Empties - Jan 2015

As part of my new years resolutions, i have decided that i really need to finish and use products up (Which as a blogger, skincare and make up lover is not an easy task) after discovering my extensive collection. So here are all of my empties for the month of January.

Aussie Take The Heat Shampoo - I decided to go back to this after my hair got used to a few shampoo's and i can't say i am as impressed as i was the first time i used it. I mean is may protect my hair but my hair still feels really dry after using it, even with conditioner. I might try it again but use a different alternative shampoo to use alongside it and also a different conditioner. 

Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask - I picked this up after trying the Una Brennan Green Tea face mask which has since been discontinued, which now after using this i wasn't as impressed with, maybe that's why it is no longer avaliable. This really helps to clear my skin and draw out the nasties. I will definitely be repurchasing this mask, however i really want to try one of the new Superfacialist Anti Blemish Mask and is next on my list. 

Caudalie Beauty Elixir - I am always sad to see when this comes to an end, this one of the best facial water sprays there is. I love the smell and the way it makes my skin look and feel. I already have a back up of this and i will also be trying out the La Roche' Posay Serozinc which is next on my list. 

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm - Oh this made me cry, this is one of my all time favourite products and it is gone. I do have a back up which i luckily got got christmas, but i will be using the Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm to see what i think and see if this can be my cost cutting alternative. This really gets all the make up of my face and makes my skin smell and feel like a dream.

Sanex Dermo Sensitive shower cream - I have never been a lover of shower gels and this shower cream really ticks all the boxes, it was really soft on my skin and did not irritate it one bit. The only thing is i got so tired of the smell. I have already purchased two different types of the Sanex shower cream,  to see what the differences and if i prefer those to this one. I am sure they will be featuring in an empties so i will let you know how i get on with those.

Soap and Glory Scrubatomic - I know, you really can barely even tell what this is and the pink has completely faded from the packaging. This scrub was for me a great scrub in summer, but i can't say this has thrilled me into the winter. I am looking for a new scrub, any recommendations i would really love to hear any suggestions i the comments below :). 

Yes to Cucumber Daily Gel Cleanser - I think from my disappointing products of 2014  post you will know how much i loathe this cleanser. I will never repurchase this and i am glad this is finished and out of my life. I am currently enjoying the Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser at the moment which is miles and miles better than this.  

And those are my empties for the month of January. If you have any recommendations please let me know in the comments below, I would love to hear your suggestions.

Disappointing Products of 2014

We've all been there, purchasing a product and it not being quite up to what we expected. Here are products that have disappointed me this past year:

The Visible Difference set from Elizabeth Arden - I was drawn to this set as I know everyone raves about Elizabeth Arden and but all i can say is this duo really let me down. After like the first couple of use's i really did not enjoy using it. The exfoliator stuck to my skin and did not exfoliate my skin at all. The beads would not come off and it took more than 5/6 washes as well as using a face cloth. Normally exfoliators for me take one good rinse and i finish it off with a cloth to make sure and i am done. The toner just made my skin feel dry and i did not notice any results at all to my skin. I would advise you avoid this set and range because it really is just not worth it. The set seems like a good deal at £15 (might be a little more because i bought it at £12 from £15 at the start of this year) but honestly it's really not.  

Yes to Cucumber Daily Gel Cleanser - So like everyone i have used to face wipes and LOVED them so i thought i would give this Cleanser the same range a try. I soon regretted my decision. The gel was so difficult to use in all aspects. The product was extremely runny, in a way like water which makes it really difficult to work with. Getting this product to foam up to clean your face is really difficult and when it does the foam is very little and it did not really clean my face at all. Removing this product is more of a nightmare than getting make up off, it really turns into glue!  I could not see any results from using the product on my skin. All i can say is, the wipes are good but this is really not. It has put me off trying any of the other items in their range but if there is anything please let me know. 

The Glamour Beauty Box sample version of the HD Brows Eye and Brow Pallette (Link to the full sized product only available now) - Did anyone work out how to use this product? as i'm sure not just I received this in one of the first glamour beauty boxes from latest in beauty. I have no idea why this kit is now on sale as a full sized kit AT ALL. The brow colour is far too dark for anyone who has brown eyebrows, even though it seems more advertised at someone that would have. Not just that the three other colours which i assume are for eyeshadows were some of the worst i have ever had to work with. The colours in the set would not blend at all. This is a Really disappointing product, i hope they have change the formula of these for the full size set i honestly cannot think of anything worse to put on my brows or around my eyes. I think i'd stick to the Archery from Soap and glory or a new favourite from Eyelur for brows because this kit makes HD look Analogue. 

Maybeline New York Fit Me Concealer - I am not sure about where the hype about this product came from in all honesty because this is a dry skin clinger. I picked up two shades, fair and sand and neither of these two concealer's looked even close to my fair skin tone, the shade range does need drastic improvement.  The concealer was easy to blend and all but i noticed after a few hours the effects were gone and if i had dry skin, this would cling to it and make my skin look herrendous. Stick to the Collection concealer or NARS concealer, these two have an amazing shade range and do not cling to dry skin patches.  

Jessica Damaged Nails Kit - After bad hiccup with some shellac nail removal, I bough this kit with high hope that It would help my nails restore back to full health. I used this kit for good three months, as well as buffing my nails and this really did kit really did nothing to help the process. It seems this kit is one of those, let's attempt to mask the problem and not fit it. My nails still looked damaged and were not healing as the kit claims. If you want any help at all get the Dr Lewinn's kit, it's miles better than this tragic trio and was one that helped my nails to recover. 

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Mascara - I got this free when i bought a foundation and concealer from the Rimmel and i wish i had never opened it. This is the definition of clump central, a mere few weeks after i opened it. Now I have had mascara's that have lasted a good few months before drying up and going clumpy, so i was extremely disappointed with this product. On the plus side the brush design it's just a shame that the product did not match to the standard of the brush.  I'd advise looking further for mascara.

Soap and Glory Sexy Motherpucker Lip Lacquers - Now i love the sexy mother pucker gloss sticks, so when i saw these i thought i would give them a go. This product a bit like the yes to cucumber gel and was was basically like glue, but instead of sticking to my lips, it stuck to the container. The gloss was sticky and horrible and you could not apply it at all to the lips. It's a real disappointment for me because the majority of soap and glory products have really hit leaps and bounds above some of the more high end products for me but this one did not make the cut. Try the Rimmel Lip Laqure's for a great budget find. 

So there you have it, another year closes and these are the products I wish I had never met in 2014. Keep away from these when out shopping because they will give you nothing but none refundable trouble.

Happy New year.

Morning Skincare Routine

Waking up to a fresh clean face in a morning is honestly one of sheer bliss and should never be missed. To ensure my skin is feeling fit for the day, i use a range of products to keep my skin feel great throughout.

As my skin is rather sensitive i have to be careful not to use harsh products as this will only create more problems along the way.

The first thing I do is  choose from one of two cleansers. The first is the Yes To, Cucumber Cleansing Gel. This cleanser is for days when my skin feels pretty good and not too sore and doesn't require a boost to keep it looking fresh and alive. This cleanser cleans away the morning oils from your face, leaving your skin feeling and smelling fresh.

The second cleanser of choice is the Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser for when my skin feels a little more sensitive, the moisture in this cleanser really helps my skin restore itself to it's natural balance.

Once my skin is cleansed it's time to keep those pesky round spots at bay, so i use the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+. This really is the best product out there for helping my spots vanish. It targets the spot directly and helps clear up any red marks.

To keep the hydration in, i turn to my loyal serum the Indeed Labs Hydraluron Facial Serum. This really gives my face the hydration it needs, especially in these cold winters when my face tends to suffer from a lack of moisure. 

To ensure that my skin keeps from dying out, it's time to moisturise. I have tried to many moisturisers but so far have not been best pleased with many, not until the Dr Organics Rose Otto Day Cream really loves my skin. It helps keep those pesky little wrinkles from forming and makes my skin feel so soft after use. It's also paraben free which i feel strongly about with moisturisers and it soaks into your skin more than any other products. 

The final product i use when my skin looks a little tired and i need to look fresh for the day it the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. One sprits not just smells nice but it really wakes you up, allowing you to be ready for the big day ahead.

I really am in love this routine and it really seems to work for me in these horrible cold winters evenings. 

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