Trimming My Stash - October 2018 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews*

I'm a bit late with this one I'm afraid, nothing new there I hear you say but I've had a bit of a busy start to the month and it's showing no sign of slowing down. I've had a few outings, lots of family time, and I've got a few projects on the go that needed some attention. throw in the horrendous light over the last week or and that's why I'm posting my October empties on the 10th November!

Maria Nila True Soft Conditioner - 100ml
NIVEA Daily Essentials Double Effect Make Up Remover - 125ml
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - 100ml
Benefit They're Real Beyond Mascara - Black - 3g
Benefit Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer - 15.5g
AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Conditioner - 250ml
Boozi Bodycare Cocktails Mango & Ginger Margarita Body Wash - 50ml
Boozi Bodycare Cocktails Cheeky Woo Woo Body Wash - 50ml
Beauty Pro Nourishing Collagen Mask With Olive Extract x 1 x 23g Sheet Mask
The Body Shop Frosted Berries Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 50ml

Total - 10 Items 

As I hope you can see though this post was worth waiting for. In October I managed to finish 10 beauty products including skincare, body care, hair care and even a couple of make up items. I make no apologies that this post is going to be pretty epic but I managed to finish a lot of products that I loved and a lot of products that I've never mentioned before and that equals a pretty long and descriptive blog post..so lets quit the rambling and get started!

1. Maria Nila True Soft Conditioner - 100ml

According to a lot of people I'm a bit strange, I can live with that who wants to be a sheep after all, being weird and a bit different is fun, and one of the ways in which I'm bit different is that I go through way more shampoo than conditioner. A minor thing but apparently I'm in a minority, using more conditioner than shampoo doesn't make sense to me at all but hey ho, more people still seem to do it, so what do I know? It's always the way with me though I finish a bottle of shampoo and it's usually a month or two later before I finish the corresponding conditioner. That's why there are conditioners in this post and no shampoos.

The first one I'm going to talk about is from ethical Swedish brand Maria Nila. I talked about the shampoo back in Septembers countdown (read it here), and it was something that I received in the May edition of Glossybox (you can watch my unboxing video here). I was immediately attracted to the brand on ethical and environmental grounds but the products themselves definitely didn't disappoint either.

Again containing Maria Nila's exclusive colour guard complex, and nourishing and protecting argan oil, this vegan, sulphate and paraben free conditioner is specifically designed for drier hair types. It wasn't too thick and it had a lovely creamy consistency, it wasn't too heavy and it was easy to apply evenly throughout the hair and it was easy to rinse. This conditioner instantly smoothed and detangles the hair and left it with a similar fresh, fruity, floral scent that was similar to the shampoo only with a bit more of a zing and a bit of astringency. Again myself and Mummy Lou really enjoyed using this product and it's something that I would definitely consider buying again.

2. NIVEA Daily Essentials Double Effect Make Up Remover - 125ml

From something that I loved to something that didn't quite make the grade. I bought this product as part of my seemingly never ending quest to find a good budget eye make up remover. I've lost count of how many that I've tried but at last I think I may have found the one but unfortunately though it isn't this one.

I've talked about my love NIVEA as a brand recently and seeing as I'd got on with quite a few dual phase eye make up removers (mainly Lancome Bi-Facil - a classic and a multi award winner) I though that I would give this cheaper alternative a go.

Basically it's a 2 phase formulation, this means that the bottle contains two liquids with different consistencies that you shake together to combine, the water based element is designed to refresh, protect and care for the lashes whilst the oil based liquid is designed to remove even waterproof eye make up effectively and without rubbing. It is suitable for contact lens wearers and it contains cornflower extract.

Despite the fact that the two phases have been designed to minimise oiliness, I did find it quite greasy on the lids and unfortunately I did find that it made my eyes smart and water. Not only that but I also found that it did struggle to remove stubborn mascara. Whilst it isn't waterproof Benefit They're Real can be quite tricky to remove, and this product did struggle to remove every last trace of it, hence I woke up a few times with those horrid black eye bogeys in my eyes, bleurgh!! not what you want to be greeted with in the morning!

It's unfortunate but this product isn't for me I may consider trying the NIVEA Daily Essentials Extra Gentle Eye Make Up Remover in the future but even despite the pocket friendly retail price of £3.89 I certainly won't be buying this one again.

3. Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - 100ml

Well what can I say about this product that hasn't already been said by the thousands and thousands of people that swear by this cleanser! It's won countless awards (over 125!) and with good reason. If you haven't tried this or at least heard about it - where have you been! Designed for all skin types it was one of the original hot cloth style cleansers and it has many imitators. The original formulation contains cocoa butter, rosemary, chamomile, and hops extracts and eucalyptus essential which all give that signature scent and texture.

Simply massage a small amount over your dry face to start dissolving make up and grime, and then remove it with warm water and the cotton muslin face cloth, for a thorough cleanse and exfoliation all in one simple step.

I've used this on and off for years and years and it's something that I will continue to use and repurchase on a regular basis. I do on occasions find the eucalyptus a touch stimulating and it can cause a little bit of redness on my skin so I'm definitely looking into try some of the new limited edition varieties but in the winter months when you're feeling tired and under the weather that is really nothing better than that hit of eucalyptus.

4. Benefit They're Real Beyond Mascara - Black - 3g

I've already briefly mentioned this in this post, and how well it wears is one of the reasons why I love it. I've written a full review of this mascara which you can read here, which explains in full just why I love it but at the same time just why it drives me mad. It really does annoy the hell out of me at times when it clumps, but most of the times by having a lash comb at hand I can live with it, so it's something that I will continue to use either alone or alongside Benefit's Roller Lash to give my lashes length, volume and curl ( I will be talking more about both Benefit Roller Lash and Benefit Bad Gal Bang in the future).

5. Benefit Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer - 15.5g

Benefit are famous for a lot of things including their mascaras, brows, and boxed blushers but something else that they also do pretty damn well are primers. Without a doubt their most famous primer is the original Porefessional but this particular one also created a bit of stir when it was first launched.

Unlike a lot of primers on the market this one isn't a cream or liquid instead it's a solid balm like waxy stick, which melts on contact with the skin. All you do is rub the stick all over your face or just on your t-zone depending on your skin type and where you usually apply your primer. It goes on relatively clear but you can almost feel a tightening sensation on the skin where you've applied it. Some people say that it's best to apply foundation straight away and whilst it still feels tacky but personally I like to give it a minute or two to set before I start applying my foundation.

Obviously Benefit recommend that you use this alongside one of their foundations but I've used it with quite a few other brands and it's mostly been fine. The key I've found is not to use it alongside too thick, too heavy or some mattifying foundations. If you chose to dense a consistency it results in a cakey, mask like finish, teamed up with pilling, and roll off!

For me this isn't for you if you don't have oily skin, if you have dry skin this isn't going to work at all for you, and if you have a more combination skin only apply it to your oily areas. Don't apply too much and use it with either a light weight foundation or on its own as a shine minimising product. Using it like that definitely helps with shine and it helps your base to last longer. I'm not sure that it quite lives us to Benefit's 15 hour claim but in my experience helped my make up to stay on longer. I'm not sure I would repurchase this particular product again as the price (£27) is quite prohibitive but I do like the stick primer idea and I'm definitely on the hunt for something similar and more purse friendly, so if you've seen something similar let me know in the comments x 

6. AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Conditioner - 250ml

Ahh, another conditioner finished way later than the corresponding shampoo, which in this case I finished way back in July (read about it here). What can I say? Rave, rave, rave! I love, love, love this range, this shampoo and conditioner combination has made a huge difference to my hair and all at a super affordable price point. I've spoke about both products at length but to put it simply this conditioner smells amazing, fresh and floral with just a hint of mint; it contains keratin, arginine, bamboo and peppermint extracts. It's a fortifying conditioner that is designed to strengthen and repair the hair from root to tip, so you lose few strands of hair. It's creamy yet lightweight and it easy to apply and rinse and the hair is left smooth and tangle free.

Since your hair goes through different phases you're always losing strands of hair here and there, and some of us certainly seem to loose more than others. Therefore it's always difficult to say whether or not an external product truly makes a difference, all I can see though is that since I've stopped using both the shampoo and the conditioner, and despite using excellent quality products, I've noticed a lot more loose strands and clumps in the shower and on the floor! So it goes without saying that I'm going to repurchase both products asap and I've going to start reusing them regularly, which I think is recommendation enough!

7. Boozi Bodycare Cocktails Mango & Ginger Margarita Body Wash - 50ml

8. Boozi Bodycare Cocktails Cheeky Woo Woo Body Wash - 50ml

Although they have their faults and their critics I am partial to a subscription box or two, and one of my favourite is most definitely Pink Parcel. Designed to make that time of the month just that little bit easier, they contain sanitary protection, and a little something to cheer you up, including beauty product, snacks, tea bags, and sometimes a jewellery or lifestyle product. I look forward to my box coming every month even if it does mine that my period has either already arrived or it's on it's way.

One of the things that I love most about beauty boxes in the discovery aspect and the opportunity they give you to try new things, that you otherwise might not have heard of let alone tried. One of my favourite ever beauty box discoveries the Boozie Bodycare Cocktails Cheeky Woo Woo Bodywash, came in March 2017's Pink Parcel - You can watch my unboxing below or via this link x



Boozi Bodycare, are a British, Berkshire based company that produce a range of cocktail inspired body, hand and lip care products, that are paraben free, not tested on animals and made in the UK. Their quirky line of products is all based on tropical fruity, cocktails. Of course they don't contain any alcohol, so don't go drinking them but they are ideal if you're not a drinker and you still want to experience some fruity fun.

The first one I tried was Cheeky Woo Woo, a fabulously fruity combination of sweet peach, and juicy cranberry, and after one sniff I was hooked on the line and I went on to buy a mini set the Boozi Bodycare Cocktail Party Body Wash Collection which contained a large variety of mini bottles, I ended to split them up as stocking fillers last Christmas bit I actually ended up keeping most of it for myself! The Mango And Ginger Margarita again was a feast for the senses, with a fabulously juicy sweet mango scent with just a hint of spicy ginger!

The scents are truly mouthwatering but as good as they are these body washes have so much more to offer, they are quite thick gels so you only need a tiny amount to produce a fabulous creamy leather with an even more fabulous scent!

These body washes are amazing and are perfect for transporting you back to the cocktail on that tropical beach even in the depth of winter. They would make a fab treat either for yourself or as a gift for someone else, and the prices aren't out of the way either at only £5.95 for 250ml body wash.  I've had a little look around online and unfortunately the brand brands social media and website is no more so if you want to these products for yourself you buy a small selection on Fragrance Direct, as well as on Amazon and if like me you're based in North East England Fenwick in Newcastle did, and I'm hoping still do have a small selection in store but if you're interested move fast.

9. Beauty Pro Nourishing Collagen Mask With Olive Extract x 1 x 23g Sheet Mask

Next up another Pink Parcel item this time from the September 2018 box x I've had a couple of these masks in various beauty boxes but this is the first one that I've tried. Made in the home of sheet masks South Korea Beauty Pro sell a wide range of masks for different skin concerns. This one is an anti ageing and nourishing mask, that is designed to boost skin firmness, and to improve texture, clarity, tone, and elasticity. It contains pomegranate, witch hazel, aloe vera, and olive extract, and it is mineral oil, lanolin, petroleum and paragon free.

Now at first glance my skin doesn't scream that I need nourishment, but as I get older my skin in definitely changing, I used to have oily skin, but now it's much more combination, I get the occasional dry area that's exacerbated by extremes in temperature and it can be quite easily sensitised. Seeing as the temperature seems to have dropped so much over the last month on so I thought that my skin could probably do with a bit of a moisture boost so I gave this a go.

All you do is apply the fabric / paper sheet mask to your face for 15 minutes. The first thing that I noticed was just how wet the mask actually was, it had a subtle green, fresh scent, and it felt very cooling on the skin. After I'd removed it there was a lot of liquid left on my skin so I massaged into my face, my neck and my decolletage. It actually felt quite tacky and sticky on the skin and it did take quite a while to absorb but most of it did end up sinking into the skin. There was no immediate improvement in the feel or the softness of the skin but my face definitely looked plumper, and it had a slight glow to it, it also looked less tired and it didn't feel quite as tight.

I'm not 100% sure that I would purchase this particular mask but I would definitely consider trying out some of Beauty Pro's other masks. This particular one has an RRP of £4.95 and is available from the Beauty Pro website, Amazon, Fabled and the NEXT website x


10. The Body Shop Frosted Berries Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 50ml

Finally a body scrub and one from The Body Shops Frosted Berries range which was one of their festive collections in 2016. This has been one of my favourite festive scents in recent years, so I took the opportunity and stocked up when I could. It has a lovely not too sweet, juicy berry scent that works perfectly with The Body Shop's amazing sugar based body scrub formulation. Thankfully I still have a full sized tub to use up, but alas like my favourite apple based scents this one doesn't make an appearance for Christmas 2018 so I'm hoping that I like at least one of their new festive introductions, I'm thinking either Berry Bon Bon or Vanilla Marshmallow could be the ones for me as I'm not really a big fan of mint based scents so I don't really sure about Peppermint Candy Cane but you never know it might surprise me x If you've tried any of the new festive introductions then let me know your thoughts in the comments x

Phew that was a bit of an epic post wasn't it but I hope managed to stick it out until the end x I was super pleased to have finished 10 items in October and whilst November hasn't started that well empties wise fingers crossed I can have another good month and end the year on a high x

*This Blog Post Contains Affiliate Links Other Than Those From Skimlinks

Exploring John Lewis, Newcastle -- The Beauty Retreat And The Beauty Hall*

I don't know if this applies to other bloggers, but in my world at least, blogger and press events are like buses, you don't attend anything or get any invites for what seems like forever and then in the space of a couple of days 4 invitations appear in your inbox!

It's been a busy couple of weeks in LouLouLand heading to events and what not and now I'm just trying to get my photos edited, and get my thoughts together, so that in my next few posts I can tell exactly what I've been up to. I know posts about events aren't for everyone but I promise you they aren't just about bloggers and journalists showing off and drinking fizz, when you attend an event yes probably will have a bit of fun, but at the same you're experiencing new products and new things and you're learning things that you can pass onto your readers In essence I guess we do reconnaissance work and suss things out so you don't have to.

Last Wednesday I was one of a number of North East bloggers that were lucky enough to be invited along to John Lewis, in Intu Eldon Square in Newcastle city centre, to attend what was to be their very first official blog event. John Lewis is one of the big 3 department stores in Newcastle city centre, and it's another store that has it's roots firmly planted right herein the North East. Formerly known as Bainbridge's, the store originally started trading on a small scale in Newcastle in around 1838 and ultimately became one of the first true department stores in the world, it changed hands and locations several times over the years before eventually be taken over by the John Lewis Partnership in 1952. The store traded successfully as Bainbridge's for many years before the Partners voted in 2002 to somewhat controversially change the name to John Lewis (at least in my mums eyes - it will always be Bainbridge's to her ;)

The purpose of last weeks event was to give us an opportunity to see just exactly what John Lewis has to offer the beauty lover, from the numerous cosmetic counters in the beauty haul, to the self selection stands and of course the Beauty Retreat.

Heading into the Beauty Retreat area of the store we greeted with glasses of bubbly, event programmes, and goodie bags, and we given the opportunity to have a chat, to try some canapes, and to enjoy the live music provided by a very talented local singer and musician, David. We then a had a talk from the Beauty Retreat Manager, Clare Meadows, about the Beauty Retreat and the night ahead. There were quite a lot of us in attendance so we were split into two groups to make sure we had an opportunity to try everything that was on offer to us. Whilst one group explored the beauty hall and the beauty counters, the other group had the opportunity to try out some of the brands that the beauty retreat has to offer, and try out some of their 10 minute taster treatments

In it's simplest terms the John Lewis, Newcastle Beauty Retreat is a spa within a store, with subdued lighting, and calming colours, the first room that you enter is a combined reception area and a treatment area where you can get brow and hair removal treatments from Blink and Jessica manicures and hand treatments, both of which we had the opportunity to try on the night.

Go upstairs in the Beauty Retreat and you're greeted with a Clarins Spa offering everything from facials to massages and self tanning. Clarins were offering pressure point massage tasters on the night but I'd already made my mind up what I wanted to try and that was downstairs.

As well as the reception and treatment areas, the Beauty Retreat also features 4 individually decorated, and furnished treatment rooms that are devoted to some of the biggest spa and skincare brands on the UK scene, ESPA, Liz Earle, Elemis and Decleor. As tempting as it was try everything that was on offer, time was really was of the essence, there were still a lot of bloggers who wanted treatments, and we only had an hour before the two groups swapped over so we had to be selective over what treatments we tried

On reflection I probably played it safe, and top of my list were two brands that I loved and I've used on and off for years, Liz Earle and Elemis. Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish is a cult product and rightfully so, it does exactly what it says it does, but the team from Liz Earle were giving us the opportunity to try out some of the newer versions of the classic C+P. Whilst keeping the base the same Liz Earle have started to experiment a little bit, and have introduced several versions with different essential oil blends. I tried a couple but the stand out for me was definitely the Rose and Lavender, I sometimes find the eucalyptus in the original too stimulating but this one felt more calming on the skin and I think it's something that would be lovely to use at night.

Another skincare brand that I love has to be Elemis, Pro Collagen Marine Cream is probably the best moisturiser I have ever used, and I can honestly say that I've loved nearly everything from them that I've tried. Again the treatment room was perfectly suited to the brand with the subdued lighting and beautiful aromas emanating from all sides, and what Elemis were offering us on the night was a taste of their Deep Drainage Facial. This wasn't about make up removal, so the make up stayed put, this massage was all about the feeling and the sensation. I was only lying on the massage bed for a few minutes but I could easily have stayed there all night. My therapist gave a gentle facial massage with just enough pressure and positioning to relieve all of the tension in my head, my sinuses and in all my facial bones and muscles. When she'd finished my head literally felt lighter, and despite the bubbly, and the warmth of the room I felt very clear headed and refreshed.

Speaking of refreshing, something that I love and that I always find relaxes me is a head and neck massages, hell any massage come to think of it, and when I saw that French, aromatherapy brand Decleor were offering a relaxing neck and shoulder massage, I knew I had to give it a try. If you've ever tried anything from Decleor you'll know that it's not only about results, it's also about the power of the scent. Like all of the spa rooms, they were lightly fragranced, with products (including the new advent calendar) on display and the lighting was both calming and subtle. Although I was wearing a dress, sitting down my therapist still had enough access to both my neck and my shoulders to undo some serious knots. Even though this was just a massage taster the therapist was really professional and enquired about the strength of pressure and how the massage felt throughout. After only a few minutes my neck felt less achy and I noticed a definite improvement in my all be it common muscle pain and tightness. She finished the massage with an application of their Circulagel, which is crammed full of menthol and camphor and gives the skin that fabulous hot, cold feeling. Although it's specifically designed for tired and aching legs, this product is great for relaxing sore and achy muscles all over the body and it's definitely something that spoonies like me need in out lives

By this time it was time to swap over and it was time for my group to attack the beauty hall and see exactly what John Lewis has to offer. The Newcastle store has most of the big beauty brands that you would expect and a few more besides, showcased in a spacious and light, and airy environment. It goes without saying that anyone can go up to a counter and ask for advice but on the night, a lot of the counters were offering some special demonstrations and makeovers just for us. We could try everything from the new Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer, to crimping and hair styling with GHD, to focus makeovers from Bobbi Brown, Chanel, and Benefit.

Again I wanted to try everything that was on offer, but that just wasn't realistic, so I settled for heading to just two counters, Bare Minerals and NARS. On the night Bare Minerals were offering a statement lip tutorial but being the beauty junkie that I am I wanted to find out a little bit more about their new foundation release Bare Pro. The lovely MUA, Sophie colour matched me and then applied a little bit of the product so I could see how it felt it on the skin, the colour match was perfect and since it's supposed to be great for concealing large pores, I've added it to my ever expanding beauty wishlist.

One of the most popular counters in John Lewis, Newcastle has to be NARS. Although it's a department store staple in many southern stores, we only have two department stores in the North East that stock it and John Lewis s one of them.

I was greeted warmly by their make up artist, Jane, who as well as being super friendly, was also very knowledgeable about the brand and it's history. I asked her a few what could be seen as difficult questions about the brands ownership, and their decision to sell in China, and she was more than happy to answer them and clarify a few issues with me, not only did she do that but she also gave me one of the best on counter makeovers that I've ever had.

The NARS demonstration that we were offered on the night was entitled, "Make Up Your Mind" and the focus was NARS' signature smokey eye look, which Jane created by using their Velvet Shadow Sticks, as well as just making up my eyes though, Jane went on a gave me a full face make over featuring everything from the new Orgasm Liquid Blush, to the Orgasm Lipstick, and the Sun Wash Bronzing Powder. I also found out that I've been using the wrong shade of NARS foundation so Jane matched me perfectly to Mont Blanc and gave me a full list of accompanying products in the correct shades.

The result was a relatively fresh, neutral face look, which was counterbalanced by the most amazing, cover girl, catwalk, rock chick smokey eye look. I really did look runway ready as I snapped several selfies of my new glam look whilst in the make up chair, sods law though when I took the pictures off my camera and phone, they were are awful, blurred and unusable, to say I was devastated was an understatement. All that hard work and nothing to show for out. I was gutted but I was so impressed with the makeover that I wouldn't hesitate to return to NARS in John Lewis in the future, for another make up masterclass.

By the time my rock chick transformation was finished though, the night was just about drawing to a close, so we headed back into the Beauty Retreat to finish the remaining canapes and cross our fingers that our lucky numbers might come up in the raffle. Alas I wasn't a winner but three lovely ladies walked away with goodies from Molton Brown, Trilogy and Charlotte Tilbury. Then after a lot of thank you's and chatter, a group of North East bloggers and their plus ones felt pampered and glamorous as hell and they headed off into the night clutching their goodie bags full of beauty samples and Charbonnel and Walker Champagne Truffles

It really was an amazing night, as well as getting to spend some time with some of my fellow bloggers both old and new, I learnt an awful from all of the brands that I spoke to and I left with a product wishlist as long as my arm, and if anyone is listening I would love a series of Elemis facials and Decleor massages in my Christmas stocking! I can live in hope I guess haha. I just want to thank everyone at John Lewis, Newcastle and of course all of the counters, therapists, brands and make up artists who looked after us last Wednesday night, and of course David for the fabulous musical accompaniments. You can find out more about John Lewis Newcastle and exactly what services they have to offer on the official John Lewis website.

*Blogger Event

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total - 10 Items 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream - 15ml

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

intu Metrocentre #intuStyleGarden Event - A Sensory Explosion

Since it first opened in 1986, intu Metrocentre has become one of my favourite place to shop in the North East. Yes I remember the old days the lack of a bus station, Carrefour, amazing ice creams from The Cornish Candy Shop. and of course who could forget the yellow teapot play area, well I was only 8 were the centre opened!

The place has pretty much grown with me and I for one am delighted to have such a fabulous place to shop, eat, and relax right here on my doorstep. When I started to blog all those years ago I never in a million years dreamed that I'd end up working with intu Metro Centre, blogging has brought me so many fantastic opportunities and for that I'm eternally grateful.

I've been invited to a few intu Metrocentre events now but I have to say the one I went to last night was definitely one of the best. The intu Style Garden is an event that is running throughout the intu chain, so whether you're in Newcastle, Stoke or the West Midlands, over the next day or so, you can pop in and find out more about some of they key Spring, and Summer fashion trends.

When I received my invitation to the VIB (Very Important Bloggers) exclusive Style Garden event I expected to see a traditional catwalk show, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Instead of the familiar runway we were greeted with what resembled an art installation - it was almost as if an exhibit from the Chelsea Flower Show had been planted in the middle of the centre outside House Of Fraser.

With faux turf, metal patio tables, white picket fences, and floral displays, a green hedge like construction displayed mannequins showing off some of the key Spring and Summer fashion looks, for men, women and children, as well TV screens which showed experts talking about some of the key trends and must haves.

I love the way that intu Metro Centre embraces the whole blogging community and yet again we weren't disappointed, greeted by Bellini's, mini bottles of Prosecco, and mocktails all garnished with faux flowers, and food samples courtesy of Bella Italia, this really was an event that brought your senses to life.

Unlike previous events that have been very fashion focused, that one really focused on how to look beautiful from top to toe. Instead of a full catwalk show we we're treated to a talk from intu Metro Centre stylist Michaela Dale, who showed us some of her picks for Spring Summer 2016.

We were also treated to a mini fashion show from two beautiful models showcasing some particular trends - stripes,

and formal wear featuring monochrome, brights, lace, and laser work.

I particularly love the monochrome culotte outfit, and the lovely Michael Kors handbags - swoon - there were also some beautiful pieces on the rails, including a striped dress from Oasis - that would have my name on it if I could lose a bit more weight.

After that visual explosion we were given the chance to explore some of our other senses, mainly scent and touch by exploring some of the centre's, and in particular House Of Fraser's best beauty brands, including designer hair care brand Show,

I'm going to be talking a bit more about this brand in a future post, but they take hair products to another more luxurious level, and if you need a quick blow dry, this is the place in the centre to go, even if it's only to smell the beautiful fine fragrances, that they use in the products.

Speaking of beautiful fragrances another brand that we had the opportunity to talk to, was French brand Decleor, who are noted for their use of essential oils in both their body and skincare treatments, There was also an opportunity to talk and try products from a real problem solving skincare brand Murad, and luxury, high end skincare brand Creme De La Mer.

Another skincare brand that  was represented was Kiehls, now this is a brand that I wanted to find out more about, so I had a nice chat with representative, as well as a mini skin care analysis which confirmed what I guess I already knew, I have oily skin in some places and normal to oily skin in others. We were given the opportunity to book in for a bespoke complimentary facial so I can't wait to see what products they recommend. I'm also going to book a complimentary facial with another brand that I talked to Clarins who were demonstrating their new skincare Boosters.

There was one skincare brand though that I gravitated towards as soon as I saw it, Liz Earle. I've used Liz Earle on and off for the longest time, and to be honest I could have probably put on a uniform and promoted the products myself. I didn't know it all though and I was given the chance to try the new Superskin Eye Cream . I'm a bit scared of eye creams, but this was a really light weight, yet nourishing cream that absorbed really well into my skin even over make up. As well as their skincare they were also showcasing some of their perfumes and I'm love with No.100, which was designed to celebrate the centenary of the Chelsea Flower Show, perfect for the Style Garden theme. The ladies on the stand came from the Liz Earle counter in Boots and I have to say they were lovely and so enthusiastic about their products and the brand, and I was delighted when they gave a little goodie bag containing a travel size of my favourite Cleanse & Polish.

It wasn't all about skincare though, there were several opportunities to add a little bit of colour into your life, Nails Inc were offering demonstrations of their Paint Can polishes and Giorgio Armani were promoting some of their latest make up products. Given the price point Armani is one of the brands that I guess that a lot of people only aspire too, but after experiencing some of their products I can easily see why the brand is so popular. Their make up artists talked a little bit about some of the newest products before colour matching me to my ideal foundation, and then one of the lovely ladies then applied the Giorgio Armani Maestro UV Skin Defence Primer SPF 50 PA++  to my face, before applying the Giorgio Armani Designer Lift Smoothing Firming Foundation in 05, before she finished the look with the beautiful Giorgio Armani The Sepia Palette, a combined bronzer and highlighter compact.  Alas I didn't manage to get a picture but I'm completely in love with the foundation, the application was effortless, and it really evened out my skin tone, and left my face feeling silky soft.

I know this post has gone on a little bit but it's so hard to put into words the full sensory experience that I had at last nights event, every sense, from taste to sight, and smell, was enhanced and explored exactly the way that intu Metrocente had intended. On leaving the event we given a lovely bunch of flowers courtesy of The Rebel Flower Company, and a huge goodie bag courtesy of intu Metro Centre and House Of Fraser, that contained lots of lovely beauty products to continue the sensory experience at home.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to intu Metrocentre for inviting me and for hosting the event, and I'd also like to thank all of the other companies and brands that took part. If you're heading to intu Metro Centre tomorrow you've still get time to catch the intu Style Garden event, and to see some fashion presentations from brands including Warehouse, Oasis, Boux Avenue, Yours Clothing and Bonmarche. Were your senses tickled by this post? Let me know x

Trimming My Stash - April 2015 Empties And Mini Reviews

Hi Everyone x I hope you all had a fabulous April, I can't believe that it's May already x May is my favourite month of the year, why? well it's my birthday month. Ha, Ha I'm a big kid really I love birthdays and of course I love pressies :) I've asked for a few skin and cosmetic bits but I don't really know what I'm getting but I can pretty much guarantee that I'll get a few beauty bits so I better get using some more product up

Tesco Pro Formula Radiance Hot Cloth Cleanser - 150ml
L'Occitane Cleansing And Soothing Shower Oil With Almond Oil - 250ml
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - 40ml
Primark PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes For Combination - 25 x Wipes
Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water - 400ml
The Body Shop Rainforest Radiance Shampoo For Coloured Hair - 400ml
Elemis Tranquil Touch Indulgent Bath Elixir - 300ml
Gatineau Floracil Gentle Eye Make Up Remover - 400ml
Liz Earle Vital Oils For The Bath - Bliss - 10ml
Boots The Sweet Treat Boutique Toffee Apple Bath Crystals - 50g
Total - 10 Item

I've been making a real effort to use some of those bits and half bottles and tubes up and in April I did pretty well and finished 10 items. No make up unfortunately but I still managed to finish a nice mix of skincare, body care, bath and hair products.

1. Tesco Pro Formula Radiance Hot Cloth Cleanser - 150ml

I was sent this Tesco product sometime ago to review, and you can read my full review here. My opinion on this hasn't changed too much but lately I have noticed a bit of  a tingling sensation around my eyes and lips when I've used it. My skin has changed over the last few months and it's been a bit more irritable and sensitive  so for that reason I probably wouldn't repurchase.

2. L'Occitane Cleansing And Soothing Shower Oil With Almond Oil - 250ml

I love, love, love this product, if you have dry or irritated skin you need this oil in your life. It smells like apple blossom and leaves your skin feeling like silk. It pricey but it's so worth it x You can read my product rave here x

3. Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - 40ml

From what I can gather this is one of those products that you either love or hate, and I very much in the first camp. If something was good enough for Audrey Hepburn it's good enough for me. This is a pre wash conditioner that strengthens and softens the hair. When I use this regularly I seem to lose less hair and my hair doesn't seem as brittle and fragile. The only thing that I don't particularly like is the scent. I've used up a couple of these mini tubes and one day I will pluck up the courage to invest the full size. It isn't cheap at around £28 for 150ml tub but if you have damaged hair it's well worth it.

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

I'm serious losing count of how many packs of these tea tress wipes I've finished, I've been swatching like a demon over the past month and I've been using these for clean up, well worth it at £1 for 2 packs of 25 wipes.

5. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water - 400ml

I'm not going to say too much about this one because I intend to review it properly for you at some point but for me it's one of the best micellar waters I've tried.

6. The Body Shop Rainforest Radiance Shampoo For Coloured Hair - 400ml

This is really decent shampoo, it's light weight and it smells gorgeous and fruity, you can read a full review of this product from The Body Shop  here.

7. Elemis Tranquil Touch Indulgent Bath Elixir - 300ml

At last a bath product, I didn't do as well as I would have liked in April when it came to using up bath products but I did manage to finish this one. I'm one of the biggest Elemis fans there is and this is beauty, heady, foam bath that's gentle on the skin. It contains patchouli, cedar wood and vetivert and cocoa butter. I've had a look and I can't seem to find this so I think it's been discontinued but if you're interested I have found a seller on Amazon it isn't cheap but it's really unusual and very relaxing.

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

This is another product that I'm not going to say too much about. A review will be coming soon but despite the fact that it's quite spendy, this is one of my favourite ever eye make up removers ever.

9. Liz Earle Vital Oils For The Bath - Bliss - 10ml

Another product and something else that's discontinued. This tiny little bottle contained a beautiful essential oil mix of jasmine, ylang ylang, rosewood, and black pepper. Just a few drops in the bath and your left with a beautifully scented milky bath. This was a gorgeous, heady and dare I say it sensual bath product that I'm sorry I can't repurchase.

10. Boots The Sweet Treat Boutique Toffee Apple Bath Crystals - 50g

My final product was another bath product, and it was some bath salts from one of those random Boots gift sets that you only ever see at Christmas. These crystals had a really sickly, sweet fragrance, they turned the water green and that was about it. Not amazing and I wouldn't repurchase even if I could.

So they were my April empties x If you have any questions on any of the items that I finished then please let me know xx