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

Before I start playing catch up again and posting some other reviews and hauls, I thought that I'd at least try and get my empties posts back on track with my June Trimming My Stash post.
 
The Body Shop Glazed Apple Shower Gel - 250ml
Avant Skincare Deluxe Hyaluronic Acid Vivifying Face & Eye Night Cream - 50ml
The Body Shop Juicy Pear Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 250ml
The Body Shop Juicy Pear Body Yogurt - 200ml
Steve Laurant Total Repair Lip Mask - 1 x 8g Mask
Patchology Mood Mask The Good Fight Clear Skin Sheet Mask - 1 x 20ml Mask
L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml
Cussons Carex Moisture Derma Care Antibacterial Hand Wash - 250ml
Elysium Spa Epsom Salts Bath & Shower Gel - Lavender - 300ml
Nair Wax Strips - Face - 12 Wax Strips

Total - 10 Items

After a couple of decent months, June was the standout month of 2021 so far, at least empties wise, and I managed to finish 10 items! No make up yet again (I definitely need to try a little bit harder on that one), but lots of skincare, and body products, a few much loved items, and a few bargain buys.

1. The Body Shop Glazed Apple Shower Gel - 250ml

I'm starting June's list I guess on a bit of a sad note, and unless a miracle happens, I'm saying goodbye to my last product from The Body Shop's Glazed Apple range.

From circa 2014, Glazed Apple is probably my favourite ever festive collection from The Body Shop. With just a slight hint of apple, this had a lovely sweet and sugary fruity scent, reminiscent of candy apples, or even candy floss. I absolutely loved it, it lingered on the skin, and it was one of those fragrances that you could smell all over the house, after you'd used it in the shower.

Whilst I do have a couple of apple and pear based products from different Christmas collections from The Body Shop to use up, I believe that this was the last Glazed Apple product that I has, I'm probably over egging the pudding a bit here but farewell and I'll miss you :(

2. Avant Skincare Deluxe Hyaluronic Acid Vivifying Face & Eye Night Cream - 50ml

When it comes to skincare, I don't always use the same products everyday, I tend to switch it up depending on how my skin feels, what I think it needs, and what I'm trying out at that moment in time.

I normally have a few different moisturisers on the go at once and that's probably why I don't seem to finish them that often. For example at bedtime I tend to alternate between a night cream, a night oil, and a sleep mask, with the occasional application of Alpha H Liquid Gold thrown in for good measure. Lately though my skin has needed a bit of a boost, and this particular product has made a real difference. 

I received this product in the January 2019 edition of Glossybox UK, and you can read a full review of it here. 

I really enjoyed using this moisturiser, I loved the fact that it doubled up as an eye cream, and I loved how smooth and even it left my combination skin, without leaving it oily or greasy or causing breakouts.

I would definitely have considered buying this again but with an RRP of £98 it is just a bit too price prohibitive.

3. The Body Shop Juicy Pear Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 250ml

4. The Body Shop Juicy Pear Body Yogurt - 200ml

Next up another product from The Body Shop, and it's the first of two products in this post from the 2019 Juicy Pear festive range.

I do love a good body scrub and I'm a huge fan of The Body Shop's sugar based scrubs. They have just the right amount of scrubbiness, and the sugar dissolves away leaving no mess behind in the bath or the shower.

Made of community trade organic sugar from Paraguay and Italian pear extract, this scrub had a gorgeous sweet, yet tart, fruity pear scent which complemented the next product on June's list perfectly.

Yes, item number 4, is another product from The Body Shop's Juicy Pear range, and this time it's a body moisturiser.

Now I'm sure you are already familiar with The Body Shop body butters but have you heard of their body yogurts? I love my body butters but if I am being honest they do take a little while to sink in. If you're hot or if you're in a rush then body yogurts are the answer to your prayers. Whilst they aren't quite as moisturising as body butters, they have a lovely cooling, cream gel texture that melts almost immediately on contact with the skin. They are really quick to absorb and although they can leave the skin just a touch sticky at first, especially if you use too much, the leave the skin hydrated and beautifully scented.

With the same sweet, tart, fruity pear scent, again this product contains Italian pear extract, as well as community trade organic almond milk from Spain.

Alas like the Glazed Apple range, Juicy Pear is no more, but a little birdie has told me that there will be a pear based scent in the 2021 Christmas range, and I can't wait to see what it smells like, but in the meantime I'll happily use up the remaining products that I have from the Juicy Pear range.

5. Steve Laurant Total Repair Lip Mask - 1 x 8g Mask

The next item on the list is something that you've seen quite recently on the blog, the Steve Laurant Total Repair Lip Care Mask, and you can read a full review of it here x 

6. Patchology Mood Mask The Good Fight Clear Skin Sheet Mask - 1 x 20ml Mask

From a lip mask to a face mask, and a sheet mask from a brand called Patchology. If you aren't familiar with them, Patchology are a skin and body care brand that started off initially by developing patches and stick on dressings for the medical profession, before moving on to produce a range of patches, and masks for the body and face as well as some more conventional moisturiser and eye products.

From a subscription box (possibly Pink Parcel) this mask contains a whole host of antibacterial and good for you ingredients including Tea Tree, Willow Bark, Peppermint, amino acids, and allantoin. It is specially designed for younger skin, and skin that is more problematic and blemish prone. Patchology claim that this mask will help to destroy skin clogging bacteria, whilst at the same time soothing inflammation and slowing down oil production.

The sheet mask itself felt very wet, and a touch slimy, and it was coated an almost a clear gel like serum. It was a nice, good quality mask though so it was pretty easy to unfold despite it being so wet. To be honest I was expecting it to have a stronger tea tree or mint scent but instead it had a more subtle almost disinfectant like, slightly herbal scent.

Before

It felt quite cool and wet on application but like most sheet masks it gradually warmed up to body temperature on contact with the skin.

On Application

I left it on for the recommended 10 minutes before peeling it off. There was a lot of excess serum left on my face so it felt very wet. I massaged as much as I could of it into my skin but it still felt pretty wet, and it took a good 10 minutes or so for it to absorb, and even then my skin still felt slightly tacky, and I felt as though I had product on my skin, but overall I think my skin looked cleaner and a touch clearer.

After 

Now apart from the odd hormonal spot, large pores, and an oily t-zone, my skin really isn't that problematic any more, but I tried this mask out around the time that my mum was rushed into hospital - the weather warm, and I was pretty stressed out, so I ended up with a few spots on my chin, my cheeks and on my nose.

To be honest I expected this mask to tingle, and to cause a bit of redness, but bar a tiny bit of barely noticeable extra pinkness, this mask caused no irritation whatsoever, and it may be a coincidence but the spots that I did have definitely seemed to disappear more quickly that usual.

Whilst I'm not sure I would personally buy this mask again, purely because my skin just doesn't really need it at the moment, if you have a more blemish prone skin then this could be something to try.

The Patchology Moodmask The Good Fight Clear Skin Sheet Mask retails at around £5 for 1 x 20ml sheet mask both direct from Patchology and from Cult Beauty.

7. L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml

From the moment that I started posting on forums, going on social media, reading blogs and ultimately starting my own blog, I started buying into something called hype! The minute I saw someone raving about a product, or anytime that something new came out, I wanted it! Yes, I am weak, and I am an advertisers dream, or at least I used to be! I honestly have gotten better, I still love trying new products, and I always have a wish list of products that I want to try, but at least now I try and be a bit more discerning, and a bit more selective over what I do buy.

Something that I did buy recently that was hyped up from all corners was the L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water! If you haven't already heard about this stuff, where have you been??

I can't say I really understand the technology that well (have a look at the L'Oreal website for an explanation) but this rinse out liquid conditioner claims to work in just 8 second, and it claims to give you 10 x smoother hair, with a silky touch and a glossy shine.

Designed for dry, frizzy, longer hair (yup, that's me!) you apply it to the lengths of your hair after shampooing, then you leave it for 8 second before rinsing it out and applying your usual condition (tbh I just apply it and then stick my conditioner on top before rinsing it all off at once). For best result you then need to blow dry your hair, and then voila!

I admit I was cynical, it looks and feels like water, all be it lovely fresh, fruity, floral smelling water (the scent of which lingers on your hair even after rinsing) but immediately when you apply it you feel a slight warming sensation, so you know that it is doing something!

So did it make a difference? well despite my cynicism yes, yes it did! My hair looked smoother, less frizzy, a lot shinier and it smelled fantastic! For something that looks so innocuous, and that's so quick, I was so surprised to be able to see the difference. I have seen the odd bad review but for me the hype is justified, and I'm already half way through another bottle, and I've just bought another bottle.

You can buy this product from most larger L'Oreal Paris stockists including Superdrug, Look Fantastic, Boots and Amazon, where it has a recommended retail price of £9.99 but my advice is to shop around because you can usually find it on offer for around £4.99.

8. Cussons Carex Moisture Derma Care Antibacterial Hand Wash - 250ml

The next item on the list isn't the most exciting thing ever but it's an essential. I've talked about this particular product before, but thanks to COVID, its lovely fruity scent, and the fact that it isn't drying, it's something that I will continue to buy and use.

9. Elysium Spa Epsom Salts Bath & Shower Gel - Lavender - 300ml

You should hopefully know by now that I love a bargain, and the final two products on this list are some super cheap beauty buys that I picked up on one of my frequent trips to Poundland.

I'm a member of a few Poundland fan groups on Facebook, and this first product was something that I'd seen recommended quite a few times.

I've talked about it quite a few times on the blog but I have quite an interesting relationship with sleep, I can either sleep for 14 hours straight, or I can experience severe insomnia and not sleep properly for days. As as result I am always on the lookout for things to get me in the right mindset for sleep.

I saw a few good reviews of this, and since I usually respond well to lavender I thought I'd give it a try. It's basically a lavender and epsom salt based shower gel which aims to cleanse, soothe, and relax the body and mind.

Clear in appearance and with a runny gel like consistency, you didn't need a lot to produce a good amount of foam. It had a nice but maybe slightly old fashioned, lavender scent, which whilst not the astringent lavender scent that I usually prefer, was gentle and perfect for getting you in the mood for bedtime. It was really easy to rinse off and whilst I wasn't really expecting that much from it, my skin felt really soft and not at all tight or dry.

For just £1, I was actually really impressed with this product, and it's something that I would definitely consider buying again, and I am also now on the hunt for the elusive Eucalyptus version. As I say you can pick this up for just £1 from various stores including Poundland, B&M, and The Range.

10. Nair Wax Strips - Face - 12 Wax Strips

Like all parents and grandparents my mam has some funny sayings in her repertoire, and one of her favourites and something that she said many times to me when I was younger is "you can't have hair in one place, and not the other", and although it's a touch weird she is actually right. Dark, thick hair on your head, means that you'll usually have dark thick hair everywhere else!

I know it's a social construct, and hair on your face and body is 100% normal, but for me personally the tache has to go. I'll happily grow out my body hair at times, but my upper lip and chin hairs, are just a step too far.

Over the years I've used lots of different products to trim my tache so to speak, including bleaching, epilating and hair removal creams, but I've never really been a facial waxer. I don't know whether it's down to age or changes in my skin but lately even my usual brands of hair removal cream have left my upper lip looking super red and sore, so I came to the conclusion that I needed to try something different.

I don't wax my legs that often anymore (I normally use something that I really should have shared with you ages ago - me bad!), but when I do I just pick up a packet of Nair wax strips in Poundland, so when I saw these facial strips, I thought I'd give them a go, and do you know what? I am super pleased that I did.

For just £1 you get 12 facial wax strips, and they actually work. Wax strips have come such a long way since I first started using them, and for the price these ones are excellent, they stick and they remove even the most stubborn, thick, dark hairs by the root! Yes it stings a but, and your face is left a bit red but instead of having to use creams at least once a week. My dark tache hairs are gone for around 3 weeks, and even better still after using these for nearly 3 months now, they are already getting finer and less bristle like.

I'm now kicking myself and wondering just why I didn't persevere with wax in the beginning. I've learnt my lesson now though and you can buy fancier and more expensive Nair facial wax strips, I'll be sticking to these Poundland beauties!

So that was a bit of an epic one, but they were my June empties, all 10 of them, and as you can see in the side bar --> July was just as successful (post coming soon!), and hopefully I'll end up there or thereabouts in August as well.

If you have any questions on any of the products on June's list, then let me know, and please also let me know if you've spotted the Elysium Spa Epsom Salt Bath & Shower Gel in Eucalyptus on your travels, I can't find it anywhere near me and I am desperate to track it down in a bricks and mortar store.

Thanks as per usual for your support and I will see you soon with another post which will either be a Glossybox catch up, or a beauty review x 

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

Unboxing Pink Parcel UK - July 2019 Edition - Turn Up The Heat Edit*

After all of the hassle and palaver that I had with the June edition of Pink Parcel, I'm pleased to say that July's both arrived on time and without incident.

It seems as though Pink Parcel are still trying to use up their old style packaging, so like in June, in July I received an original pink and grey box, which contained 3 boxes and the familiar fabric pouch.

I was a little bit short on night time pads so again I went for a sanitary pad box, like pretty much every box I've had recently I received a mixture of different brands rather than what I'd requested, as I've said before though I don't really mind different brands, I'm more concerned about the amount products in the box, and again despite reverting back to the old style, larger box, I still only got 23 items  and at the risk of repeating myself that's fine for me but not necessarily for anyone with a longer or heavier period.

Anyways I'm sure you've heard me complain about that before, so lets move quickly on to the most exciting part of the box, the treats! The theme of July's box is Turn Up The Heat, so it's all about the sun, summer and the heat, and it contains a variety of products to treat and pamper the skin.

As I said in the review of June's box I normally ignore the flyer's and adverts that tend to come in my subscription boxes and shopping orders, but like in last months box, the July edition of Pink Parcel also contained something that was worth saving from the recycling bin.

It was a fragrance card from Ted Baker featuring samples of 3 scents from their Ted's Sweet Treats range. The first scent Polly contains a mixture of mandarin, red berries, peach, amber, and vanilla.  Mia is another fruity scent and contains lemon, raspberries, and blackcurrants mixed with patchouli and golden amber, and the final scent Ella again contains fruity notes including bergamot, and cassis, but it also contains floral notes of orange blossom, jasmine and rose.

I wasn't expecting a lot but I actually liked all of the scents, they were surprisingly complex and not as sweet as I'd anticipated. My favourite was definitely Polly, which reminded me a little bit of Victoria's Secret Tease, which I got for my birthday and I love.

STYLondon Banana Setting Powder - 4.5g - Full Size - RRP £14.99

After receiving the lovely marble packaged lipstick in June's box, July's box contained another product from cruelty free, and paraben free, British company STYLondon, and this time it was their Banana Setting Powder. 

Now although it contains vitamin E, and natural minerals, despite the name it doesn't actually contain bananas. The banana refers to the slight yellow colour of this super fine face powder. It sounds strange I know but yellow powder has a been a make up artists secret for the longest time, and it's something that I've used on and off for over 15 years now. The yellow tint is designed to brighten the complexion and to eliminate redness as well as doing all of the other things a loose powder should do like mattifying the skin and setting make up.

As you can see from the picture below it's not a bright, bright yellow so you won't end up looking like a minion! Just dust it sparingly over your foundation with a puff or with what I prefer, a big fluffy brush, and on the majority of skin tones, you won't really see any yellowness, (apart from on your eyebrows so make sure you give them a brush through, just a more even, matte complexion.

In the before picture below I'm just wearing a very lightweight foundation. It evened my skin out but you can still see a bit of redness coming through especially on my cheeks.

]

Before

After

Apply a dusting of this banana powder over the top though, and although it doesn't make a huge difference, my skin tone is more even, the skin looks smooth and matte, and the redness isn't anywhere near as obvious. Over the last week or so I've given this powder a good work out in what have been some pretty extreme conditions, and I'm actually pretty impressed with it. It wasn't the greatest powder that I've ever used for keeping the shine down, and it did need to keep reapplying it but given the temperatures I tested it in, I'm not going to hold that against it. I loved the slight baby powder scent, and I have to say it's one of the best powders that I've used for reducing redness and evening out my skin tone. It has a very fine texture, and as long as you apply it sparingly it makes a great finishing powder, for anyone with redness or an uneven skin tone. The STYLondon Banana Setting Powder retails at £14.99 for a 4.5g tub and it's available directly from the STYLondon website.

Patchology Moodmask The Good Fight Clear Skin Sheet Mask - 1 x 20ml Sheet Mask - Full Size - RRP £5

I love a good face mask and you pretty much guarantee that every Pink Parcel will contain at least one mask. July's box actually contained 2 masks and the first one comes from a new brand to me Patchology. Using their medical background the team at Patchology create products with the whole philosophy of "beauty at the speed of you". They want their products to do more, work faster and to deliver better results.

I haven't had the chance to try this mask yet, I've been a bit masked out lately but this one is specially designed for problematic skin, oily skin and skin with breakouts. It's designed to soothe the skin, and to both minimise imperfections and to prevent new ones forming. It contains antibacterial willow bark and tea tree, and peppermint to reduce inflammation and to slow down oil production. I will definitely be giving this a go in the next week or so, so I'll let you know my thoughts in a future Trimming My Stash post. This full size mask retails at £5 and is available direct from Patchology, and various other retailers including Cult Beauty and Space NK

Dr Botanicals Po Pomegranate Superfood Regenerating Sleeping Mask - 30ml - Travel Size - RRP £12 - 14

I guess you could call the next item in the box another face mask, but it's actually so much more than that. The eagle eyed readers amongst will probably remember this product from my review of the April 2019 Glossybox (read my post here if you haven't already). Normally I would be a little bit disappointed to receive a product that I already own but I'm a bit of fan of this one so I'm happy to have another one in back up.

As you would expect from the Dr Botanicals range this product is cruelty free, vegan, and certified by PETA. Whilst it is technically a face mask it's actually more of a night treatment in the form of a face mask. Containing pomegranate, sweet almond oil, grapeseed and shea butter, you simply apply a thin layer of this creamy textured product to your face, before bed two or three times a week and they you just go to bed as normal, no rinsing or cleansing required, and then in theory you wake up bright, smooth and hydrated skin.

Now I've been using this for about a month and a half now and as I say I'm a fan. Although my skin is changing as I age, I still quite an oily complexion so I'm actually a bit scared of a lot of night creams and night treatments, because I always think that they will be a bit too heavy for my skin and that they'll actually make the oiliness worse. The first time I used this I was a bit concerned as it felt quite thick, and creamy but it actually doesn't feel too heavy on the skin, and after apply a thin layer to my I was actually surprised at how quick it actually absorbed. I had images of my pillows been smeared with face mask, but that didn't happen, and pretty much all of the mask had absorbed within about 15-20 minutes leaving quite a matte finish. It has a slight fruity scent but nothing to strong or distracting.

On Application

10 Minutes After Application 

Next Morning 

My skin did feel a little bit tight whilst it was sinking in but when I woke up the next morning my skin just feel smoother to the touch and it looked fresher and cleaner and surprisingly more awake and alive then it normally does in the morning. As I say I've been using it a couple of times a week for about a month and a half and I definitely haven't noticed an increase in oiliness or breakouts, my skin just looks better. I'm really pleased to have another tube in my skincare stash, and I would definitely recommend it if your skin needs some TLC, or just a boost.  This is the 30ml travel size which retails at various prices between £12 and £14 and is available from both Beauty Expert and directly from Dr Botanicals. You can also buy the full 50ml size from retailers including Look Fantastic

Woo Woo Cranberry Wipes pH Balanced For Intimate Use - 12 Wipes - Full Size - RRP £2.25

Now I've got a bit of a love / hate thing going on with intimate washes and wipes, on one hand they aren't always that good for you, and I don't think women should be paranoid and worries about how they naturally smell, but on the other hand, I have a bit of a need to be clean down their complex, especially at that time of the month, so I do tend to use feminine washes especially during my period, and I've used various brands of feminine wipes in the past.

These wipes from Woo Woo, though have a much more modern feel than the ones that I've used in the past. Woo Woo are a brand that are focused on vaginal health, beauty and pleasure, and these intimate wipes are pH balanced to prevent irritation and other problems. They are designed to clean and soothe delicate skin and they contain both aloe vera and cranberry extract; they are also dermatologically tested, vegan and paraben free. Importantly for wipes they are also biodegradable, and flushable.

I haven't had a chance to try these properly yet, as I only just got my period this morning, but I have opened the packet and they have a lovely fruity scent. As per usual I'll let you know my  thoughts in a future empties posts. If you fancy trying them for yourself, you can pick up a pack of 12 wipes for £2.25 from Superdrug.

May Beauty The Incredible Pore Strip With Charcoal - 2 Pore Strips

I first became aware of May Beauty way back in 2015 when I was sent their The Incredible Face Mask to try. You can read my full post here but they are basically those super painful but super effective charcoal peel off masks.

Their products seem to be all about the pore, and this is their version of the pore strip. I don't think there are many teens, or beauty obsessives that haven't tried at least a version of these at some point, I certainly know I have and I remember the huge buzz when Biore first brought them to their UK.

These is something slightly gross, but slightly addictive about pore strips. All you do is dampen your skin and apply the strip sticky side down to your nose, I normally find that dampening it down helps it stick better. Then you just wait about 15 or so minutes until it dries. these particular ones are infused with charcoal so the white topside ends up going black when it gets wet, and do your fingers if you touch it.

When the strip feels dry to the touch you just pull it off, I didn't find this one too painful but depending on how sensitive your skin is, and how well it's stuck it can be a bit ouchy! Then all you do is wash your face and marvel at the blackheads and impurities that the strip has removed. I've actually had way worse ones that this in the past but look carefully and you can see the tiny little white specks that were once in my nose!

I can definitely see myself getting addicted to these things again, and thankfully I have another strip in this pack to use. I can't find a price online for this 2 pack but Pink Parcel give a recommended retail price of £10 which sounds a touch steep. If you go direct to May Beauty though you can buy a pack of 12 for £17.

Joe & Seph's Toffee Apple & Cinnamon Popcorn - 7g Bag 

I love popcorn, be it hot and buttery from the cinema, from packets I've popped in the microwave and hot and fresh from my popcorn maker. You can buy bags of sweet and savoury popcorn pretty much anywhere now but in my opinion their aren't many brands that come close to Joe & Seph's - in their case, you really do get what you pay for. 

They do a huge range of amazing flavours, using good quality ingredients and you don't get any of those little bits floating around in the bottom of the bag. Some of their caramel flavours in particular have really stole my heart but the apple and cinnamon is a nice change. It really is a taste sensation combining toffee, apples and cinnamon, basically apple pie and toffee in one bite. I can't find a price for this particular size but the 80g size retails at around £4 directly from Joe & Seph's.

Teapigs Snooze Sleepy Tea - 1 x 3g Tea Temple

Finally the customary hot drink, and July's box included a tea bag from one of my favourite artisan tea, and infusion brands Teapigs.

Packed in a biodegradable mesh tea temple, instead of a conventional tea bag, you don't get any dust with Teapigs you only get whole pieces of fruit and spices, and leaves. and this particular bag just contains apple pieces, chamomile flowers, and lavender flowers. This caffeine brand is designed to be drank before bed and it's designed to encourage and aid sleep. I'm a bit scared of lavender in food but as someone who struggles with their sleep I'm definitely going to give this a try. Teapigs teas and infusions are available from various retailers, and this particular product is also available directly from Teapigs, where 2 tea temples have a recommended retail price of £1.75, so this bag essentially retails at 88p. You can also pay a packet of 15 bags from £3.99.

Now as per usual I've seen a bit of criticism about this box, but personally I can't find any real problem with it. The value is definitely there and the products inside are all decent, and as you've probably already realised I'm a bit of a fan of both the STYLondon Banana Setting Powder and the Dr Botanicals mask. I definitely think the boxes are more beauty orientated than they used to be but I'm okay with that - if you aren't don't subscribe or cancel it really is that simple. The majority of subscription boxes are a risk, and thankfully for my July's Pink Parcel was a risk that paid off. Let me know your thoughts on this box in the comments and don't forget to check out Pink Parcel to find out more and don't forget to use my referral code PPLT2153 if you subscribe.

*This Post Contains Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links