Trimming My Stash - August 2021 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews*

Hi all, I hope you all had a good weekend x Mine to say the least was mixed, it started off on Friday when I had a whole host of technical problems, and that pretty much set the tone for the rest of the weekend!

Never mind though, my productivity increased as the weekend went on, and even though I didn't manage to post what I wanted to, I still managed to get my nail post up on Saturday night, and I managed to get this one, my August empties post, drafted yesterday.

Lanolips Antibacterial Hand Cream - 50ml
Nivea Q10 Multi Power 5 In 1 Firming + Cellulite Gel - 200ml
EOS Evolution Of Smooth Essential Hand Lotion - Berry Blossom - 44ml
Soap & Glory Melty Talented Dry Skin Balm - 30g
AVON Senses Winter Treasure Raspberry And Vanilla Liquid Soap - 250ml
BYBI Strawberry Booster - 15ml
Nair Wax Strips - Face - 12 Wax Strips
Beauty Pie Soul Providers Re-Energizing Dry Oil Sugar Scrub - 475g
Naobay Detox Illuminating Micellar Water - 200ml
Creightons Cocoa Butter Softening Hand Cream With Vitamin E - 50ml

Total - 10 Items

I know I hinted at it in my July empties post, but yes in August I secured the hat trick, and I managed to finish another 10 items! Again a nice mix of body and skin care products, with a few products that you've seen before and a few more bargain buys.

1. Lanolips Antibacterial Hand Cream - 50m

First up, the first of 3 hand creams in this post, and this one is from the dry skin specialists, Lanolips. If you haven't heard of this cult brand, where have you been? Lanolips is a beauty brand that is based on the power, and the healing properties of pure grade, cruelty free, lanolin.

Particularly famous for their lip balms, they've now branched out into skin care and body care. I think that I got this particular hand cream in a previous edition of Glossybox UK, and sadly, based on my own research, I think that it's now been discontinued.

This wasn't just a hand cream though, it was an antibacterial hand cream, so it was perfect for these germ obsessed times. Designed to condition and protect, this hand cream claimed to kill 99% of all germs whilst at the same time moisturising and protecting the hands.

With a creamy texture, this white hand cream had a really fresh, clean green, herbal scent that reminded me a bit of pine needles and fresh rosemary. It was fairly easy to massage into the skin, and it almost seemed as though it was coating the skin. It was a touch tacky at first but it did eventually absorb in to skin leaving the hands smooth and protected.

This really was the perfect hand cream for a COVID winter so it's a real shame that it seems to have been discontinued.

2. Nivea Q10 Multi Power 5 In 1 Firming + Cellulite Gel - 200ml

Okay, I can almost hear the words that you're currently shouting at your screen right now - something along the lines of "anti cellulite products are a scam" and you can't firm your thighs by rubbing in a cream" and yes I hear you, but I do actually really like this product!

Did I notice a visible difference in my cellulite within 3 weeks like Nivea claim? To be honest not visually but my skin on my bottom and thighs certainly feels smoother and softer, and I love the fresh, fruity scent of this turquoise gel, so I've bought a couple more tubes and I'm going to keep using.

The RRP of this product is £11.99 but I didn't pay that I was suckered in on a half price offer, so if you fancy trying this for yourself then keep an eye out in Superdrug, as this is often on offer for around £5.99 or on a buy one get one free.

3. eos - Evolution Of Smooth Essential Hand Lotion - Berry Blossom - 44ml

Next up another hand cream, and this one was another £1 bargain buy from Poundland. From another cult brand eos, Evolution Of Smooth, this is one of several different types of hand cream in their range.

Packaging innovators, this hand cream comes in an almost ergonomic style, easy to hold pod shaped tube, with a flip top cap.

Containing shea butter, aloe vera, cocoa and oat extracts, this fruity / floral scented hand cream is yellow in colour, and has a light, creamy texture. It's super quick to absorb and it leaves the hands feeling silky smooth and smelling heavenly.

I really loved this hand cream and I particularly loved the soft floral combined with fruit berry notes of the Berry Blossom scent, but whilst it feels good in the palm of your hand, the pod style packaging does make it quite difficult to get the product out. It's made of quite firm plastic so it isn't the easiest tube to squeeze, and it's also pretty hard to cut it open and get the last dregs of product out,

I do have another one of these also in Berry Blossom to use up, and I also have another one in the Fresh Flowers scent to try, but I would definitely consider buying it again in the future.

Despite seeing a few other eos products in Poundland recently, I haven't seen this particular hand cream for quite a while now, but if you fancy trying this one for yourself. you can pick it up for around £2.99 from various places including eBay, Amazon, Direct Cosmetics, and Beauty Outlets.

4. Soap & Glory Melty Talented Dry Skin Balm - 30g

With Christmas on its way, it shouldn't be too long before the Boots Christmas Gift Guide is out. It's definitely one the signs for me that Christmas is on its way, and I love nothing more than reverting back to childhood and circling the things that I want, and trying to work out what this years Star Gifts are going to be.

The next empty that I am going to share with you is a product from one of the famous Soap & Glory Star Gifts, and like so many of the original Soap & Glory products this one too appears to have been discontinued.

Packaged in a retro style, metal tin, this multi use dry skin balm contained a combination of coconut and almond oils, mango butter, and vitamin E as well as wheatgerm and castor seed oils.

With a semi solid texture, this natural yellow balm, with a subtle vanilla / coconut scent, melts on contact with the skin. Being a multi use balm you could pretty much use this anywhere that needed a bit of extra moisture, from your lips, to your knees and elbows, the ends of your hair, and to your hands and cuticles.

I mainly used this as a cuticle treatment and as a hand moisturiser. You only needed a tiny fingernail size amount for all 10 nails, a little went a very long way. It felt very moisturising, and obviously a touch oily, but at the same time it didn't feel too heavy or sticky. It took a little while to absorb but the skin immediately looked more hydrated and glowy.

This was a really nice hand and cuticle product, and I can imagine that it would have been great for dry patches or for people with generally drier skin. I know this particular product retailed at around £5 but as I say it's out of stock on the Soap & Glory website, and I can't find it at all on the Boots website, so it look as though it's gone for good. 

5. AVON Senses Winter Treasure Raspberry And Vanilla Liquid Soap - 250ml

Next up another hand care product and this time it's a liquid hand soap. Although I've been using a lot of Carex hand washes lately, I'm a huge fan of a lot of the seasonal fragrances in the AVON Senses range, and also of their Care range, and this one Winter Treasure Raspberry And Vanilla, was I think for either last year or the year before.

Bright red in colour, it wasn't the most outwardly festive scent that I've ever smelled, instead it had more of a warm fruity scent.

Alas this particular scent has now been discontinued (although you might still find the odd product on eBay) but I just had a look at the latest AVON book and this years festive shower gel and hand wash scent is Gingerbread. I do love me some gingerbread scents so I'm definitely going to be ordering myself both a hand wash and a shower gel.

6. BYBI Strawberry Booster - 15ml

The next item on the list is the first of two products that I received in the January 2020 edition of Glossybox UK, and you can read my full review here x 

I don't really have too much to add to my original review - I still feel that it was very much a seasonal product for someone like me with a more oily skin, and I'm still disappointed that it didn't have more of a strawberry scent, it smelled quite oily, and that scent only got stronger the longer the bottle was open. Personally I don't think that I'd repurchase this product but if you have a drier skin especially in the winter months that this could be something to try.

7. Nair Wax Strips - Face - 12 Wax Strips

If you read my June 2021 empties post then you'll have already seen me raving about these bargain priced wax strips, and about what a revelation they've been in my life! Again not too much to add other than I still love them and I'm going to keep buying them for as long as Poundland stock them!

8. Beauty Pie Soul Providers Re-Energizing Dry Oil Sugar Scrub - 475g

Now I'm not going to go into too much depth about Beauty Pie here as I have a few first impressions posts coming soon, but if you aren't familiar with it, it's basically a membership service, that allows you to buy high end products under the Beauty Pie brand, without the marks ups, and advertising costs of designer and high end brands.

After a friend bought me a few bits for Christmas, I signed up for my own membership at the end of December, this is one of the first products that I bought.

I'm a huge body scrub junkie and I'm obsessed with trying new ones, so it made perfect senses that I would try one of the two body scrubs that Beauty Pie offer as one of first items.

The one that I went for was the Beauty Pie Soul Providers Re-Energizing Dry Oil Sugar Scrub, which contains Demerara sugar, sea salt, lemon peel sweet almost oil, apricot kernel oil, evening primrose oil, Indian gooseberry extract, holy basil, black pepper, and cedrat lemongrass fragrance.  It also cruelty free and vegan.

It comes boxed and as well as the tub of scrub itself, you also get a lovely Beauty Pie branded, wooded scoop to stir and scoop out the scrub,

Peel back the protective seal and you're greeted with quite a coarse sugar and salt scrub containing smaller darker particles, including tiny pieces of lemon peel, with a layer of oil on top. You need to give it a stir first to mix the oil into the sugar mix, then you just scoop it out and massage it into the skin in circular motions before rinsing it away.

On the Louise scrubby scale this is quite a scrubby scrub, there is a lot of texture to it, and you really feel as though you've had a thorough spa like exfoliation every time you use it. The high oil content stops it from being too harsh though, and when you've rinsed the scrub away the oil almost turns into a milk, leaving the skin feeling almost glass like smooth and moisturised.

Oh and did I mention the scent? Look at the ingredients list and imagine the scent and you're probably thinking along the right lines; it smells beautifully spa like with a real citrus hit of lemongrass - gorgeous and both refreshing and relaxing!

This is by one of the best, if not the best body scrubs that I've ever used, it smells gorgeous. it's really scrubby, and it leaves the skin super soft - it therefore goes without saying that I've already bought another pot. In fact I love this product so much that this scrub alone has justified my Beauty Pie membership.

Beauty Pie members pay £10.37 for this 475g tub, which has a typical recommended retail price of £50. If you want to try Beauty Pie for yourself then you can use my personal recommendation link here or type LOUISE_HOLLOW into the recommended by a friend box when you sign up, for £10 off your first order, and because Beauty Pie are nice like that I'll get £10 off my next order too, so I guess that's an #affiliatelink :)  

If you're interested in finding out more about my experience so far with Beauty Pie then make sure you stay following my blog to see my first impressions make up hauls, which should be up sometime in the next few weeks x 

9. Naobay Detox Illuminating Micellar Water - 200ml

Next up another skincare product, and like the BYBI Beauty Strawberry Booster, this product also came in the January 2020 edition of Glossybox UK, and again you can read a full review here x 

This product I guess sums up one of my frustrations with Glossybox, I potentially would have repurchased quite a few more products that I've been introduced to by Glossybox, including this one, but so many things are just too hard to find, even with the entire internet at your disposal, which is a real shame.

10. Creightons Cocoa Butter Softening Hand Cream With Vitamin E - 50ml

Finally we have another hand cream, and this one was another bargain buy, this time from Home Bargains. Established in 1954, Creightons are an award winning British company who design, create and manufacture a wide range of 100% cruelty free, skin care, hair care, body care, and wellbeing products.

As you know I love me some cocoa butter, so I couldn't resist giving this hand cream a try. Containing cocoa seed butter and vitamin E, this hand cream comes packaged in a metal look, plastic paint style tube. The product inside is creamy white in colour, and it has a light but dense creamy texture. Rather than the true chocolate, vanilla scent of cocoa butter, this hand cream has a much subtler almost vanilla yogurt type scent.

It was really easy to massage into the skin and it seemed to absorb quite quickly, leaving the skin smooth, and looking and feeling more hydrated.

For around £1 I would definitely consider buying either this one, or one of the other fragrances in the range such as argan or coconut again. I got mine in Home Bargains for around £1 but you can also buy it direct from Creightons for around £1.29.

So they were my August empties, and it was another solid performance with 10 empties. Could I do better in September? Well believe it or not I could! My September empties post will be up in a week or so, but in the meantime if you have any questions on any of the items in this post then please leave me a comment and I'll see you later this week with another post x 

*This Post Contains  Automatic Affiliate, Added Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links And Promotional Codes

Trimming My Stash - December 2018 Edition - Empties, Mini Reviews, A 2018 Round Up And A Life Update

Since this is my first post of 2019, I'd like to start it off by wishing you all a very Happy New Year x I had originally intended to keep on posting right through the Christmas and New Year holiday, but I changed my plans slightly and decided to take a bit of extra time out, for me and mine, and do you know what? I'm glad I did! Coping with chronic illness at the best of times is a struggle, but at Christmas time, that struggle seems to be amped right up, and even though I didn't do a lot of extra work or socialising by some peoples standards, by Boxing Day all I wanted was my bed, so I took a few unplanned days off to recharge my batteries enough to enjoy a bit of extra rest and a bit of extra family time.

I'm not a fan of going out on New Years Eve, it's hard when you can't drink much, and you don't have the energy to stand or dance all night, so I saw 2019 in, in front of the TV, in my PJ's with Mummy Lou, some fizz and some nibbles - simple pleasures! Despite the usual optimism at midnight, 2019 hasn't actually started off that well if I'm being honest - case in point, 2 days into the new year, and thanks to a jar of marmalade I managed to shatter my iPhone screen in several dozen pieces! My poor phone didn't look pretty at all and within a couple of seconds it became pretty much useless. The obvious option was to get it fixed but after being blessed with some Christmas money, and being able to upgrade my mobile phone contract, I took the plunge and got myself a shiny new iPhone X. It has a few quirks that I'm not quite used to yet but I'm getting there and I'm slowly falling in love with an inanimate object! Is that wrong? LOL probably but the battery lasts longer, everything seems quicker, and the camera is well on point, oh and I even managed to sell on my poor little 6S, so bar my bank balance being a little depleted, and a couple of stressful moments, I dealt with it and moved on.

I wish I could say the same thing about my poor little tooth though - For a change I had a really productive day on Friday I took some photos, did some editing, and sorted out the music on my new phone, by the time it got to 4pm though I was a bit tired so in true spoonie style I went for a quick Nana nap, or should that be a spoonie siesta? You know the story though my hours rest turned into a six and a half hour, full on sleep, I woke up about quarter to 12 at night, and I was hungry. I'd missed dinner, no problem though, we have still have plenty of food leftover from the holidays so I made myself a cheese sandwich and had a few posh crisps on the side. All good, good sandwich, good crisps, but then suddenly it all went wrong! I put a couple of crisps in my mouth and crunch I bit down on something hard, it felt like cat litter, it gets everywhere, but how did it get in my crisps? - I'll spare you the graphic details but it wasn't actually cat litter it was much worse than that, I'd taken a chunk out of one of my bottom teeth - sob - I care for my teeth, I do everything I'm supposed to, and then this happens - one of the perils of taking medication that leaves your eyes and mouth as dry as the Sahara Desert, can be dental problems - woohoo! Thankfully at the moment it doesn't really hurt bar a bit of irritation where the jagged edge is scraping my cheek and tongue, but obviously I'm going to have to be really careful about what I eat until I can see my dentist on Wednesday, so no nuts or toffees for me, and lots of gentle brushing, water flossing, and antibacterial mouthwash - oh the joys! -

So there we go, two things that have gone wrong already in 2019; They say that things come in 3's so can the third thing, if and when it comes, be equally minor and relatively easy to deal with, and then please can the year get better from then? I certainly hope so! 2018 wasn't the best of years for me for a lot of reasons but I came out of it a stronger, and hopefully a better person, and hopefully that will put me in good stead for whatever 2019 has to offer. I'm not big on resolutions, maybe because I'm not big on failing, but probably more so, I don't always feel that you should change who you are. Like my new diary suggest I don't really want to change the essence of who I am because the date on a calendar changes, I just want to be the best person that I can and do things for me and not for anyone else. What does that mean? well it basically means that you aren't going to get any life changing or world changing new years resolutions from me in 2019, I'm just going to try and make a few small changes to make my life easier, and hopefully even better. I am going to talk about a few changes that I'm going to make that may impact the blog in my next post, but other than that it's just the usual aims, and goals - to try and concentrate on the important things and the important people, try to save a bit of money and think about what I buy a bit more, and of course to try and be a bit more organised.

I seem to say the same thing pretty much every year but I'm hoping that 2019 will be the year that I wear more, and use more, and buy less. I'm already planning a huge clothing and accessory purge, and I am of course going to keep on tackling a significantly reduced beauty mountain. I didn't make a what I got for Christmas video this year but I was really blessed and received some lovely things (check out my Instagram if you want to see some of the things that I got x). Compared to previous years though I didn't get that many beauty products, I got quite a few nail polishes, and a few make up kits, but I didn't get a lot of skin care or body care bits, and since I've avoided the sales, I haven't added to my stash too much over the festive period, and since I'm only going to try and buy what I need in 2019, I don't intend to add too much more to it over the next 12 months or so. It therefore goes without saying that Trimming My Stash will be an ongoing thing in 2019, but before we get started and focus on the here and now, lets take a little look back and see what I managed to finish in December 2018..

Lush Snow Fairy Body Conditioner - 100g
Skin Republic X Olivia Buckland Prep + Glow Face Mask Sheet - 25ml - 1 x Sheet Mask
Superdrug Nourishing Nail Polish Remover - 250ml
The Body Shop Merry Cranberry Bath & Shower Gel - 250ml
NIVEA Caring Shower Gel Love Sunshine - 250ml
Primark PS Cuticle Oil
Primark PS... Micellar Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes

Total - 7 Items 

Well I ended the year by finishing a pretty solid 7 items, which seems to be a little bit better than my average monthly performance. I finished a nice assortment of items including lots of body care, products and a few skincare items, a couple of new things, and a couple of old favourites. In fact the only thing that would have made it better would have been to finish a make up item or two - pretty much the story of my year - I've managed to finish loads of everything else but hardly any make up, so that's definitely an area I need to focus on in 2019.

1. Lush Snow Fairy Body Conditioner - 100g

Ah Snow Fairy, would Christmas really be Christmas without that sweet bubblegum, candy floss like scent - I don't think so. Now you're probably familiar with the original Snow Fairy shower cream but have you tried this? Originally released in 2016, Snow Fairy Body Conditioner almost resembles pink blancmange, it's has a creamy buttery texture, and it contains organic cocoa, mango and avocado butters, and almond and jojoba oils as well as a smattering of iridescent shimmer.

Now despite the suggestion that this is a body moisturiser, Lush actually promote this as a shower product and they advise that you smooth a layer of the cream all over your body before rinsing it off in the bath or shower. As well as cleansing the skin it gives it a much bigger moisture boost than just using a conventional shower product, and because it's so creamy it's also brilliant to shave with. It is a really indulgent shower product but it does seem a bit of a waste to just wash it off, so what I and a lot of other Lushies tend to do it to use a small amount either as a body moisturiser, or to add a bit of shimmer to the skin. It takes a little while to absorb but it leaves the skin feel really smooth and deliciously scented.

I think that this is a lovely product but I think you have a tendency to overuse it so it doesn't seem to last that long. That said if you love Snow Fairy and you want a really indulgent and pampering product, and you want to fully immerse yourself in that sugary sweet scent then this is the product for you. Alas I did manage to get any more of this, this Christmas but I do have a large bottle of Snow Fairy to indulge all of my pick 'n' mix and candy floss fantasies in 2019 without all of the calories and the sugar.

2. Skin Republic X Olivia Buckland Prep + Glow Face Mask Sheet - 25ml - 1 x Sheet Mask

Now when I received this in November's Pink Parcel I openly admitted that I had no idea who Olivia Buckland is - what can I say I'm not a fan of Love Island or reality TV in general, and whilst I still don't know much about her what I can say is that this is without a doubt one of the nicest sheet masks that I've ever used!



High praise from moi! but just why did I like this so much well, for a start it did exactly what it promised - it promised me bright, hydrated and flawless skin and that's exactly what I got! This spun lace / paper feel mask contains plumping collagen, pomegranate extract and hydrating hyaluronic acid.

The first thing I noticed when I took the mask out of the packet was just how wet it was, it wasn't watery wet though, it felt thicker then that and almost slightly gel like. After doing my best Phantom Of The Opera impression for around 15 minute I removed the mask to find a layer of almost serum like liquid on my face. It was pretty easy to massage into the skin though and it didn't take too long to absorb. In fact there was so much extra liquid left over both on the mask itself and in the packet that I massaged the excess over my neck, decolletage, and even on my hands. Once it had absorbed my skin looked brighter, and felt smoother, plumper, and crammed full of moisture without feeling oily. I've tried quite a few sheet masks now and this is before the best I've tried in terms of feel and in terms of noticeable results. It may be a coincidence but in the days after I'd used it a few people commented on just how clear my skin looked, and how well rested I looked, despite the fact that I certainly didn't feel it! It's not the cheapest mask at £5.49 for one application but I was so pleased with the results that I'm definitely considering buying this one again, if you fancy giving it ago yourself, you can get it in Superdrug.

3. Superdrug Nourishing Nail Polish Remover - 250ml

Now nail polish remover isn't the most exciting of beauty products, but if you love your nail polish as much as I do it's an essential x It's acetone free, it's not drying on the nails, it doesn't smell horrible, it's cheap and it works, in fact I love it so much that I actually class it as one of my holy grail products - you can find out exactly why I love it so much in this post from 2011! The product is still exactly the same and it's still just £1.39 for 250ml - what is not to love?
4. The Body Shop Merry Cranberry Bath & Shower Gel - 250ml

Right I have no idea how old this product is but I'm sad to have finished - Every year I look forward to the Christmas collections from The Body Shop, and every year I pray that there will be something apple scented and something cranberry scented - in 2018 none of the scents made an appearance so for the first time in many, many years I didn't buy anything festive from The Body Shop. To be fair I didn't need anything but still it was a slightly strange feeling. Merry Cranberry was one of my favourite festive scents in recent (or maybe not so recent) years, the sweet, tart fruity scent was a delight to the senses and this was a shower gel that I really enjoyed using - Something makes me thing I have a few more cranberry inspired bottles tucked away so I'm going to dig those out and enjoy using them, and again I live in hope that 2019 will see the return of some of my favourite festive scents from The Body Shop 

5. NIVEA Caring Shower Gel Love Sunshine - 250ml*

From something old to something a lot more recent, and this summer scented shower gel from NIVEA. I was sent this product last summer to try and it really was summer in a bottle x You can read my full review here x 

6. Primark PS Cuticle Oil - 10ml

Yawn, you're probably sick of hearing about this stuff - I seem to have talked about in pretty much every other Trimming My Stash post in 2017 and 2018. Briefly it's cheap, and it works wonders, for just £1 a bottle it's a skin and nail saviour at this time of year buy it you will not be disappointed!!

7. Primark PS... Micellar Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes

Since I bought these Primark's face wipe range has been completely overhauled and repackaged so I honestly don't know if these wipes are still in existence. I think I picked these up once when I couldn't get the tea tree ones, and I have to say they weren't half bad - Yes I know cleansing wipes aren't good for you but in an emergency, be that a real one or laziness these were decent, they weren't quite wet enough for me but they removed make up, and grime without leaving the skin red or dry or irritated - you can't ask for anymore than that.
So all in all, not too bad an end to 2018, but how did I do over the course of the whole year? and just how many beauty products did I manage to finish? Well let's see...

January - 4 Items
February - 6 Items
March - 6 Items
April - 5 Items
May - 11 Items
June - 4 Items
July - 3 Items
August - 6 Items
September - 7 Items
October - 10 Items
November - 3 Items
December - 7 Items
Total - 72 Items 

Over the course of 2018, I managed to finish 72 beauty products, which isn't too bad. Although I'm a long way off matching 2016's total of 91, I managed to finish 2 items more than I did in 2017, so any improvement has to be seen as a win. I'm not resting on my laurels though, this is an ongoing thing, and like everything else I'm learning a few lessons on the way. The first one of course being, why on earth did I buy so much stuff in the first place!!! Whether I was trying to keeping up with Jones's or other bloggers, or I thought that I was getting a bargain, or was it because I needed a little treat to cheer myself up? Who knows? It's taken a while but I've definitely realised that I either need to be a little bit more selective in my shopping, or I need to cut down on the shopping thing altogether - hmmm a tough one that but as needs and bathroom cupboards must I guess - so for 2019 my mantra is buy less, and wear and use more x Again I'll be documenting all my trimming my stash ups and downs for you right here on my blog and if you're doing something similar I'd love to hear why, what your motivations are ? and any hints, tips or suggestions that you have for making 2019 the best year yet. I'd also love to hear from you if you're are doing Project 10 Pan this year, I've been debating for quite some time over whether or not to do it again, and I'm starting to think that this that it may be time x Let me know your thoughts, and I will see you soon with a video and a little announcement,  and a very late post sharing days 13 - 25 of the Glossybox All I Want Advent Calendar x 

*Press Sample

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*AD / Press Sample