst it didn't feel too scratchy or rough it definitely felt as though it was doing something to your skin. It did leave my skin a touch pink after removal (not unusual), but it felt very smooth and clean. As the name would suggest it was designed to be used daily, but I personally only used it once or twice a week.

I actually really liked this and how smooth it left my skin. I don't know whether it's down to my early experience with the much missed Japanese Washing Grains from The Body Shop, but I love products like this where you can mix a product to a paste in your hands. Unfortunately this product appears to have been discontinued but I still have a couple of similar products in my stash from both elf and Dermalogica to use up.

5. Rodial Dragon's Blood Eye Masks - 1 x Pair - 5g

Next up another skincare product, and it's something that I spoke about quite recently. You can read a full review of these eye masks here, and to be honest it's safe to say that I wasn't that impressed.

6. AVON ANEW Radiance Maximising Tonic - Vitamin C & Glycolic Acid - 200ml

I know they go in and out of popularity but ever since I started using skin care 'properly' I've always used some sort of toner, and even though I usually have a few on the go at once, depending on how well my skins behaving, I always have some sort of glycolic or general AHA tonic in my routine.

There are a couple that I keep coming back to but like with everything beauty wise, I love trying new things and this is one of my latest discoveries. From AVON's popular ANEW range, this skin tonic contains vitamin C, glycolic acid and lactic acid, and is designed to exfoliate and brighten the skin.

This fresh and slightly fruity scented toner, does make my skin tinge just a tad on application, but in the period that I used it, it definitely made a difference texture wise, spots cleared up more quickly and skin definitely look brighter and less grey and tired.

As it contains both acids and vitamin C, it is recommended that you apply SPF if you use it during the day (which you should probably be doing anyway) but I mainly used this particular product as part of my nighttime routine.

I'm a big fan of products like this - I like how smooth and bright they make my skin, and I'm also a big fan of products that feel as though they are doing something. I've got a few other things to use up first but I've already repurchased this one, and if you fancy trying it for yourself, whether directly from your local AVON representative, or from their website, keep an eye out for offers because you can often get it cheaper than the £10 RRP.  

7. The Body Shop Hand Cream Vanilla Pumpkin - 30ml

The final product that I finished in November was quite a seasonal one, and it was another hand cream, this time from The Body Shop. Yes, it's a Vanilla Pumpkin product! For those of you who've never tried anything from this seasonal range - let me tell you, you're missing out!

Officially described as Madagascan Vanilla, blended with sweet, warm, baked pumpkin, with hazelnut, caramel, maple syrup and almond milk, it has a delicious warming, comforting foodie scent that just makes you want more.

I did notice a tiny bit more of a bitter almond scent to this hand cream, which as you know isn't my favourite scent, but it kind of worked for me for some reason. Combine the yummy scent with a shea butter, rich cream / gel hand cream, which absorbs quickly and leaves the skin feeling hydrated, and protected, and you've got a winner!

Alas this is a fall / autumn limited edition so it's currently unavailable anywhere else bar on the secondary market, and I have my fingers tightly crossed that it will be available again around September time.

So in November I managed to finish 7 items but could I end the year on a high and beat that total in December...

Lush Santa's Belly Shower Jelly - 100g
Ecooking Moisturising Serum - 10ml
AVON Care Calming Moisture With Tea Tree Hand Soap - 250ml
Kiehls Rare Earth Pore Minimising Lotion - 75ml
Berry Smooth Strawberry Foaming Salt Scrub - 240g
Skin Techniques Honey & Almond Reindeer Moisturising Foot Mask - 1 Pair x 28ml
Oh K! Nourishing Lemon Oil Cuticle Mask With Vitamin E - 10 Fingertip Masks
The Body Shop Satsuma Hand Cream - 30ml
Derma V10 Coconut Printed Sheet Mask - 1 x Mask
Derma V10 Argan Oil Printed Foot Pack - 1 x Pair

Total - 10 Items

Well, it turns out that I could, and whilst I couldn't quite hit the highs of Septembers total of 11 items, I still managed to finish a pretty impressive 10 items! Again it was a nice mix of products including some more skin care bits, some more long haulers, and as you would expect some festive items. 

1. Lush Santa's Belly Shower Jelly - 100g

First up one of those festive products that I just mentioned and it's a product from Lush, that I'd been eeking out since Christmas 2020! and no it wasn't a bottle of Snow Fairy! Instead it was a product that dare I say I think I actually liked more than Snow Fairy, and unfortunately it was a product that didn't return in Lush's Christmas 2021 inventory, I am of course talking about Santa's Belly Shower Jelly!

I think that it was probably the smell of this product that I liked more than anything else. Containing seaweed, red grape juice, apple juice, star anise, orange flower, bergamot, and rose, Santa's Belly had a gorgeous fruity, apple scent with just a hint of festive spices, that for me just screamed Christmas.

You only needed a tiny amount of this translucent red jelly squished up either in your hands or with a shower puff and some warm water to produce a mountain of creamy bubbles. It was fun to use and I loved the scent, come on Lush bring it back for Christmas 2022, you know you want to ;)

2. Ecooking Moisturising Serum - 10ml

Next up the first of 3 skincare products in December's list and it's something else that I've reviewed before. From the January 2021 edition of Glossybox UK came the Ecooking Moisturising Serum, and you can read my full review here. I'm still really loving hyaluronic acid based serums at the moment, and whilst this one did the job, I did find it a touch sticky and a bit expensive so I probably wouldn't repurchase.

3. AVON Care Calming Moisture With Tea Tree Hand Soap - 250ml

One constant of both 2020 and as it turned out 2021, was the impact that products like hand wash and hand sanitiser would have on our lives - you would honestly think that some people had just started washing their hands! Anyways like in 2020, in 2021 I tried a variety of different hand washes, and liquid soaps, and this was the year when I finely convinced Mummy Lou that communal bars of soap on the sink just aren't that hygienic.

This AVON offering was just one of the products that we used, and it was decent - nothing fancy but it cleaned the hands multiple times a day without leaving them feeling sore or dry. I do though have one slight issue with it - if you see a product that contains antibacterial technology, and vitamin E, and TEA TREE not only as an ingredient but also the name of it, then surely it's fair to assume that with tea tree being such a strong, distinctive scent, then you might say be able to smell it a bit? Nada! Nothing! Instead this had a fresh clean scent almost like an aloe vera product, and I personally couldn't smell even the tiniest whiff of tea tree. Great if you aren't a fan of the scent of it but maybe I've been spoiled by using the Australian Bodycare range, maybe it's a personal thing but if something contains tea tree and it's actually in the name of the product - I want it to smell like it!

Urgh! Rant over! Anyways if you want a nice clean smelling hand wash that must definitely does not smell like tea tree then this could be one to try. Again it's regularly on offer but you can get it for around £1.65 direct from your rep and from the AVON website, and there is also a matching hand cream available.

4. Kiehls Rare Earth Pore Minimising Lotion - 75ml

This next product, is another one of those item that seems to have been hanging around my skincare drawer for what seems like forever! Way, way back in the day in 2016, I attended a fashion and beauty even in what was then Intu Metro Centre. At the event attendees we're invited to make an appointment with skincare brand Kiehls, for a complimentary skincare analysis and facial treatment, and this was one of the products that was recommended to me, and as I had some birthday money I bought it!

Designed for normal to oily skin, this moisturiser contained Amazonian white clay, and was specially formulated to minimise pores, refine the texture of the skin, and reduce oiliness. It had a lightweight lotion like texture, and a subtle fresh if again slightly chalky scent. It absorbed quite quickly and left the skin with a slight matte finish. Although it didn't completely erase my pores, it definitely made them less noticeable, and it was also a great base for make up. You can read a little bit more about it here.

Unfortunately, again, this particular moisturiser has now been discontinued, but the corresponding cleanser and face mask are still available. I did like it but that being said I probably wouldn't have repurchased it; My skin has definitely changed over the last few years, and whilst my pores are still screaming look at me, my skin is a lot less oily, and a lot more moisture hungry than it was back in 2016.

5. Berry Smooth Strawberry Foaming Salt Scrub - 240g

From quite a pricy purchase to the first of several pretty cheap ones, and like a few of the others this one is from Poundland. This was one of their Lush a likes and I think I paid around £1.50 for it. It was basically a foaming salt based body scrub. Each pot as you can see below contained a 3 layers of the same scrub only in 3 different colours, red, blue and yellow. Marketed as a strawberry scrub it actually had more of an artificial berry / grape / bubblegum like scent. It passed my scrubby test, it wasn't too harsh or drying and it was fun to use.

I do actually have another one of these to use up, and whilst you might still find it in your local store, I haven't seen it in my nearest branch for quite some time now.

6. Skin Techniques Honey & Almond Reindeer Moisturising Foot Mask - 1 Pair x 28ml

Next up the first of 3 festive themed masks, that I used over Christmas and new year. From a brand called Skin Techniques, I purchased this particular mask from B&M stores just before Christmas and it's the first of two foot masks in this post. Foot masks fall into two basic categories, peeling and exfoliating masks, and moisturising masks, and with vitamin E, and extracts of honey and lemon, this one was a moisture mask.

The pack contained 2 plastic socks with a super cute snowflake and reindeer design. Like with all of these masks you cut along the dotted line to open up the booties, and inside them was a fibre like lining and lots of slightly sweet scented creamy liquid.

It's advised that you wear them for about 20 minutes but I think I ended up wearing them for about half an hour (alongside my fabulous NYC Christmas PJ's). They felt quite cool and squishy, but the liquid had quite a slick moisturising feel to is.

After I removed them my feel felt very wet, and there was a lot of obvious liquid still on my feet. As per the instructions I massage the excess into my feet concentrating on my soles, heels, and nails, where it took about 5 minutes or so to fully absorb. There was a noticeable difference to my feet, the dry bits looked less dry and whilst my feet looked a touch pink, they looked more healthy and hydrated, and my feet felt super smooth even on my soles.

I was so, so impressed with these socks and since they do them in a regular, non festive version, for just £1 I'll definitely be buying them again.

7. Oh K! Nourishing Lemon Oil Cuticle Mask With Vitamin E - 10 Fingertip Masks

From feet to hands, and yet another seemingly discontinued product, this time from Korean inspired beauty brand, Oh K! Over the last 5 or 6 months, I've really struggled with dry hands, dry raggy cuticles, and dry brittle nails, I've literally used everything that I can get my hands on, thankfully I'm now seeing an improvement back way back in December I was getting a bit desperate, so when I found this cuticle mask, which I think came in a NEXT Beauty Box, in my stash, I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Containing coconut and argan oil, as well as sesame seed extract, lemon juice, and liquorice root. these fingertip masks are designed to brighten and nourish the nails and cuticles. The outer sachet contained 2 sets of 5 plastic, fibre / paper lined pod like sheet masks (1 for each finger). 

To use them, you had to separate them from each other by cutting along the dashed line, and then you had to cut the bottoms off so you could put them on to clean, dry finger tips, like little finger puppets.

Before

Each pod contained a small amount of watery, cloudy white serum, which had a very subtle sweet scent. As you would expect they felt cool, wet and squishy. The plastic layer did have a tendency to split so I found easier and more practical to do one hand at a time.

On Application 

After removing the mask after around 30 minutes, there was a tiny bit of residue left on my nails and cuticles, which the instructions said to massage into the fingers. It was a tiny bit sticky and it took a little while to fully absorb but overall I was pretty pleased with the results.

After 

I don't know how obvious it is in these pictures (not very I don't think) but my nails and cuticles definitely looked more hydrated. The skin peels and hangnails were still there, but these masks were a nice treat that my dry and sore nails and fingers really appreciated.

8. The Body Shop Satsuma Hand Cream - 30ml

Sticking with hands and nails, in December I also managed to finish another hand cream, and it was another one from The Body Shop. From their underrated Satsuma range, this hand cream which contains shea butter, sweet almond oil, and Argentinian cold pressed satsuma oil, is pale peach in colour and it has a dense cream / gel texture. It's fairly easy massage in and whilst it feels a touch sticky at first, it quickly absorbs down and leaves an almost protective sheen on the skin.

As you would expect from a hand cream from The Body Shop, it does exactly what you want it to, but for me personally this ones biggest selling point has to be the scent. The satsuma range has quite a strong fresh sweet yet tangy citrus scent, it reminds me a bit of orangeade or an orange ice lolly I remember from my childhood. I don't think it's for everyone but personally I love it! This full 30ml size retails at £5.50.

9. Derma V10 Coconut Printed Sheet Mask - 1 x Mask

Finally I'm going to end December's countdown with the last two beauty products that I used up in 2021, as me and Mummy Lou ended the year with nibbles, Prosecco, The Meg! and a some festive themed pampering products !

First a face mask, and it was another Poundland buy, this time from Derma V10. I don't know about you but in 2020 and 2021 we went slight daft over gonks, so it seemed fitting to add a little bit of that fun nordic spirit to our NYE pamper party.

Containing vitamin E, chamomile, and aloe vera, this subtle coconut scented sheet mask had printed gonk. The mask felt very wet and slightly oily but despite that it was of a decent quality so it was fairly easy to unfold.

Alas no pics of Mummy Lou is either of her masks but initially it felt quite cold and wet but as you would expect it gradually warmed up to body temperature, and slowly started to dry out.

I removed it after about 20 minutes and there was quite a lot of excess serum left on my skin, but it was really easy to massage in, and within about 3 minutes it had pretty much all absorbed into my skin. It felt a touch tacky at first but that quickly subsided leaving my skin feeling soft and smooth and despite the salty snacks and alcohol, looking brighter and more hydrated - it was just what I needed after a stressful week and a bit!

10. Derma V10 Argan Oil Printed Foot Pack - 1 x Pair

Finally we come back to the feet again, with a coordinating gonk foot mask, also from Derma V10 and Poundland.

Containing argan oil, shea butter, and vitamin E, again this was a moisture mask, featuring a pair of plastic gonk design socks! Again sealed to prevent mess, cut open the socks and contained a fibre like lining, and lots of cloudy liquidy serum, that smelled vaguely of something like antiseptic or menthol.

Like all foot masks when you first put them on, they felt cool and squishy. This was another 20 minute treatment but I got engrossed by Jason Statham (I do not understand why everyone thinks he's attractive - he's not!) fighting Megaladons! so I probably left them on for nearer 40!

As expected there was a lot of excess liquid left both in the socks and again on my feet which immediately felt a bit sticky, when I started to massage it in but it quickly absorbed leaving my feet feeling instantly silky soft on the tops, and quite a bit smoother on the soles. They also looked visibly more hydrated, and the dry white patches of skin, had all be it temporarily disappeared.

So there you have it, I ended the last two month of 2021 by adding another 17 items to my yearly total, which was a good finish but who will did I do overall...

January - 6 Items

February - 4 Items

March -  8 Items

April - 7 Items

May - 7 Items

June - 10 Items

July - 10 Items

August - 10 Items

September - 11 Items

October - 4 Items

November - 7 Items

December - 10 Items

2021 Total - 94 Items 

Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you, in 2021 I managed to finish 94 beauty products, which utterly destroys 2020's total of 75 items; Not only that but it was my best yearly performance since 2013 when I finished an absolutely crazy 130 items!

I'm not sure that I'll ever manage to finish that many items again, but you never know! 2022 hasn't started off too well in any sense, but hopefully things can only get better! I'll be updating my January and February empties lists in my sidebar later today so you can keep tabs on my progress, and hopefully my January empties post at least should be up in the next week or so x 

If you have any questions or comments on any of the products that I've talked about in this post, or if you would like to share a link to your own empties posts or project 10 pan challenges, then please leave me a comment below x Thanks again for reading this epic post, and thank you again for your support, and I'll see you soon with another post x 

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

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

I think am at the stage in my life when I should just stop making plans. I've talked so much lately about about getting back on track when it comes to blogging, and what happens? A fibromyalgia  / CFS flare / weird virus puts every single thing that I've tried to do in the last fortnight on the back burner. It seems like I've spent most of the last week or so in bed, and whilst I'm still feeling way less than 100%, touch wood, I'm feeling well enough at the moment to do a little bit of work so I thought I'd take you back a month, to look at September's beauty empties.

Original Source Hydrating Water Infusions Raspberry & Rose Water Shower Gel - 250ml
Primark PS...Cuticle Oil - 10ml
Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Hand And Nail Balm - 30ml
AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Shampoo - 250ml
Philip Kingsley Elderflower And Rhubarb Body Building Shampoo - 500ml
AVON K Beauty Sugar Maple Glass Effect Hydrogel Face Mask - 1 x Mask
Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Corrector Pen
Primark PS...It's Oil Good Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes
Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid - 010 - Ivory - 30ml
Boots Botanics All Bright Micellar 3 In 1 Cleansing Solution - 250ml
XBC XPEL Body Care Olive Exfoliating Foot Pack - 1 x Treatment

Total - 11 Items 

Even despite the fact that I've been so poorly this post seems to have taken forever to write. It's taken a lot of planning and lot of research, because I managed to finish a whopping 11 beauty products in September, which is by far my best performance of 2019 so far. It wasn't just the number of items that I finished though it was also the variety of items that I finished. I finished a really nice assortment of skincare, hair care and body care items, and I even managed to finish a make up product -go me!

1. Original Source Hydrating Water Infusions Raspberry & Rose Water Shower Gel - 250ml

The first product was a shower gel that I received in the April 2019 Fruity Or Floral edition of Glossybox UK. You can read a full review here and even though it didn't smell quite like I expected it to, it had a nice fresh, almost green scent, it foamed well and it didn't leave my skin tight or dry. It was also really economical to use, but if you're interested in trying it for yourself then I would definitely shop around, I've seen this particular scent in a variety of stores, including Asda, Boots, Superdrug and Poundland, at various price points ranging from £1 - £2.29.

2. Primark PS...Cuticle Oil - 10ml

Yes I finished another bottle of my go to cuticle oil. At around £1 a bottle it's probably cheaper than a bag of chips and it works. I've got about 1/4 of a bottle of this , and about 1/3 of a bottle of OPI Avoplex remaining so I think I'm going to need to purchase a couple of back up bottles sooner rather than later.

3. Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Hand And Nail Balm - 30ml

Next up another hand product and this was a product that I received in the 2015 Marks and Spencer Beauty Advent Calendar (You can read my unboxing posts here and here). I think that this was the first ever product that I've tried from heritage French fragrance brand Roger & Gallet, and it was a nice introduction.

Containing Shea butter, apricot kernel oil, and aloe vera, and fragranced with fig leaves, fig milk, and cedar wood, this formulation is free from colouring, parabens and silicone's. Despite the fact that it had a very rich and creamy texture it actually absorbed into the skin really quickly, leaving an almost protective but non sticky matte finish, I loved how moisturised and hydrated it made my skin feel and I loved the fruity floral, almost expensive fragrance type scent. I would definitely consider repurchasing this particular product. It's available on it's own for around £6.50 from various retailers including Escentual and Look Fantastic, and in a variety of gift sets from stores including John Lewis and Marks and Spencer.

4. AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Shampoo - 250ml

I'm a big fan of AVON as a brand but seriously they are probably the worst brand out there for discontinuing products! So many good products have been and gone over the years and now you can throw my favourite shampoo and conditioner into the mix!

I've been using their Anti Hair Fall range for a few years now and despite their relatively small price tag this range has made a real difference to my hair, so much so in fact that I can actually tell when I haven't been using it. Containing keratin, argan and bamboo extract, this shampoo smells gorgeous, and it works. Alas it seems to be no more, and it's started to appear in their sale supplements, so if you want to try then grab it while you can. From what I can gather it has two potential replacements, the new Loss Control range, and the new Reconstruction range. I've bought a few bottles to try but I've also stocked up on the Anti Hair Fall range just in case. Why AVON? Why?

5. Philip Kingsley Elderflower And Rhubarb Body Building Shampoo - 500ml

Now despite my loyalty to the Anti Hair Fall range, I do tend to switch hair care brands quite a lot, I love trying new things, and I'm always on the look out for the next wonder product. Another brand that I keep coming back to is trichology brand Philip Kingsley. Whilst Elasticizer is my real love,  I'm more than happy to use whatever comes my way.

I reviewed the original Philip Kingsley Body Building Shampoo back in November 2015, after receiving a pack of goodies from the lovely people at Philip Kingsley (read my review here) and whilst this product is basically the same it's just that little bit extra special.

It has the same volumising and lifting properties as the original only with a gorgeous fresh, and fruity rhubarb and elderflower scent. It was a lovely shampoo, you need such a small amount this huge salon size lasted for ages, and the gorgeous scent lingered on the hair for at least a day or two. Alas this particular scent is no longer available but every now and then Philip Kingsley do limited edition scents like this one, that are either QVC UK exclusives, or that launch first on their regular beauty shows. This years exclusive scent seems to be Rose & Lychee and the range is still available on QVC UK.

6. AVON K Beauty Sugar Maple Glass Effect Hydrogel Face Mask - 1 x Mask

Next up another product up from AVON and another one that now seems relegated to the sale brochure. From AVON's K Beauty range, this clear hydrogel mask contains coconut extract, coconut oil, Shea butter and aloe vera, it also contains sugar maple extract, which contains natural source AHA's to help remove dead skin, and to leave the skin dewy, hydrated, and with a luminous glow.

This is a two piece mask - one half for the top of the face, and the other half for the bottom of your face. All you have to do is peel the sticky gel masks from the plastic backing, and apply them to clean, dry skin for around 10 minutes.

Unlike a lot of paper and fabric masks, you don't get any drips but even though these masks adhere to the skin quite well, it's better to lie down during the treatment to not only keep the mask in place but also to take some out to relax and enjoy the treatment.

This mask had quite a sweet, almost coconut and vanilla scent. It felt slightly cool on application but it warmed up slightly on contact with the skin. and the gel almost seemed to dry out as time passed.

Like all hydrogel masks it was really easy to remove, there was quite a bit of moisture left on the skin but it massaged into the skin quite easily, and it absorbed pretty quickly, although it left a slightly sticky residue. My skin looks slightly pink in the picture but it felt really refreshed and hydrated, and it looked a bit plumper and as if I'd just applied a moisturiser. The regular price for this mask is £3.50 but as I say I spotted it in the latest sale supplement for £1.75.

7. Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Corrector Pen

Now I found this a few months ago whilst I was searching through my skincare stash, and since I'm so bad at applying eyeliner I thought I'd dig it out and give it a try. Basically what it is is a felt tip pen filled with, or soaked in eye make up remover. The double ended pointy nib was perfect for removing mascara smudges and for correcting wobbly liner. Unfortunately it dried out quite quickly and as you can see it got quite dirty. Yes you can use a cotton bud or even a make up brush soaked in make up remover, but the point and the portable nature of this pen made it a really useful item, all be it one that didn't last that long. Unfortunately this pen appears to have been discontinued but I'm sure I have something similar, somewhere in my beauty stash.

8. Primark PS...It's Oil Good Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes

I've been shooting an awful lot of make up swatches over the last month or so, for some long promised and long overdue blog posts, and these tea tree based wipes have proved invaluable.  That said as devoted as I am to these wipes I'm really trying to get out of this "wipe" habit, so whilst I will definitely be picking up some more on my next Primark trip I feel that my love affair with these bargain wipes is nearing its end.

9. Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid - 010 - Ivory - 30ml

At last a make up item! Although I think I received this particular Italian branded bottle in a swap, this is a foundation that I've actually used on and off for a few years now, and it's one that I quite like. It has a nice texture, and it almost seems to even out my complexion, my pores don't look quite so obvious and the general texture and tone of my skin seems to look and feel smoother and more even. Apparently it's ideal for drier skin but I still like the finish and it wore pretty well on my oilier skin, all be it underneath several dustings of loose power. This particular colour was a touch warm for my skin tone, but it worked pretty well in the summer months, and with a bit of fake tan. I've got lots of foundations to use up including a few real loves so I won't be repurchasing in the the near future but that's not to say that I wouldn't buy it again.

10. Boots Botanics All Bright Micellar 3 In 1 Cleansing Solution - 250ml

Now I've had a mixed relationship with the Boots Botanics range over the years, and I still haven't quite forgiven them for meddling with one of my all time favourite eye make up removers (read my posts here  and here). Recently they've redeemed themselves slightly with their Cleansing Toner but when it comes to my eyes I'm still a little bit wary but giving them the benefit of the doubt I gave this a try.

I think I got it in a subscription box, and apparently it's one of the best sellers from the Botanics range. It's alcohol free, and it contains hibiscus and AHA's . It cleansed my skin with no problem, it was fine at removing make up, and it left my skin clean, fresh and bright. It did make my eyes sting a bit though so as I tend to use micellar waters all over my face, I probably wouldn't repurchase but it wasn't bad. If you're interested in trying it for yourself it retails at around £5.49 in Boots.

11. XBC XPEL Body Care Olive Exfoliating Foot Pack - 1 x Treatment

Finally a foot product, and I think I originally bought this in Bargain Buys, but apparently it's also available from various other retailers including Savers, Poundstretcher, and ebay. I can't remember how much I paid for it but I don't think it will have been much more than a pound or so. I originally bought this as a moisturising foot pack but even though it actually says the word exfoliating on the packet I didn't realise it was an actual foot peel!

"Formulated to moisturise and reduce callus build up, and cracked heels" the pouch contains a pair of plastic socks with a paper /  fibre lining, and adhesive  fastening strips for a secure fit. Containing mulberry extract, olive extract, rose flower oil and pomegranate oil, these socks had a lovely, slightly astringent apple like, fruity scent. The inside of the socks was very wet. After putting them onto clean, dry feet, my skin immediately felt slightly warm, and tingly, which should have been the first clue that these weren't moisturising socks!

After 20 minutes, which is quite a short amount of time for peeling socks, you take off the stocks, and also quite strangely for peeling socks, you don't need to rinse your feet. My feel looked slightly pink, and whilst my heels definitely looked less dry, they was no real difference moisture wise. I was pretty non plussed at this point because it still hadn't clicked that this was a foot peel, and then less a week later, this happened!

Apologies for the gross foot pack, but yes less than a week later all of the dry skin started peeling off the soles of my feet. The peeling process lasted for about a week. My notoriously dry heels, were still slightly cracked but my feet were generally a lot smoother, and the other calloused areas had all but disappeared.

Despite my initial confusion when buying and using this product, I am so, so happy with it. I used quite a few of these peeling products now and a lot of the more expensive ones haven't worked any where near as well as this one did. For the price, the performance, and the scent I really can't recommend these enough and I will definitely be making a repurchase.

So they were my very late September empties. I hope they were worth waiting for, as I said I finished a nice amount, and a nice variety of items. With only a few days left of October I don't think it's been anywhere near as successful a month as September was, but I can at least promise you that the post will be up a bit quicker than this one was x If you have any questions or comments let me know and I'll try and get back to you as quickly as I can, and I will see you soon with another post x

*The 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