Nails Of The Day - OPI - Mod-ern Girl

Greetings, for coughing and spluttering land! Would you believe it? I'm actually ill again, I took a Covid test and thankfully it was negative, but I've been stricken by some other flu like virus. I have no energy to do the physical stuff that I need to do so I'm curled up in bed, listening to podcast, and getting my blog on.

I've been working my way through various computer files, looking at all of the photos that I've taken for various blog posts, and while I was doing that I found some nail pictures that I'd taken and edited but never posted, so whilst my nails are so-so at the moment, lets take a trip back to October time, when my natural claws were still in place.

I think at the time I was looking for orange shades for Halloween but the polishes that I tried were almost that fall / orange shade but they didn't quite cut it.

 

From OPI's Brights range, Mod-ern Girl is probably more a summer colour, than an autumn one. It's not really an orange at all, it's much more of a bright coral / red.

Despite the fact that this isn't one of the most recent polishes in my collection, it still applied like a dream, the OPI Pro Wide brush ensures excellent coverage, in just one or two strokes. You need to be a little bit careful to avoid the skin, if your nails are like mine and fairly slim, but otherwise the brush and formula is exactly what you would expect from a salon brand like OPI.

The coverage of the first coat was a little bit sheer, and more like a jelly finish than a true cream, so you really did need 2 coats for the full on glossy, almost mirror like, finish that you can see here. As per usual with OPI, it dried quickly and it wore well lasting a good 5 days without chipping.

Even though this wasn't the bright leafy, pumpkin orange that I'd hoped, it was still a beautiful cheery, colour no matter what the season, and I remember receiving several compliments when I wore it. Alas I think that this shade has now been discontinued by OPI, but if you look hard enough it is still out there on auction, and discount sites x Let me know your thoughts on this shade in the comments and I will see you tomorrow with a skin care type post x 

A Late Unboxing Of Glossybox UK - November 2020 Edition - Makeup & Magic*

 

Right, after a more up to date post, it's time to play catch up again with another belated Glossybox unboxing, and this time we're going back to November 2020.

Although the theme of November's box was all about 'Make Up & Magic', compared to the vintage fairy tale style, book, design of October's box, Novembers box at least design wise, was a little bit underwhelming.

There was so much scope to make another sparkly, or mystical designed box, but in some what of a missed opportunity. November's box saw a return to the traditional pink and black design, and colour way.

Instead, in November Glossybox, seemed to focus purely on the contents, producing a box containing glitter, shimmer, and glow, to get us ready for the, all be it Covid affected, festive season.

LA Splash Cosmetics Magic Eyeshadow Palette - Full Size - RRP £29 / $38

First, up the biggie, and the 'star' product in November's box; An eyeshadow palette from cruelty free US based brand, LA Splash.

I've tried a couple of things from the brand now, thanks to Glossybox, including a glitter eyeliner, and some make up brushes , but this was my first opportunity to try one of their powder products.

Packaged in a matter black and gold cardboard, magnetic fastening palette, with a shiny gold cardboard outer sleeve, their Magic Eyeshadow Palette contains 8, 10p ish sized shades, in a variety of matte, shimmer and almost metallic finishes. 

Perfect for the traditional Autumnal colour palette, the compact contains a nice mixture of neutral tones, and fall inspired, leaf and pumpkin inspired, orange, gold, and bronzes.

From Left To Right - Selenite, Sunstone, Aragonite & Tigers Eye

From Left To Right - Rose Quartz, Citrine, Amber & Onyx

As you can see all of the shades, are soft, creamy and really pigmented. I did find that the darker matte shades, such as Tiger's Eye, and Onyx especially were a touch powdery and prone to a little bit of fallout, but otherwise they were pretty easy to apply and they blended into the skin, and into each other really nicely.

What I really liked about this palette is that you could use it to create both bright, show stopping looks, and more neutral, smokey looks, like I've created here by using Sunstone, Rose Quartz, and Tigers Eye.

This is actually a really wearable palette but with a fashion, seasonal twist. I love all of the shades (especially Rose Quartz), and the quality, including the colour pay off, and the wear time was excellent. I do think that there are definitely cheaper palettes of equal quality on the market but I'm really pleased to have this one in my collection.

Whilst Beauty Bay do sell a small selection of LA Splash products, this particular palette is only available directly from LA Splash where it retails at £29 / $38.

Spectrum Collections Limited Edition Zodiac B07 Tall Crease Blender - Full Size - Est. RRP £7.99

Included to be used alongside your eyeshadow palette, the next item in November's box, was an eyeshadow brush from Spectrum Collections.

I own a few brushes from Spectrum now and I've always been really impressed with both the quality of the products and the brands ethos. All of their products are both vegan and cruelty free and this particular brush is no exception.

In one of their limited edition colour ways, this B07 Tall Crease Blender features a glossy black handle, a shiny gold ferrule, and super soft, and fluffy synthetic hairs.

This isn't really the best all rounder brush for precise application because it's a bit too fluffy, but it's perfect for blending shadow into the crease and even for applying shadow to the brow bone or all over the lid - really useful and another winner from Spectrum!

This particular brush in this colour way doesn't appear to be available to buy, but the B07 does seem to be available in both white and pink for £5.99 direct from Spectrum Collections, and it's also available in various colours, in various sets and kits both direct from Spectrum and from various other retailers including Beauty Bay, Boots, ASOS and NEXT Beauty.

Que Bella Professional Recharge & Restore Purple Moonstone Glitter Gel Mask - 15g - Full Size - RRP £2.49

The next item in the box was the first of two face masks, and this one was a single use sachet from a brand called Que Bella. I've only had one other product from Que Bella but that one is still in my to try pile, this was my first real experience with the brand.

Whilst they're quite new to the UK, Que Bella is currently the best selling face mask brand in the US, and they currently have over 25 different products in their range, catering for all ages and all different skin types.

The mask that I received this time round was the Que Bella Professional Recharge & Restore Moonstone Glitter Gel Mask. Vegan friendly and dermatologically tested, this mask is specifically designed for dull skin that needs a bit of glow. It's both hydrating, rejuvenating, plumping, firming and detoxifying, and it contains a mixture of caffeine, sodium hyaluronate, dead sea mud, charcoal powder, and moonstone extract.

At first glance I actually though that this was a peel off mask, but it's actually a gel textured wash off mask. It did feel a lot like a peel off mask though with a sticky, gel like texture. It was black in colour and full of fabulous iridescent, blue, purple, glittery sparkles.

Before

With a sweet parma violet esq scent, it was really easy to spread out, and to apply to the skin. There was a slight warming, and tingling on application but it subsided fairly quickly. The mask didn't really seem to dry or set, it just needed to be washed off with warm water after around 15 minutes.

On Face

It was a little bit difficult and messy to wash off, but it left my skin looking and feeling refreshed, clean and clear. My skin was a touch pink and there was no real difference in the texture of my skin, but the mask looked fantastic when it was on my skin, it smelled lovely, and my skin definitely looked better after using it, so I would definitely consider using this one again.

After Removal

Face masks from Que Bella are available exclusively from Amazon in the UK, and this particular mask retails at around £2.49.

Generation Clay Ultra Violet Brightening Purple Clay Mask - 50ml -  Est. RRP £19.50

The next item in the box was a bit of an unexpected one. The product listed in the information booklet was the Mudmasky Leave-Me-On Autumn Mask, but instead some Glossybox subscribers, including myself, received another face mask, the Generation Clay Ultra-Violet Brightening Purple Clay Mask.

From cruelty free, Australian based company Generation Clay / Generation Skin, this is another mask that is designed to add radiance to the skin, and to even out the complexion, as well as lightening dark circles and pigmentation.

It contains clay, and a mixture of botanicals and superfoods, including the Australian Davidson Plum, which contains AHA's, Desert Lime to stimulate collagen, Bilberry, a natural enzymic exfoliator, and Aloe Vera to soothe and reduce redness, as well as witch hazel, vitamin E, ylang ylang, and hibiscus extract.

Before 

The mask has a slightly runny, but creamy and easy to apply texture. Lilac, grey in colour is has quite a strange scent, with almost bitter almond notes, mixed with plastic and an old fashioned floral scent.

On application, as stated it did feel quite warm and tingly at least for a few minutes before it gradually subsided as the mask started to dry. It took around 15 minutes to set completely, changing to an almost white colour, whilst at the same time feeling quite solid, and tight. 

On Application

After 15 Minutes 

Like all clay masks it took a bit of getting off, but I found the best way to do it was to soak my entire, mask covered face in warm water to soften it a little bit before wiping it off  in circular motions with warm water and a muslin cloth.

My skin did look a little bit red after removal, but it felt super smooth, and looked fresher, brighter, and it had an almost smooth, matte finish.

After Removal

I was a little bit worried about the tingling feeling, and I wasn't a huge fan of the scent. but my skin actually seemed to love this mask. My skin tone looked more radiant and even, and it seemed to improve the texture, leaving it feeling smoother, and it also seemed to help control my oily t-zone as well as drying up the odd blemish more quickly. I probably wouldn't recommend it if your skin was drier or more sensitive but for me it worked.

This particular mask isn't that easy to find. Glossybox place a value of £19.50 on this 50ml half sized tube, but I can't find this size anywhere. Strangely though Beauty Bay sell a 75ml / 100g tube for £19, although it's currently out of stock. Otherwise you can find a 100g tube for around £29.99 on Amazon or for around £49.99 direct from Generation Skin / Clay, so if you do fancy trying this one for yourself then the key is to shop around x 

HASK Argan Oil From Morocco Repairing Deep Conditioner - 50g / 50ml - Full Size - Est. RRP £2

The fifth and final item in November's box is something that as of yet I still haven't managed to try. Yes, I know that November was nearly 5 months ago now, but I've been trying out a few other different hair products, so I haven't managed to slip this one into my routine yet, and scarier still I haven't tried the exact same one that I also received in the January 2019 edition of Glossybox UK - eek!

This is the original Argan oil based deep conditioning mask from American brand, Hask, which is specially designed to strengthen, and hydrate, dry, damaged, colour treated, and processed hair. I promise I will use it and I will definitely talk about it in an upcoming empties post.

This full sized  50g sachet retails at anywhere between £2.49 - £3, and is available from various retailers including Boots, Superdrug, Tesco and Waitrose. 

So that was my very late review of the November 2020 edition of Glossybox UK, and for me it was a good one; The quality of the eyeshadow palette was excellent, the brush was great quality and really useful, and I loved all of the masks, including the hair one that I haven't tried yet ;)

Let me know your thoughts on this box in the comments, and don't forget to check out Glossybox for yourself, and I will see you soon with a mixture of catch up's and more up to date posts x 

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

Collaborative / Partnered Post - Small Changes You Can Make To Have A Positive Impact On Both Your Physical And Mental Health*

I don't know about you, but the last twelve months or so have been a bit of struggle mental health wise. I don't whether it's totally been down to Covid, and lockdown, after lockdown, or just life stresses mounting up and getting the better of me, but at times I've really struggled. The key thing when you're struggling with anything but especially mental health is to talk, be it to a friend or a family member, or even seek some professional or unbiased help.

When your struggling with your mental health every problem can seem so huge but when you look at it even the biggest problem is just a series of tiny little ones, and when you break it down, the majority of times it isn't quite as scary as what you thought it was, and the same thing applies when it comes to making changes that benefit both your mental, and physical health

As a species, humans tend to be very good at thinking big, and setting huge goals for themselves, that to be honest aren't always achievable in the one go. I know it isn't always possible but if you want to truly benefit your mental health then you need to start out with something more manageable, and more achievable. The first thing you need to do before you start focusing on some of your problems is to think about self care, and the tiny changes that you can make on a daily basis, that can help you get your mind and body into focus, and prepare yourself for the task

Exercise for 20 Minutes

It’s important to know that your version of working out doesn’t have to be anything like someone else’s, and believe me mine isn't! It doesn’t matter at all if you want to build up so you can eventually run marathons or whether you just want to try and get a little bit fitter, and get some much needed fresh air to boot, if it makes you feel better, it all matters and it all counts. Now I just do as and when, but what you need to do is make sure that you schedule it into your calendar, like you would a coffee date, or a zoom meeting, and make it part of your day and your week. You don’t have to go running either, or do anything strenuous, just spend 20 minutes or so a day being more active, you can save on the stresses, cost and self esteem issues of going to the gym by doing an online class, following a You Tube video, by buying a bit of exercise equipment (I've recently bought a seated exercise bike) or even going for a 20 minute walk. Whatever the form, exercise really gets those endorphins going, and it can really help with stress, depression and self esteem issues.

Source: Pexels (CC0 License)

Eat More Fruit And Vegetable

When I'm feeling a bit down, or stressed, I turn to food, and in particular things like chocolate, crisps, and junk food and I'm not alone in that - so many of us turn to food and comfort eat in times of stress, and that's fine, don’t restrict yourself , no food should ever be forbidden, instead though, instead of reaching for the biscuits try and introduce more fruit and vegetables into your diet. Consider how to add more vegetables into your daily meals so that you can increase your nutrient intake, add some salad vegetables to a sandwich, snack on some carrot sticks, and hummus, instead of using crisps or bread for dipping, and if you love bananas, then why not add more of them to your diet, pop them into your porridge, yogurt or cereal or even pop them in a sandwich. As I said in my last post if you hate Brussel sprouts, change how you cook them, but if you still aren't a fan then don't force yourself to eat them there are plenty of other vegetables out there to eat. It maybe because I'm a vegetarian but I do love vegetables and eating more fruit and veg is such a tiny change that can make a huge impact on both your mental and physical health.

Drink One More Glass of Water a Day

It sounds strange but just drinking one extra glass of water a day can play a huge role in helping both your physical and mental health. The average adult needs to drink around 8 glasses of water, and a few more alongside, if you're drinking a lot of caffeine. If you don't drink enough water your body and your mind will suffer, you won't be able to concentrate, you may get a headache, and it can effect your skin. It can look dull, and you can get more breakouts. and suffer from more blotchiness and skin damage. If you are struggling with your skin, it may be an idea for you to look into hyperpigmentation treatment.

Sleep for Half an Hour Extra A Day

Although most of the time I'm not one of them, so many of us just don't get enough sleep that it’s so important that you make this year, the one where you actually look after yourself. I know it's hard when you're feeling anxious but give your body the sleep that it has been craving and make sure that you are getting between 7 and 9 hours every night. If you don't get enough sleep you really struggle to focus during the day, and as well as altering your mental health it can ultimately also ultimately effect your physical health. I've done a few posts on sleeping better so take a look back through the blog, but if you are having trouble sleeping then spend some time winding before you go to bed, cut down on the caffeine, turn off that phone, and prepare yourself for a goodnights sleep.

Even if you try all of things I can't guarantee that your problems will disappear but if you give them a try, they might make you feel a little bit healthier and hopefully they might help you to think a little bit more clearly x Remember though it's okay not to be okay, and there is always help out there and somebody is always there to listen

*Collaborative / Partnered Post

Trimming My Stash - November And December 2020 Edition - Empties, Mini Reviews, And A 2020 Round Up*

 Right, after another rubbish couple of weeks in LouLouLand, it's time for another ridiculously late catch up post, and no, it isn't an unboxing post (I thought I'd try and split them up a bit), instead it's an empties post, and in a desperate attempt to try and get myself back up to date with at least something, I'm combining a couple of months, and my yearly round up into 1 epic post.

First up, let's take a trip back a few months to November 2020...

Gatineau Floracil Plus Gentle Waterproof Eye Make Up Remover - 118ml
AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Conditioner - 250ml
AVON ANEW Clean Anti-Ageing 3 In 1 Cleansing Water - 200ml
Cussons Carex Moisture Derma Care Antibacterial Hand Wash - 250ml
The Body Shop Spiced Apple Body Butter - 50ml
Elemis Spa @ Home Body Exotics Jasmine And Rose Hand And Nail Cream - 20ml
Neutrogena Pure Glow Daily Cleansing Cushions - 22 x Dual Textured Cushions
The Body Shop Juicy Pear Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 250ml
Total - 8 Items

Trimming my stash wise, November was a pretty good month. I didn't manage to finish anything too exciting but I did manage to finish a nice variety of skin, hair, and body care items, including one pretty embarrassing, old, product.

1. Gatineau Floracil Plus Gentle Waterproof Eye Make Up Remover - 118ml

No doubt you will have heard the saying 'if it isn't broke, don't fix it', well in the case of this particular product, no truer words have ever been spoken.

Although it ranks fairly high in the spendy stakes, the original Gatineau Floracil Gentle Eye Make Up Remover, in my opinion is worth every penny. I don't buy it that often now but it does exactly what it promises. It removes make up with ease, and it doesn't cause any dryness, stinging or irritation.

In simple terms if something works why change it? Well thankfully Gatineau didn't change or discontinue the original, but instead they released this,.. this imposter, Floracil Plus!

Containing good for you ingredients such as aloe vera, witch hazel, and vitamins, Floracil Plus was actually introduced to help tackle a new generation of waterproof, and long wear mascaras, and apparently like the original it allegedly suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.

I will admit that my eyes can be quite dry and quite sensitive, but this stuff make them sting like crazy, it left them feeling really greasy, and I personally didn't find it anywhere near as effective as the original.

As I say I'm just super grateful that they didn't discontinue the original, and I don't think that I'm alone in that viewpoint because this particular remover is now quite hard to find. It doesn't seem to be available direct from Gatineau now, and I can only find it in a few sets on the QVC UK website, and on Fragrance Direct who also sell it in a duo with the original for £16.95, and on it's also available on its own for £11.50, but in my opinion, skip it and buy the original instead x 

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

Next up the first of 2 AVON products in November's list, and it's a hair product. I'm coming to the end of my Anti Hair Fall stash now, and whilst I really do like some of the products that replaced it, I think I will always have a soft spot for the products in the range.

Containing keratin, bamboo extract, arginine, and peppermint extract, it conditioned the hair without leaving it greasy or heavy, it had a gorgeous fruity, with a hint of mint scent, and I really think that it made a huge difference to my hair.

3. AVON ANEW Clean Anti-Ageing 3 In 1 Cleansing Water - 200ml

The next item on November's list is another AVON product, and it looks as though it's something else that has either been discontinued or reformulated. This was another one of those products that I'd always intended to review properly but as per usual I never got round to it, so here is a little summary x

I did actually repurchase this a couple of times, so to put it simply it was obviously pretty decent. It was basically a micellar or cleansing water. It has a very subtle fragrance, it felt slightly tingly on the eyes, but it was fine on the rest of my face, and it removed dirt and make up, without leaving my skin dry or tight. It did leave my skin slightly sticky but overall it was pretty good.

I don't use micellar or cleansing waters as much as I used (I trying to get better with my skincare), but I potentially would have bought this one again, but unfortunately I can't find either on the AVON website, or in the latest book. The nearest thing that I can find is the ANEW Revitalising Micellar Water which retails at £6 and is something that I might try in the future.

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

Next up something that was like gold dust in 2020, and no I don't mean toilet paper! I'm referring to hand wash! I've used quite a few different hand washes from Carex over the last few months, but it was this rather boring sounding one that's actually become my must have.

Off white in colour, and rather suggestive in appearance, this moisturising hand wash has a gorgeous fruity scent, and despite all of its antibacterial and cleansing properties, you could really feel the slickness and the moisture on your skin.

This is the eco refill bottle which comes with a screw off cap, meaning you can save on packaging be reusing your pumps. This particular variant comes in various sizes and usually retails between £1 - £2.50 from various retailers including Boots, Superdrug, Poundland, Tesco, Wilko, Asda, and Sainsbury's.

5. The Body Shop Spiced Apple Body Butter - 50ml

Usually I try to switch up my body and shower products with the seasons, but in 2020 my usual habits seemed to fly out of the window, and I indulged in some festive scents even in the height of summer. I didn't manage to pick up anything from The Body Shop's 2020 festive range so I'm still going to be using up pieces from years gone by.

Spiced Apple was one of their offerings from around 2016 / 2017, and seeing as I love the scents of orchard fruits, I stocked up on some of my favourite products which I'm still using to this day. In The Body Shop's signature body butter formulation with both shea and cocoa butters, this particular one had a lovely warm cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and crisp baked apple scent, that smelled almost good enough to eat - definitely one of my favourite ever festive scents from The Body Shop.

6. Elemis Spa @ Home Body Exotics Jasmine And Rose Hand And Nail Cream - 20ml

This next product is the first of 3 hand creams that feature in this post, and it's the first of 2 from British spa brand, Elemis. I believe that this travel sized hand cream must have came in one of their special Christmas Today's Special Value kits on QVC UK, as it's now almost impossible to find.

From their Body Exotics range, this hand cream contained a whole load of natural extracts and ingredients, including sunflower oil, again oil, jasmine and lotus flower extract, as well as ylang ylang, rose, chamomile, and sandalwood oils. It had an almost velvety texture, and it smelled beautiful with an almost spicy rose scent, with jasmine and white flower undertones.

I really loved this hand cream, and I would definitely consider repurchasing it, if I could find it.

7. Neutrogena Pure Glow Daily Cleansing Cushions - 22 x Dual Textured Cushions

Okay, the least said about this next product the better really. I talked about these in more depth in my July 2020 empties post, but to put it simply these cleansing pads were probably one of the oldest beauty products in my stash and whilst I am now free from the embarrassment of owning and using something so old, in a way I'm still going to mourn their loss because as product I really did like them, and I'm still a bit said that they were discontinued however many years ago that was.

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

The final empty from November was another limited edition Christmas item from The Body Shop, and this time it was a products from their 2019 range.

As I say I love the crisp sweet, yet tart scent of orchard fruits, and their mouthwatering Juicy Pear range was right up my street, and of course you know how much I love a good sugar scrub.

I really thought that I had another one of these in my stash but at the moment I can't seem to find it, so if this was my last pot, I'll definitely miss it, and like so many festive scents from The Body Shop, I'll keep my fingers crossed for its return.

So they were my November empties, a nice mix of bits, and a good 8 items to add to my yearly total. Alas I didn't quite manage to hit the same heights in December, but I still managed to finish a very respectable total of 7 items.

Elemis Body Exotics White Lotus & Lime Hand & Nail Cream - 20ml
Read My Lips Every Day I'm Brusselin' Moisturising Sheet Mask - 1 x 20ml Mask
Que Bella Professional Recharge & Restore Purple Moonstone Glitter Gel Mask - 15g
Benefit Gimme Brow Brow Volumising Fibre Gel - 3 - 3g
Marc Jacobs Daisy Velvet Body Butter - 140g
Leighton Denny Intense Manicure Oil - 12ml
Bio Glow Nature Inspired Hand Creme Rose - 60ml

Total - 7 Items 

Again I managed to finish a good mix of products including a few old and long standing items, some newer things, and even a make up item!

1. Elemis Body Exotics White Lotus & Lime Hand & Nail Cream - 20ml

First up a hand cream, and it's another limited edition from Elemis. I believe that this one also came in one of their QVC UK TSV's and I think that this one was possibly from 2016.

Containing shea butter, and macadamia oil, as well as bitter and sweet orange, patchouli, white lotus, thyme, and lemon and lime extracts. Again this hand cream had a lovely rich velvety feel. It had a very green, herbal scent, with only a tiny hint of recognisable citrus. It was a very unisex type scent.

Unfortunately as I say this was another limited edition product, and it's now almost impossible to find.

2. Read My Lips Every Day I'm Brusselin' Moisturising Sheet Mask - 1 x 20ml Mask

Next, up the first of 2 face masks in this post, and this particular product was my Christmas Eve beauty treat. I bought this particular mask from Boots' Read My Lips stocking filler range, which contained things like Brussel sprout lip balm, and pigs in blankets post notes and bath bombs.

The humble Brussel sprout gets a lot of stick but personally I love them, honestly try them roasted or in stir fry if you're not keen, and I promise you will become a convert!

Alas this fibre sheet mask doesn't actually seem to contain Brussel sprouts but it does contain a whole load of other plant extracts and botanicals. The mask itself was white in colour and featured a festive green cartoon sprout design. It was a good quality mask and it didn't rip or tear, and it had a lovely fruity, berry scent.

It was very wet to the touch, and it felt very cooling and refreshing on the skin. I left it on for about 15 minutes, and after peeling it off, my skin still felt quite wet. Unusually the instructions said to wash away the excess liquid, but after rinsing my skin and drying my face, my skin both looked and felt nice and refreshed and hydrated.

For a so called novelty product I was actually pretty impressed with this mask, it was fun, it felt nice on the skin, and it had a lovely scent.

Alas this seems to be another product that will be pretty much impossible to find, but you can find out more about the brand here x 

3. Que Bella Professional Recharge & Restore Purple Moonstone Glitter Gel Mask - 15g

From one mask to another, and to be fair mentioning this one in this post is a little bit of a cop out! This face mask actually came in the November 2020 edition of Glossybox UK, so unfortunately you'll have to wait just a little bit longer to read the unboxing post which should hopefully be within the next week to find out my thoughts on this face mask. In the meantime though you can buy it exclusively in the UK from Amazon where it retails at £2.49.

4. Benefit Gimme Brow Brow Volumising Fibre Gel - 3 - 3g

Make up items were very thin on the ground in my 2020 Trimming My Stash posts, so I was extra pleased to finish one in the last month of the year. 

Whenever you see any pictures of my eyes or my whole face, either on my blog, my Facebook, my Instagram or my Twitter, 9 times out of 10, this is the brow product that I'm wearing.

I love all of the brow products in the Benefit Cosmetics range but this one really is my go to, and I actually own it in a few different shades depending on my hair colour at the time, and the look that I'm going for.

This is shade 3 which is medium / neutral light brown, and this is my everyday subtle shade. Super quick and easy to use, Gimme Brow adds colour and volume to the brows, and it helps to tame down the hairs, fill on the odd gap and cover the odd grey hair.

I love it, it's the perfect brow product if you're time poor, another bonus is that you don't need a lot of skill to apply it and it lasts for ages both on the brows and despite the size, in the tube too. 

This full 3g size comes in 10 shades and retails at around £22.50 from various retailers including direct from Benefit Cosmetics, John Lewis, Boots, House Of Fraser, Look Fantastic, Feel Unique and ASOS. 

5. Marc Jacobs Daisy Velvet Body Butter - 140g

The next item on December's list was another slightly embarrassing, super old product, and this time it isn't a skin care item it's actually a body product.

Let's be honest, like most people I was probably first drawn to Marc Jacobs Daisy because of the bottle design. I love hippy, dippy looking daisies and thankfully I also love the fragrance with it's fruity, floral violet notes.

Although this was actually called a body butter, for me it had more of a rich body cream texture, with the bright and breezy daisy scent, and just a touch of shimmer. This tub looks a little battered and faded now but it was well loved, and it smelled amazing until the very end.

I think this particular product has unfortunately been discontinued now but you can still get something called Luminous Body Lotion, in a few different Daisy gift sets.

6. Leighton Denny Intense Manicure Oil - 12ml

It's funny how your buying habits change; When it was available on QVC UK, I used to be a regular buyer of Leighton Denny's nail polishes and treatments, but once they left the channel, I moved on and I pretty much stopped buying from the range, which on reflection is a real shame when you consider how good products like this actually are.

Basically this is a manicure oil that can be used as both an intensive hand moisturiser, and as a cuticle product. Containing a blend of 4 skin softening oils - sweet almond, wheatgerm, avocado, and olive, and 5 essential oils - lavender, chamomile, geranium, cedar and bergamot, this oil didn't just smell beautiful, it was also a real moisturising treat for the hands and nails.

This particular size no longer seems to be available but you can buy a 50ml size from £22 direct from Leighton Denny x 

7. Bio Glow Nature Inspired Hand Creme Rose - 60ml

The final beauty product that I finished in 2020 was another hand and nail product, and it was another hand cream. I picked this one up on a whim in Poundland and do you know what? For the £1 price tag it wasn't half bad. 

Both cruelty free and vegan friendly, it contains shea butter, jojoba oil, vitamin E, and rosemary extract. It has a nice rich and creamy texture, and it absorbed well in to the skin, especially when used alongside a pair of cotton gloves at bedtime. The scent was a touch old fashioned rose but for just £1, it was a decent buy. If you fancy trying it for yourself, as well as Poundland, you can also find it at Fragrance Direct, The Range, B&M and Savers.

So there you have it, I ended 2020 with another 8 empties in November and another 7 items in December, but what different did that make to my overall 2020 total...

January - 4 Items

February - 3 Items

March - 4 Items

April - 8 Items

May - 5 Items

June - 9 Items

July - 8 Items

August - 5 Items

September - 8 Items

October - 6 Items

November - 8 Items

December - 7 Items

2020 Total - 75 Items

Well, against all the odds, in 2020 I managed to finish a grand total of 75 items! I know! I couldn't quite believe it myself! I mean I didn't go on holiday, I didn't get dressed up at all and I barely wore any make up, but some how I managed to finish 8 more products than I did in 2019, and I managed to achieve my best finish since 2016!

I'm still now quite sure how it happened really, was it down to an increase in self care? or was it down to really concentrating on finishing all of those half finished products? Whatever the reason, I'm really just really pleased with just how many products that I managed to finish in 2020. I certainly bought less and I can really see the spaces starting to appear in my cupboards and drawers.

It goes without saying that I will be continuing to trim my stash in 2020, and my plan again is to buy less and use more, and again my focus is to try and finish a few more make up items, lockdown or no lockdown.

My January empties update should be up in the next week or so but in the meantime you can keep track of my progress in the sidebar x As per usual please let me know if you have any questions on any of the items in this all be it very long post, and don't forget to let me know if you're doing something similar in 2021. Thanks for reading and I will see you soon with another post x 

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