Trimming My Stash And Life Lately - September 2018 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

Okay guys we're in the final straight now! There are now less than 3 months of 2018 left! How did that happen? When did that happen? Crazy times! It's taken nearly 10 months but finally I seem to be getting my head into gear and getting some stuff done! Maybe it's the fear factor and a desperate attempt to stop 2018 being a complete fail but better late than never I guess. Home and health wise nothings changed, shit is still happening on a regular basis but maybe I'm dealing with it better and channelling my stress into something more useful. I've been planning some videos and blog posts, I've started a mass sort and tidy up and I've been sorting out my beauty stash (again!)

It's funny I still probably have way too much of everything but I'm actually starting to find space in drawers and boxes and within the next of month or so I'll need to buy some body scrub, yes need! I won't be buying something because it's on offer or because I feel the urge to buy something I'll be buying something because I need it. It just shows that I am starting to make a little bit of progress in Trimming My Stash particularly when it comes to body and hair care products.

Tea Tree Daily Use Cleansing Facial Wipes - 25 x Wipes
Soap & Glory Heel Genius Amazing Foot Cream -125ml
Biotherm Anti-Drying Body Milk With Citrus Extracts - 400ml
Dead Sea Spa Magik Salt Brushing - 50g
Decleor 1000 Grain Body Exfoliator - 50ml
Maria Nila True Soft Shampoo - 100ml
Josh Wood Radiant Shine Hair Treatment Oil - 28ml

Total - 7 Items

When it came to body and hair bits September was another good month, out of the 7 products that I finished 6 were body and hair related. Although I was pleased that I finished 7 items I really need to try a bit harder when it comes to skin care and make up. The thing is though I do know where I'm going wrong; When it comes to skincare i seem to have to many bottles, jars and tubes open at once, so I never seem to use anything consistently. That's got to stop, my new plan is too finish whats in the bathroom and then try something new, rather than just trying something as soon as I get it. I often wonder why my skincare doesn't do what I want it to and that's probably why! Make up is another obvious one, I own way to much of it when you consider what I actually wear. Unlike a lot of people I don't wear make up every day and when I do I get a bit lazy and always use the same stuff. That's got to stop too, I need to wear make up more often, I need to switch up what I do wear, and again I need to finish some of those half used bottles and tubes! Sounds easy enough but as per usual we'll see what happens over the next few months x Before I start painting my face and removing make up, every three seconds though lets take a look back and see just exactly what I did manage to finish in September.

1. Tea Tree Daily Use Cleansing Facial Wipes - 25 x Wipes

I've talked about cleansing wipes a lot on the blog, and whilst I firmly believe that they shouldn't be used as part of an everyday skincare regime, I do believe that they can play their part in well, this blogger at leasts, everyday life. I use them for everything from cleaning up swatches, to wiping sticky hands, and cleaning down make up palettes,  I swear by them and the ones that I always turn to are Primark's tea tree based wipes. Although the packaging and the name has recently changed, they are the ones that I always stock up on when I'm in store.

Primark trips have been a little bit thin on the ground though this year, and in the 3 or so month gap in between visits I ran out of wipes. On a recent trip to another bargain haunt though, B&M Bargains I saw these tea tree based wipes and thought that I'd give them a try. They were the same price as the Primark ones at £1 for 2 packs of 25 wipes but unfortunately that was the only similarity. These are actually tea tree and peppermint wipes, so instead of the traditional tea tree scent that I was expecting these actually had a very strong almost minty, menthol type scent. As I say I don't use wipes that often on my face (I prefer micellar waters when I'm in a rush) but I did try these out on my face once, and to be honest once was enough. The scent made my eyes water, and I did find them to be quite drying. In the future I'll definitely stick to the Primark wipes, and despite the fact that these are also readily available in Poundland, I don't think that I'd buy them again and I'll probably use the remaining packet for my hands and for swatch clean up.

2. Soap & Glory Heel Genius Amazing Foot Cream -125ml

When it comes to foot cream I can completely understand why people like mint or tea tree based products, whilst it's true that they are perfect for deodorising and refreshing tired feet, I can't help it they just aren't my favourite scents. I love lavender, floral or fruity scents and this foot cream from Soap & Glory falls perfectly into the latter category. With a fruity fresh scent, this isn't the thickest of foot creams but thanks to the high concentration of fruit acids that it contains, with regular use it makes a big difference.

Although I suffer from poor circulation, and my feet can often feel like blocks of ice, I can't standing having hot or over heated feet so wearing socks overnight is a big no no for me, instead I apply this (or any other cream) all over my feet after a shower, then I put on a pair of socks and let the cream do it's thing. This particular cream sometimes tingles a little bit on application but it's not uncomfortable it just feels as though it's doing something. I normally leave the socks on for 2 or 3 hours if I can and when you remove them you're left with much better looking, softer feet. I've used this product a few times before after getting in a few of the Boots Soap & Glory Star Gifts and I would definitely consider repurchasing.

3. Biotherm Anti-Drying Body Milk With Citrus Extracts - 400ml

I don't know whether it's because I'm getting older or whether it's down to the noticeable change in the weather but the skin on my body is definitely feeling a little bit tighter and drier at the moment, so I'm trying to be good and applying a body lotion or body cream every day rather than just when I remember. I love thick creams and butters in the winter but at the moment lotions are my go to for daily use and this particular product is without a doubt one of the best body lotions that I've ever used. I was first introduced to this product over 10 years ago now when I won a huge bagful of Biotherm goodies in a magazine competition and I've used it and love it ever since.

Push down the pump action dispenser (not pictured - sorry!) and you're introduced to a slightly unpromising looking milky lotion, get past the initial appearance though and inhale the fresh orange,  citrus scent, and slather a small amount all over your body. Given the texture it absorbs quickly and easily with no stickiness, tackiness or roll off, and it leaves the skin feeling silky soft in seconds, and surprisingly considering the texture, it's a feeling that lasts for hours.

In my opinion to put it mildly this is fabulous stuff, and it's something that despite owning pretty much a store full of body products that I would definitely repurchase. The brand isn't that easy to get a hold of in store in the UK now but you can buy it online from sites including FEELUNIQUE and allbeauty. 

4. Dead Sea Spa Magik Salt Brushing - 50g

Earlier in this post I did say that I was starting to run a little bit low on body scrubs and as a result I've been using a few minis, and smaller products before I move onto my last 3 Christmas themed scrubs from The Body Shop, and this is the first of them. Now as you know I love salt and sugar based scrubs and as the name would suggest this one is crammed full of Dead Sea Salt, combined with coconut oil, and vitamin E. It is apparently Dead Sea Spa Magik's best selling product and it's easy to see why. It has a lovely scent, and it's very scrubby. It works best when it's applied to dry skin, simply massage it in to the limbs and problem areas and rinse away. It rinses off really easily and the high oil content left the skin feeling really smooth. The only thing I would say is that don't use this on broken skin, I accidentally used it on an area that had a cat scratch, and to say it stung was an understatement. Despite that though this was a great scrub and it's definitely something that I would consider repurchasing.

5. Decleor 1000 Grain Body Exfoliator - 50ml

Next up a scrub from high end French aromatherapy skin and body care brand Decleor. The big selling point of this one was definitely the smell, it contains real grapefruit essential oil, and with every use you got a yummy, zingy, refreshing hit of grapefruit that really revived the senses. It had a sort of oil / gel consistency which transformed to more of a milky consistency when you added it to water. It was a nice enough product and as I say I loved the scent but it just wasn't scrubby enough for me so I probably wouldn't repurchase.

6. Maria Nila True Soft Shampoo - 100ml

The final two beauty products that I finished in September were both hair products, and this shampoo and the matching conditioner, which I haven't quite finished yet, both made in appearance in the May 2018 edition of Glossybox. (You can watch my original unboxing video below or via this link). As you know I love trying out new brands and this brand is a new one to me. Hailing from Sweden, Maria Nila is an environmentally conscious brand, that is leaping bunny, PETA, and Vegan Society certified and after using this product I have to say that both myself and Mummy Lou are fans.

This is a gentle shampoo that is designed specifically for drier hair types, it contains argan oil, seaweed extract, and Maria Nila's exclusive colour guard complex, and it's also both sulphate and paraben free.

Despite the lack of SLS it still foams really well and it has a lovely fruity, floral scent that reminds me a little bit of the original Giorgio Armani's Acqua Di Gio, which is one of my favourite fragrances of all time. The scent is obviously a huge plus point for me but this shampoo is so much more than that, both me and Mummy Lou loved how it made our hair feel, and the ethics behind the brand. The brand isn't that easy to get a hold of in the UK but it goes without saying that I would definitely consider repurchasing both this shampoo and the matching conditioner.

7. Josh Wood Radiant Shine Hair Treatment Oil - 28ml

The final empty from September is another hair product and it's a product that I discovered in one of the M&S beauty advent calendars. I've seen a lot of stuff written about beauty advent calendars lately including one comment that the only people that buy them are bloggers who aren't on press lists? WTF?  and here's my two penneth, you pays your money, and you takes your choice, if you want one then get one, some are better value than others so have a look around and choose the best one for you. Personally I love them, I've quite a few beauty ones now and like beauty subscription boxes they give you a great opportunity to try something new, a new product or a new brand, or they give you a chance to stock up on minis for holidays and travel. I've got the Glossybox one on pre order this year and personally I can't wait to start opening up the doors. Why do people need to be so grumpy, critical and judgemental all the time - let people do what they want! 

Anyway enough of the rant, I discovered this product in an M&S calendar and for me and many others it was love at first use. Marks and Spencer previously collaborated with celebrity hair colourist Josh Wood to produce a range of root cover ups and hair products, but like so many things the entire range has now been discontinued and sadly Josh Wood doesn't sell anything simililar in his own salons. It's a real shame because this product in particular still has a lot of fans.

I love hair oils, you can use them as a pre shampoo treatment to add moisture and you can also use them to detangle wet hair, and on dry hair to add shine and tame frizz. I've used a lot of them and I've loved a lot of them too and this one was one of the best. Enriched with kukui and pracaxi oil it had an expensive almost designer perfume, inspired aromatherapy type scent which gently lingered on the the hair. It was slightly thick in appearance yet it felt surprisingly felt quite lightweight on the hair. It was a really nice product and I'm so sad that the range has disappeared, bar a few ridiculously priced bottles on ebay - please Josh Wood and M&S bring this one back! 

So they were my September beauty empties as I say I'm definitely going to try harder on the skin care and make up front in October, so fingers crossed I've got a few more things to show you then but if in the meantime you have any questions then please leave me a comment and if you have any hair oil recommendations I'd love to hear them too x 

Reflections and Trimming My Stash - September 2017 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

So any lingering hopes of an Indian summer are long gone, now we're in October there is no denying that Autumn is here. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting longer, the leaves are falling from the trees and you can now go into any supermarket in the UK and buy a pumpkin!

In the last couple of days I've been reminded of a song that we used to sing at this time of year in school assemblies and at Sunday school. The song is called Autumn Days and it's about been thankful for the harvest and those little things in life, and I think it's something that we can all live by. It's very hard at times to find any positives in life but they are always there even if sometimes they take a little bit of finding.

If you follow me on Instagram you'll know that I'm currently doing the #365DaysOfHappiness project, it hasn't been easy it times but sometimes even the smallest and most innocuous things can lift your spirits, from a nice cup of coffee, to a fragranced candle, and knowing that it's only 82 days until Christmas.

I know, I know I've already started my Christmas shopping and I'm preparing to fill the shower with all of my festive toiletries, I love Christmas and it always makes me happy but in order to start using all of those cranberry, apple, and gingerbread smellies, I need to make space and get some bits used up. My October aim is to clear my shower of fruits and florals but in the meantime lets see what beauty products I finished last month.

Scrub Love Invigorating Coffee Body Scrub - Coconut Affair - 50g
Beauty Bible Cleansing Milk - 300ml
Superdrug Nourishing Nail Polish Remover Acetone Free - 250ml
Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Super Volume Mascara -10ml
Collection 2000 Colour Match Foundation - Ivory 1 - 30ml

Total - 5 Items 

Okay, so five items isn't that amazing but I'm still really happy because of the type of items that I managed to finish. Make up items are always pretty thin on the ground for me, probably because I have so much of it that I never really use anything consistently but in September I managed to finish 2 make up products and some body and skincare bits, and as the slogan goes "every little helps"

1. Scrub Love Invigorating Coffee Body Scrub - Coconut Affair - 50g

These scrubs are absolutely everywhere at the moment, and I've managed to accumulate quite a few of them thanks to the various beauty boxes that I'm subscribed to. Billed as more eco friendly, these scrubs are basically just coffee grounds, with a few added ingredients (coconut in this case). I always assumed that these scrubs would have some sort of cream, oil or gel base but they don't, or at least this one didn't. It's basically looks and smells just like coffee grounds, with just a hint of coconut. I tried just taking a handful and rubbing it on my legs but I think I managed to lose more in the shower than I managed to use! I found the best way to use this was to tip a small amount into my hand and then I added a bit of shower gel to achieve a more spreadable consistency. When it comes to body scrubs I know what I like, and the number one thing that I look for is grittiness, this scrub is definitely gritty but it is just so, so messy! The floor of my shower room was literally covered in coffee grounds, and brown yucky looking splodges, I managed to get more of the scrub on the floor, on the shower screen and on the wall then I did on my thighs, and the shower trap, clogged up in an instant! This scrub would be amazing first thing in the morning, with the invigorating feel and the coffee aroma but for me I just can't deal with the mess and neither can Mummy Lou. I'll use the remaining sachets that I have but I definitely won't repurchase :( If you want to try this scrub for yourself then you can buy if from various retailers including Beauty Bay, Fragrance Direct, and Very.

2. Beauty Bible Cleansing Milk - 300ml

I think I've mentioned this in a previous post but I recently tested a batch of products for one of the most comprehensive beauty books on the market, Beauty Bible. If you're confused by all of the beauty products on the market then this is the book that you need. Basically it's a beauty review book, and for every edition the team behind the Beauty Bible recruit hundreds and hundreds of volunteers to try out every beauty product under the sun. I've done it a few times now and I've really enjoyed trying out a wide variety of new products. The only thing is that you're not allowed to talk about the product that you tried on social media :( which in this case is a bit of a bummer because this was one of my favourite products. So in brief it's a sensibly priced, cleansing milk and I loved it, and I would definitely consider spending my hand earned cash on it in the future x 

3. Superdrug Nourishing Nail Polish Remover Acetone Free - 250ml

I don't know if you've noticed but I'm starting to get into painting my nails again, after around 6 months of rubbishness, my nails are getting longer, stronger and they're looking pretty decent, so I'm taking advantage and painting and photographing them while I still can. I know it isn't the most exciting of tasks, but if you paint your nails, at some point you're going to need to take that polish off. 

I'm using two different polish removers at the moment, the Primark PS Love Your Nails Nail Polish Twist Pot, which I use to correct mistakes and to just remove one or two nails, and for everyday use and removing a full manicure I swear by this one from Superdrug. I've used this remover for years and the price has remained the same for the longest time. This acetone free polish is one of my holy grail products, it works, it doesn't smell too awful, and it's only £1.39 for 250ml. I love it so much that I even wrote a blog post devoted to it, that you can read here x 

4. Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Super Volume Mascara -10ml

I'm not having the best of luck with mascaras at the moment - During a recent optician visit I was diagnosed with dry corneas, due to a combination of both my facial nerve paralysis, and one of my current medications. My eyes can be a bit sensitive at the best of times but at the moment, they're particularly bad. I've tried and binned 3 mascaras in the past fortnight due to sensitivity and whilst I couldn't really class those as empties, I can class this one as an empty.

I haven't tried a lot of make up from Soap & Glory but other the past few years I've managed to acquire a few of their mascaras thanks to the Boots Star Gifts, and a few months ago now I decided to give this one a try and I have to say I was impressed. This mascara which retails at around £10 promises thicker fuller lashes and on me it delivered. It didn't dry my lashes out and it didn't feel heavy or clumpy, and whilst it didn't look as though I was wearing false lashes, my lashes definitely looked fuller, and thicker, and it didn't make my eyes run or sting. It wasn't the longest wearing mascara that I've ever used but I'll happily use the ones that I have and I would definitely consider repurchasing this one in it's own right.

5. Collection 2000 Colour Match Foundation - Ivory 1 - 30ml

Now before you I say anything I know that this is an old, old bottle of foundation. I'm fully aware of that, and I know that you should really throw make up and especially liquids and creams out after so long. This still smelled okay and the texture hadn't changed so I kept as it and tried to eek it out for as long as possible. The reason why is that I loved this foundation, the colour match was perfect, the texture was perfect for my skin type, and it wore well on my oil prone skin. In this format this foundation has long gone. Collection, as they are now called does have a Colour Match Foundation in it's current collection (haha) but it's now in plastic, squeezy tube, and the shade names have altered slightly. At only £3.99 for 30ml it's well worth a try though, so I've picked up the shade Ivory and I'm hoping upon hope that it is just as good as this one was. If it isn't I'll be begging Collection to bring the original one back!

So they were my September empties, as I say I'm really pleased to have finished a few make up items, but in October I'll definitely be focusing on the bathroom, and trying to make room for both my festive shower bits, and my winter themed body creams. Which reminds me, if you are a bit obsessed with Christmas bath and body bits then check out tomorrow's post to see some of Lush's festive offerings x If you have any questions on any of the items that I've mentioned then please leave me a comment below x 

Trimming My Stash - May 2017 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

A little late I know but like the year so far, the past week has flown by. We're now half way through the year and you know what that means, we're only 6 months or so from Christmas. Ha Ha I know I'm wishing my life away but I do love Christmas and at the moment life is a little bit tough so I really do need something positive to focus on.  

I do know something already though, I think this is going to be the first Christmas in living memory where I actually discourage my friends and family from buying me beauty products. I've been reevaluating my beauty stash over the last month and there are actually beauty products from several Christmas's ago that I haven't even opened - me bad! I therefore goes without saying then that I need to really up my game when it comes to Trimming My Stash.


Soap & Glory The Scrub Of Your Life - 200ml
Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple Shimmering Shower Gel - 355ml
PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes - 25 Wipes
Vitamasques Pomegranate Moisturising + Firming + Lifting Sheet Mask x 1
AVON Skin So Soft Tissue Oil - 150ml

Total - 5 Items

I must say, I'm a little bit disappointed with May's total, despite my best efforts, I only managed to finish 5 items. I honestly thought that I would have done better than that but since I'm trying to use products normally and I'm trying to overuse things, some items are just going on and on and on. Still 5 items are better than none and I did manage to finish two of those seemingly never ending products.

1. Soap & Glory The Scrub Of Your Life - 200ml

You should know by now that I'm a huge fan of salt and sugar based scrubs, they are my go to, and they are the type of scrubs that I tend repurchase. Thanks to beauty boxes and gift sets though I have had plenty of opportunities to expand my body scrub knowledge, and thanks to the big Boots Christmas Star Gift from Soap & Glory I've had plenty of opportunities to try out one of their signature body scrubs. Sugar Crush is by far my favourite body scrub from Soap & Glory but if you prefer and gentler and less gritty scrub then this one could be one to try. The Soap & Glory The Scrub Of Your Life  has the original Soap & Glory fragrance and retails at around £7. It's a gel based scrub with very fine exfoliating particles, that foams up when you add water. I'll happily use it again, (I already have another one) but I wouldn't go out of my way to repurchase it on it's own because for me it just isn't scrubby enough.

2. Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple Shimmering Shower Gel - 355ml

As much as I enjoy finishing products so I can move on to something knew, this is one of those products that I didn't really want to finish, as it's the last bottle that i own. Despite it's popularity on the other side of the pond Bath & Body Works is very, very hard to get hold of in the UK. I only know of one online store that sells is (The Bath And Body Shop) and even then they don't always stock limited editions or holiday items, so I normally rely on eBay or Amazon, or friends and families US holidays for my Bath And Body Works fix. I've used this product on and off for over 10 years now and I absolutely love it. It's obviously from their Christmas / Holiday collections, and it's got the most fabulous fruity fragrance. You obviously get the apple and a few festive spices but you also get a bit hit of pineapple. Pineapple is a really strange ingredient for a festive scent but for me it really, really works. I have half a bottle of hand sanitiser, and a little bit of body lotion left and then the last of my Winter Candy Apple stash will be gone. I really hope that B&BW bring this fragrance back again this year, and if they are reading this some UK  stores or a UK website would be great as well, pretty please!

3. PS Love Your Skin Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes - 25 Wipes

Yawn, yawn, yawn another packet of these, means lots of more swatch photographs which means that I have lots of make up reviews in the pipeline - You're welcome x 

4. Vitamasques Pomegranate Moisturising + Firming + Lifting Sheet Mask x 1

As much as i love beauty boxes the contents can be a little bit repetitive - If you've been watching my unboxing videos over the last few months or so (check out my You Tube channel I you haven't seen them yet), then you'll have seen quite a few sheet masks and a few in particular from Vitamasques. I actually had two of these so I sent one to one of my giveaway winners, after using it though I kind of wish that I'd kept it. The Pomegranate mask is all about moisturising and firming, and whilst these aren't my main skin concerns, I loved how this mask made my skin feel. Unlike some sheet masks that I've tried this one was very, very wet. It had a slightly fruity fragrance, and it felt really cooling and refreshing on the skin. When I took it off there was quite a bit of dampness and residue left on the skin so I just massaged it in to my skin. I didn't see a huge difference in my skin but it did look a little bit more awake after I removed but it, and it certainly felt plumper and more hydrated. This particular mask retails at around £3.99 and it's available from various retailers including ASOS, Look Fantastic, and HQ Hair. I have a few sheet masks in my collection now and I definitely think they are going to be one of my summer skincare saviours, especially on those warmer days. By the way if you're a bit of a face mask fan, make sure your following my blog, because later this week I'll be reviewing another fruity facial treat x

5. AVON Skin So Soft Tissue Oil - 150ml

Apologies that the labels missing from this bottle, but oiliness and dampness isn't really that conducive to sticky labels! What is it? well it's a body oil designed to help with stretch marks and skin imperfections. What can I say? I'm a woman and thanks to life in general, weight loss and weight gain, I have stretch marks, uneven skin and wobbly bits. When it comes to body care, I must admit that I'm pretty good, and whilst I'm a regular body lotion, body cream and body butter user, I do tend to spend a little bit of extra time on my "problem ares" I'm suckered in by a promise and I always use a firming cream on my stomach, bum, and thighs, and I usually slather my tummy, my hips, thighs, my bum and my boobs in some form of body oil. Whether or not it makes any difference I really can't say but I really don't think that a hit of extra moisturiser will do any harm in the long term, especially when this product contains Vitamin E. I've recently repurchased this product for around £6 and it does seem to have changed slightly, (AVON are probably the worst brand for changing products and reformulating things) but I'm hoping that I still like it. As I say I'm not sure if it's making any real difference to the condition of my lined bits but it feels nice on the skin so I going to keep using it.

So they were May's now famous five products, If you have any questions or comments on any of the items that I've mentioned then please leave me a comment and I'll get back to you x 

Trimming My Stash - April 2017 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

After a bit of an iffy start to the year, over the last few weeks, I'm finally starting to feel as though I'm starting to turn the corner and leave some of the negativity that's clouded the first part of the year behind.

It's not to say that April's been all sweetness and light, it hasn't but maybe I'm starting to deals with life's hurdles a little bit better than what I have been doing. I'm feeling more comfortable in my own skin, and I'm feeling more positive about the blog and about life in general. May is my birthday month and I have lots to look forward to this month, so I'm going to grab the bull by the horns (I am a Taurus after all) and go for it, life is too short to worry about pointless things, life really is for living and that's what I intend to do from now on.

Before I start afresh though it's time to take one last look back at April, and take a look back at my April beauty empties. 

Soap & Glory Peaches And Clean 3 In 1 Deep Purifying Cleanser - 200ml
Benefit The Porefessional Instant Wipe Out Mask Dual Sided Pore Clarifying Mask x 1
OPI Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Replenishing Oil - 15ml
L'Occitane Cleansing And Soothing Shower Oil With Almond Oil - 250ml
RESEED R12 Tri Peptide Active Hair Serum For Women - 30ml

Total - 5 Items

So I managed to finish 5 beauty products in April, not the best total ever but I'm going to embrace the positive, 5 items are certainly better than 1 and I finished a few things that I thought would never end.

1. Soap & Glory Peaches And Clean 3 In 1 Deep Purifying Cleanser - 200ml

I've got to be honest and say that Ive never actually bought a Soap & Glory skincare item on it's own. All of the Soap & Glory skincare products that I've tried have come from the Boots Soap & Glory Star Gifts. Buying a big gift set of products can be a bit hit or miss, but in this case I've been introduced to a gem. This is just a basic cream cleanser with a slightly weird - peach, menthol, mint smell. It's perfect on my oily skin and it's really easy to use, just massage a small amount over your face, then wipe away with either a damp flannel or muslin cloth or splash off with warm water, and all of your make up just wipes away, leaving your skin silky soft. I really like this cleanser and it's definitely something that I would consider repurchasing.

2. Benefit The Porefessional Instant Wipe Out Mask Dual Sided Pore Clarifying Mask x 1

This pore mask from Benefit Cosmetics is part of their ever expanding Porefessional range. It's basically a combination of a pore strip and sheet mask. All of the masks are packaged individually and to use them all you do is press the plastic bubble, to release the pore tightening liquid into the fabric like mask. Then you just open the packet and apply the damp mask, smooth side down to either your chin, your forehead or your nose, they you leave it for ten minutes before rubbing the remaining liquid all over your face with the rougher side of the mask. It smells slightly of menthol, and as you would expect it tingles ever so slightly on the skin. To be honest I haven't noticed any long term effects but I do have a few more of these masks to use up so I might notice a difference then but we'll see. What I can say though is after you've used the mask your skin certainly feels tighter and less oily. I definitely think that these masks would be great before an event or a party, or an occasion where you would want your make up to stay in place and for your skin to look more even and less oily. 

3. OPI Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Replenishing Oil - 15ml

My nails at the moment are really unpredictable, in the space of a week, they can go from long, hydrated and healthy, to dry, rough and broken. I'm persevering with the strengtheners and perhaps more importantly I'm trying to keep my hands and nails hydrated. OPI Avoplex is probably my favourite cuticle oil of all time, crammed full of avocado oil, it smells lovely, it absorbs quickly and it makes an immediate difference to the appearance of my nails. I love it and I will continue to buy it when I can justify it but at the moment I'm loving the Primark PS Cuticle Oil, which is nearly as good and retails at just £1 a bottle. Spend or save it's up to you, but they are both great products that can a real difference with just one use

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

Be it summer or winter, this product really is an all year round skin saviour. If you have dry skin, or itchy skin, or even if you feel that the skin or your body just needs a little bit of love, then this is the product that you need. The shower oil concept is quite a new one and L'Occitane one of the genres innovators, the product feels oily on the skin but add water to it and it turns into a creamy, lightly foaming body cleanser. You can also add to the bath for pampering, and moisturising soak. Oh and if you think that almond means marzipan, it doesn't - I hate anything that smells or tastes of bitter almond, and I love this, instead of the bitter almond scent you might expect instead this smells of slightly of apple, and warm vanilla with just a hint of nuttiness. This product isn't cheap but a little goes a long way, and I guarantee that once you try it you will never want to be without it x I've recently repurchased this from QVC UK thanks to a special price, and an easy pay offer that made it a bit more affordable, so I would definitely recommend shopping around if you do decide that you want this in your life x You can read a review of this product here x

5. RESEED R12 Tri Peptide Active Hair Serum For Women - 30ml*

I was sent this product quite a while ago, as part of the full RESEED line which is specifically designed for women with thinning hair. This is the serum that you massaged into the hair to encourage hair growth. I've tried to eek this product for as long as possible because this is the one product in the range that really makes the difference. Unfortunately i do think that you need to use all of the products in the system together and consistently to see a real difference. You can read my review of the full system including this product here x

So they were my April empties x My aim as always for this month is to do better, and I hopefully want to try and finish at least one make up item in May x Are you doing something similar link me to your posts and channels below and of course if you have any questions on any of the items that I've mentioned in this post, then please leave me a comment x

*Sample 

Trimming my Stash - February 2017 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

I know February is the shortest month of the year, but I'm still finding it pretty hard to believe that we're into March already. This year is starting the same way that last year ended, at 100 miles an hour - stop the world I want to get off - argh!

February was another rubbishy month in LouLouLand with family illness and so on but I'm trying to focus on the positives for once, including my blogging birthday (don't forget to enter my giveaway here if you haven't already, you can find it here), and all of the plans that I have to move my blog and my You Tube channel forward. I know it can sometimes be hard to find the positives in life, but if you really look hard enough, in most areas you can usually find something to be positive about or something to be thankful for.

RESEED Gingko & Sabal Fortifying Shampoo For Women - 250ml
Soap & Glory Sit Tight Sit Activated Special Low Body Firming Formula - 200ml
Soap & Glory Heel Genius Amazing Foot Cream - 125ml

Total - 3 Items 

Take last month's Trimming My Stash for example, yes I only managed to finish 3 items, but I finished one more than I did in January, and I managed to finish one product that seemed to have made itself permanently at home in my bathroom.

1. REESEED Gingko & Sabal Fortifying Shampoo For Women - 250ml

This was a product that I was originally sent to review, I loved it so much that I ended up buying another bottle. I love this as a shampoo in it's own right but by just using the shampoo and the serum and botanical solution very sparingly, I haven't really seen the same results as I did in the initial review. I would thoroughly recommend it as a gentle, body building shampoo but it's £25 and in my opinion I think it works way better when you use alongside the other products in the RESEED range. You can read my full review here x

2. Soap & Glory Sit Tight Sit Activated Special Low Body Firming Formula - 200ml

I'm going to hold my hands up and say that I don't believe that any cream or lotion can firm up your skin, and get rid of your cellulite, but my dear readers I'm always willing to admit that I'm wrong, and I do tend to get suckered in to buying things that I pray will firm up my bottom and get rid of some of those perfectly normal, shallow craters on my thighs! Did this product do that? Well unfortunately it didn't, it had a nice cream, gel texture, and it had that reassuring, cool, hot thing going that made you feel it was doing something, and boosting your circulation, but my bits are still as wobbly as they ever were. Maybe if I'd used it twice a day it wouldn't have become a permanent fixture in my bathroom and I might have seen a difference but some how I'm not convinced . Yes lotions and potions might make your skin feel softer, and smoother, but sensible diets and exercise are the only real way to firm up your wobbly bits. If you know otherwise though, and you've used a product that you found made a difference then let me know in the comments x This product actually has been discontinued now and replaced by the new and reformulated Soap & Glory Sit Tight Super Intense Targeted 4D Firming And Soothing Lower Body Serum which has a nifty massage head, and despite my ranting I'm actually tempted to give it ago so let me know if you've tried it x 

3. Soap & Glory Heel Genius Amazing Foot Cream - 125ml

This is one of my favourite ever foot creams, It doesn't have the richest or the creamiest texture, but slap a bit of this beautifully fruity, floral scented, creamy lotion onto your feet, stick a pair of socks on, experience a tiny bit of a tingle thanks to the fruit acids, give it an hour on so and your feet will look and feel a lot smoother. Thanks to a few thyroid problems my feet are ridiculously dry, so this isn't a miracle worker but it certainly makes a little bit of a difference, and thanks to the Soap & Glory star gifts at Boots, I now have a nice little stash of this one, and it's something that I will continue to buy regardless.

So this wasn't the longest empties post again, but I'm staying positive that I'm going to have a good year, and that I'm going to finish lots and lots of beauty products in 2017. Are you doing something similar this year? Let me know below x

A Beauty Sale Haul Featuring Boots,SpaceNK And The Body Shop

As much as I love shopping, for some reason I can never seem to get excited about the post Christmas and January sales. I hate getting up early, and I can't stand all of the pushing, and shoving and hustle and bustle so I tend to avoid the shops until well into the New Year. Online shopping though is another matter and as soon as a lot of shops stop delivering in time for Christmas, you can pretty much guarantee, that their online sales will follow soon after.

I normally start off any sales shop by working out what I actually need, with clothes it's always the basics, but when it comes to beauty, I'm pretty easy, sometimes I'll go for things I know and love and sometimes I'll take advantage of a sale price to try something new.

I'm always a bit loathed to place online orders with SpaceNK, thanks to their over inflated postage but they had a few good offers on so I decided to take advantage and place a little order. A lot of stores seem to have had sale stock issues this year, and some of my order was subsequently cancelled so I didn't save as much as I would have liked but I did manage to get two things.

Lipstick Queen is a new brand to me and one that I'd wanted to try for a long time. This is the Lipstick Queen Chinatown Three To Thrill Set.

The set contains 3, 3g Lipstick Queen Glossy Pencils, in some of the brands most popular shades, Chinatown Chase, Chinatown Pink Bluff, Chinatown Catalina. I love this type of product so I thought that this kit would be a really good introduction to the brand. I think I'll get more use out of the pink based shades, Pink Bluff and Catalina, but despite looking a little bit scary in the tube Chase, is actually a much more wearable, subtle pale, coral, red, shade. Unfortunately due to the lousy weather we've had lately, I haven't managed to photograph any swatches for you but if you watch the video at the end of this post. hopefully you'll be able to get some idea of what they look like.

Although these pencils aren't full size I still think that this kit was well worth the money. It was originally £18 but I got it for just £7.50. Unfortunately this set seems to have sold out online but all of the shades are available in the full 7g size for £22 each.

In an ideal world I would now be showing you some of the beautiful Laura Mercier Creme Brulee products but it wasn't to be, so instead I'm showing you a beautifully boxed nail polish from Rococo.

The box maybe beautiful but the bottle itself it quite plain, thank heavens for the gorgeous colour inside.

It's quite hard to see here, but Rococo Nail Apparel in 8559 Mystic Luxe is a purple, blue shade which is crammed full of silver shimmer. My picture aren't really doing it justice but it a really pretty colour,

I don't think it's anything overly unusual but it looked so pretty, and since it was reduced from £12 to just £3, it gave me the perfect opportunity to try a new nail polish brand. This colour is still available on the SpaceNK website along with several other Rococo colours.

One of the brands that SpaceNK sell is This Works and whilst they did have a few kits in the sale they didn't have the one thing that I did want, so I looked elsewhere and thankfully Boots came up trumps.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a frustrating illness, you can either sleep the clock round or you can't sleep at all. I suffer from terrible insomnia at times, and after watching a few presentations on QVC I really fancied trying the This Works Plus + Pillow Spray.

I can be a bit funny with scent though, so I didn't want to launch straight in and buy the full size, so this seemed to be an ideal solution. The This Works Sleep + Cracker contains a 10ml bottle of the Plus + Pillow Spray which contains a variety of essential oils, and ingredients, which is clinically proven to help provide a better nights sleep. This cracker was originally £12 and I got it for £8, I haven't tried it yet but I'm looking forward to giving it a go.

I can pretty much guarantee now that I'll get at least one Soap & Glory kit for Christmas, and Christmas 2015 was no exception. I was lucky enough to get the big The Whole SheBang set. I love everything in it and I particularly excited to try the tinted body cream, but at the same time I was a bit disappointed that this years set didn't include any of the Sugar Crush products. I love the zesty, yet warm lime fragrance so I couldn't resist buying this kit.

I admit it part of the reason I went for this kit was down to the bag, the Soap & Glory Get A Smooth On kit, came in a gorgeous, holographic silver, barrel bag.

I love anything holographic, and the fact that this bag contains products from the Sugar Crush was just a bonus. The bag contains a 500ml Soap&Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash. a 300ml Soap&Glory Sugar Body Wash and a 300ml Soap&Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream. Ahh limey heaven but my excitement quickly faded when I realised that there was a product missing!

This kit should also have included a 100ml Soap&Glory Sugar Crush Body Spray. I would normally have sent the whole kit back but it was sold out and I really wanted the bag so I emailed Boots customer service, and thankfully they came up trumps. They apologised and added 500 points to my advantage card - 400 to cover the cost of the product and 100 for the inconvenience. Thanks Boots, customer service at it's best even at their busiest time of year! This kit was originally £35 and I got it for £17.50 which was half price x

Something else that's become a bit of a Christmas tradition is The Body Shop and their festive fragrances. I picked up a few bits before Christmas but as soon as the sale launched online. I ordered a few extra bits.

I didn't go mad, and I only bought exactly what I wanted. I bought another 200ml bottle of the Frosted Cranberry Shower Gel, which I love and I've bought for years, and I bought a couple of the Glazed Apple items. I must admit I wasn't sure about the Glazed Apple range when it launched in 2014 but it's really, really grown on me. I think I wanted it to be a traditional apple fragrance but it's not, it's sharp, yet sweet, sugary and fruity. I can't describe it really but it's my in shower favourite at the moment so I bought a few extra bits to see my through the year as I don't think that it's a Christmas specific scent - I got a 200ml Glazed Apple Body Butter and a 250ml Glazed Apple Shower Gel. There are still a few festive sale bits available online so move quick if you want to stock up.

Although I didn't go totally crazy I'm still really happy with my sale haul. I picked up some definite favourites and a few new things to try so I'm pretty pleased. I've made a little video to accompany this haul, so have a watch even if it's only to see the Lipstick Queen swatches x



I've only bought a couple of other things in the sales, so I probably won't be doing another sale haul post, but if you've bought anything amazing or found a fabulous bargain I'd love to hear about it, so leave me a comment and let me know your favourite sale buys x

Trimming My Stash - November 2015 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

I'm a few days late with this one but never the less welcome to December. Despite it's often rubbish weather, its stresses and its strains, December is probably my favourite month of the year - I love Christmas and I love spending time with my family so it really is the perfect month for me especially when I'm feeling a bit mehh and need something to look forwards to.

November was a pretty sucky month in a lot of ways so I had a lot of showers and created as many pampering opportunities for myself  as I could and that's something that's definitely reflected in my November empties.

AVON Senses Wonderland Warm And Welcoming Shower Gel - 250ml

Decelor Creme Exfoliante Exfoliating Body Care - 50ml

Beauticology Sweet Gingerbread Body Wash - 50ml

The Body Shop Vanilla Spice Shower Gel - 250ml

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash - 500ml

Aldi Lacura Balancing Day Cream For Oily And Combination Skin - 50ml

St Tropez Tan Optimiser Body Polish - 120ml

MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder - 9g

Total - 8 Items

November was pretty much all about body care, and if this empties list is to be believed I must have the cleanest and smoothest skin on planet earth! It wasn't all about scrubs and body washes though, I did manage to finish a skincare product and a make up item so despite being down on last months total I'm still pretty pleased.

1. AVON Senses Wonderland Warm And Welcoming Shower Gel - 250ml

Towards the end of the month I switched my shower products up a bit and I started introducing some of my festive scents. There were a few half finishing products left over from last year and this shower gel from AVON was one of them. This had a lovely fruity, spicy fragrance, that just screamed Christmas, it was full of citrus and apple scents coupled together with nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. Alas AVON haven't made this product, this time round but I would definitely recommend their Snowman shaped bath soaks if you get the chance to give them a go.

2. Decelor Creme Exfoliante Exfoliating Body Care - 50ml

Even though I'm not exactly flashing my limbs around at the moment, I'm an avid body scrub user all year round. I found this during the bathroom renovation and I have to say I really enjoyed using it. This product is perfect for this time of year, it has a soft and creamy, subtle, almost shea butter scent and it feels fabulous on the skin. It's quite abrasive but the grains as suspended in a lovely, rich and creamy base, that seems to nourish the skin while you scrub. This scrub isn't cheap but it's something I wouldn't hesitate to repurchase and from someone who normally prefers oily, salt scrubs that's high praise indeed.

3. Beauticology Sweet Gingerbread Body Wash - 50ml

Another mini and another festive fragrance - this little body wash  is from Baylis & Harding's diffusion line Beauticology. This thick sparkly gel foams easily, and produces a lovely foam and a lovely subtle, and spicy, foodie gingerbread scent. I actually have another one of these to use up but if you're looking for a quirky, yet affordable beauty gift this Christmas, then I would definitely check out this product and the whole Beauticology line which is available from various retailers including Debenhams, Boots, and independent chemists.

4.The Body Shop Vanilla Spice Shower Gel - 250ml

Ahhh one of my favourite ever festive fragrances from The Body Shop - Vanilla Spice has a warm vanilla scent which is peppered with nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, to give it that irresistible, Christmas baking type aroma. They aren't doing this fragrance and any of it's other reincarnations this year though, so I'll just have to stock up on the years fruit based offerings - I already love the apple, and cranberry scents and I can't wait to have a sniff of the new Frosted Plum fragrance. The Body Shop always do Christmas so well and I'm sure this year will be no exception.

5. Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash - 500ml

This body wash or rather the Sugar Crush fragrance in general has achieve an almost cult following over the years and it's not hard to see why. This super creamy body wash has the fabulous Sugar Crush fragrance - this fruity lime and citrus blend isn't as bright or as zingy as you think and to me it almost has a vanilla like warmth. I love it and I will continue to buy it and I'm hoping that I might find a bottle under my Christmas tree in 22 days time ;)

6. Aldi Lacura Balancing Day Cream For Oily And Combination Skin - 50ml

My favourite moisturiser is Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream - there is not a thing that I don't like about it bar maybe the price tag. It's something that I always ask for, for birthdays and for Christmas because quite simply I can't always justify buying it myself. QVC deals help but sometimes a budget option is the only way and this one in my opinion is one of the best. It's cheap, it smells nice, it has a light texture and it absorbs quickly. I really do like but unfortunately it doesn't seem to be a regular stock item so I always stock up when I see it. Alas this was my last bottle, I do have one of the very, similar shimmery versions in my stash but I'm hoping upon hope that it makes a comeback.

7. St Tropez Tan Optimiser Body Polish - 120ml

This scrub was something that I picked up in Poundland of all places. I think it's discontinued now which probably explains it but I have to be honest and say even at a pound I wasn't overly impressed with it. It wasn't gritty enough, it took a bit of rinsing and I didn't like the smell. It was worth trying but that was about it 

8. MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder - 9g

A little while ago now, face powders that were white in appearance but had a translucent finish were the way to set your make up. When they first came out they were only available in high end lines but thankfully now they're available at all different price points. This one from MAC was one of the first ones that I ever saw. A little goes a long way and despite the fact that it can look a little floury at first, it blends nicely and leaves a nice matte finish. I do like this but at £20.50 I can't justify a repurchase at the moment, so over the next few months or so I'm going to be trying out a more budget, friendly alternative, but in the meantime I have another Back To MAC product so it's free lipstick time :)

As you can see it was a pretty shower product heavy month but it's always nice to finish things that have been hanging around for a while, even if you can't replace them. December is always a busy month but I'm hoping that I can finish the year with a bang, I'm already nearly out of a nail polish remover and a foundation so fingers crossed I can finish a nice mix of products. I hope you found this post useful, let me know if you have any questions and have a fab December x