February Favourites

I often find it hard to compile a list of products to mention in my monthly favourites, as my day to day makeup and skincare routine generally stays the same, but I thought I'd share a few products that really stood out to me last month.

I've used the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask before and while I liked using the product, I never really got how good it is and thought it was just a thick moisturiser... However I was really ill and sick at the beginning of February and my whole body (including my skin) became very dehydrated. My skin was looking very lacklustre and makeup was not sitting well on it. Enter the Origins mask and after a few days use, it left my skin feeling rehydrated and plump. It has a lovely citrusy smell, which reminds me of citrus polos (Does anyone else remember those?!)

I've also been loving the Superfacialist by Una Brennan Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil (which is quite possibly the longest name ever!). I'd never used a cleansing oil before, but wanted to give one a whirl and decided to give this Superfacialist one a go after hearing lots of good reviews. It makes makeup removal very simple and leaves my skin feeling nice and clean, without any tightness or greasiness. This also has a nice citrusy smell, which I really like.

Chanel Lotus Rouge is a gorgeous deep raspberry red colour, which I have been sporting on my nails a lot recently. It's perfect for the colder wintery months, but is also versatile enough to be worn all year round as it's not too dark. Although the lasting power of this nail varnish leaves a little to be desired, the brush and application are top notch. I have a NOTD of this here.

I have been experimenting with cheek products this month, as they have been neglected for a long time. The Makeup Academy blush in Cupcake is a lovely matte peachy, pink which adds a natural flush to the cheeks. I find that even though it's a matte blush, it gives your complexion a glow and really perks up the skin. Another great thing about this blush is that it only costs £1! I have also been using the Soap and Glory Solar Powder bronzer from my Christmas Soap and Glory palette (which I plan on doing a post about). It has a darker shade and a lighter shade (which also has a little shimmer), which you can use separately or mixed together. I tend to mix them together and they give a natural looking shade, which isn't too dark or muddy for my pale complexion.

What were you loving throughout February?

Joy xx

Autumn Face and Outfit

After my last FOTD, I decided to try to post them more so you can see what products I am using frequently, as I review products that I try but there are some staples that I have never actually reviewed that are part of my everyday arsenal. This FOTD also leads into my next post, which will be a review of the foundation I am wearing.

Face:

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation

Benefit It Stick

Benefit Dallas

Eyes and eyebrows:

Urban Decay Halfbaked (all over the lid)

Collection 2000 Extreme 24hr Felt Tip Liner

Soap and Glory Thick & Fast Mascara

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Black/Brown

Lips:

MUA Lipstick Shade 1

I also wore black tights (Primark), black ballet pumps (Topshop), my trench coat (Michael Kors) and a big woolly scarf (Zara) - not pictured, sorry.

This kind of outfit has become one of my Autumn wardrobe staples. It's very simple, but super comfortable and it means I can transition some of my summery bottoms into the Autumn/Winter months. I have at least 4 floral skirts that I wear to death during the summer months, but I feel they go to waste a little during the colder months, so I have been pairing them with a cozy knit, a pair of opaque black tights and a chunky scarf and I really like the way it looks.

What has been your Autumn/Winter staple?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Project Empties #17

Every month I manage to finish a fair amount of products as I have a tonne of half full products hanging around, waiting to be used. However, my skincare and beauty drawers never seem to get any emptier! One day I will have a normal amount of products... One day...

Nivea Anti Cellulite
Review: Long story short... This made no difference what so ever.
Would I repurchase? NO

Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub
Review: Here
Would I repurchase? Yes

Aussie Aussome Volume Shampoo
Review: I absolutely love this shampoo. It gives a nice amount of bounce to the hair and leaves my hair looking especially voluminous if I blow dry my hair. It never left it feeling dried out and smells gorgeous.
Would I repurchase? Yes

Batiste Dry Shampoo (Original)
Review: This had a lemony smell, which wasn't particularly pleasant, however it did leave my hair smelling clean. This definitely helped to revive my second day hair and added a nice amount of volume and texture when required. This would occasionally leave my hair looking a little grey if I didn't brush it all away, however I think it is just this version as I have since started using the tropical one and I don't have this problem.
Would I repurchase? Not this version

Soap & Glory Hand Food
Review: I love this hand cream. It smells gorgeous and isn't greasy on the hands. Also the packaging it adorable and easy to spot in your handbag.
Would I repurchase? Yes

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish
Review: Here
Would I repurchase? Yes

Superdrug Rehydrating Cleansing Gel
Review: Here
Would I repurchase? Maybe

I seem to hoard foundation samples as I want to try the foundations, but the samples are always too dark for me. Recently I've been fake tanning more frequently, so even though they weren't perfect matches, they worked a little bit better with my skintone. All three foundations were quite light coverage, which is something that I don't usually opt for but I've been wanting to venture that way for a while. I really liked the Rimmel Wake Me Up on the first application as it left my skin looking glowy, but when I used the sample again, it didn't sit right... I have been lusting after the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua for ages and I think I will have to bite the bullet and purchase the full size sometime soon. The Liz Earle foundation sample was lovely too. It looked really nice on the skin, however it didn't last too well.

What have you finished this month?

By the way, I recently found out about this 'Pin it to Win it' competition open to London ladies where you can win laser hair removal at EF Medispa. I know there's a few of you out there that are from London and use Pinterest, so I thought it would be interesting to share this competition with you! The pin and instructions can be found at EF Medispa's Pinterest here. All words and opinions are my own. I am not being compensated for this post.

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

August Favourites 2012

Today's post is for my August Favourites. I don't have many this month as I have been mainly using the same things as last month, but there are a few things that have stood out to me:

Clockwise from left: Elemis Rehydrating Rosepetal Cleanser, Remington 38mm Curling Wand, Urban Decay Naked Palette, Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer, Topshop Coin Necklace

What have you been loving this month?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Project Empties #14

This month has been quite a successful empties month. A lot of the products were products that were half full and had been hanging around for a while, so I am glad that I have finally finished some of them.

Starting from the left, going clockwise:

The Body Shop Brazil Nut Body Butter

Review: This smells yummy and the scent lingers, which is great. I hate moisturisers which smell nice in the tub, but the scent doesn't transfer on the skin. This left my skin feeling so soft and never felt greasy.

Will I repurchase? Yes

Impulse City Collection 'London'

Review: I love body sprays, as they're great to throw into your bag and use on to go. This one has a lovely sweet scent, which some may find sickly but I really like it.

Will I repurchase? I'm not sure if this collection was limited edition, but if it wasn't - Yes

Garnier Pure Active Spot Purifying Toner

Review: This was a nice toner that left my skin feeling fresh. It had a slightly clinical smell, which was a little off putting. I like that it has 2% salicylic acid in, as salicylic acid helps with blemishes. It claims to fight spots and fade marks. To be honest, I didn't notice any difference in my skin when using this.

Will I repurchase? No

Soap and Glory Face Soap & Clarity Foaming Face Wash

Review: This cleanser was alright. It was an effective cleanser and left my skin feeling soft. It foams up slightly, but never left my skin feeling dried out or tight. This cleanser had little pink beads, which get absolutely everywhere!

Will I repurchase? Maybe

Origins High Potency Brightening Pads

Review: Here

Will I repurchase? Yes

Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub

Review: Here

Will I repurchase? Yes

Fade Out Active Fade Cream

Review: This cream has an awful scent and can feel quite heavy on the skin. However, it truly works. I used this on my body where I have some areas of pigmentation and it seriously helped lighten them and even out the skin tone. It does take time, but it's worth the wait.

Will I repurchase? Yes

Elemis Balancing Lavender Facial Mist (Free GWP)

Review: This smelt lovely and felt refreshing on the face. If you spray too much, it can leave your skin feeling a little sticky but I like having a small face spray in my bag to refresh my makeup every now and again.

Will I repurchase? Yes

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Review: Here

Will I repurchase? YES

Tesco Cucumber Cleansing Wipes

Review: These are my favourite face wipes. I have repurchased them so many times now. They're great for the lazy days where you can't be bothered or after nights out.

Will I repurchase? Yes

Avène TriAcnéal

Review: Here

Will I repurchase? Yes

Phew! I hope my Project Empties progress continues, as I really want to downsize my skincare and make up collection. I have way too much stuff for one person to use!

What have you finished this month?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Project Empties #12

Today I thought I'd share the products that I've used up this month.

Superdrug Tea Tree Oil

Review: I use this topically on any blemishes. It has a strong tea tree smell, which I don't particularly like. I like to mix this with other oils, such as the Superdrug Vitamin E Face Oil, when my skin is feeling particularly spotty and dry, as the combination moisturises the skin and combats blemishes together.

Would I repurchase? Yes

Murad Hydrating Toner

Review: The toner had a pleasant, peachy scent, which wasn't overpowering. The spray nozzle dispensed a nice amount of product with each spray and I found about 5 spritzes gave a good covering on my face. I didn't feel like this toner hydrated my face significantly, but it was nice to spritz on my face as a 'pick me up'. 

Would I repurchase? No

Murad Refreshing Cleanser*

Review: I really rate this cleanser. It smelt fresh and left my face feeling fresh and soft. It lathered up nicely, but never left my skin feeling tight or dried out, which is great.

Would I repurchase? Yes

L'Oreal Everstrong Shampoo*

Review: Here

Would I repurchase? Maybe

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

Review: I was gutted when I finished my tub of this, so I stole my mum's tub when I went home for Easter! I still love this moisturiser so much. It smells amazing and the scent lingers on the skin. My skin felt soft and moisturised after use, without feeling greasy.

Repurchase? Yes

What have you finished this month?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy
*I was sent the Murad Cleanser as part of a giveaway prize and the L'Oreal Shampoo as part of the Elle Magazine Trial Panel. This does not change my opinion of the product and my reviews, as usual, are 110% honest. I am not affiliated with Murad or L'Oreal.

Project Empties #11

Today I thought I'd share the products that I've used up this month. There weren't many, but I'm glad to be rid of some of the products as I have either had them for a while (Maybelline lipstick and 17 nail polish) or I disliked the product (Estee Lauder eye make-up remover).

Left: MUA Shade 7, Right: Maybelline Baby Brown

MUA Lipstick in 'Shade 7'

Review: This is a lovely, creamy lipstick. The pinky coral shade is perfect for spring/summer colour. It is highly pigmented and I have never found the lipstick to be drying on the lips. It's a great lipstick for a great price!

Would I repurchase? Yes

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in 'Baby Brown'

Review: This lipstick is a gorgeous, wearable brown toned nude lipstick. It is a nice twist to a my-lips-but-better colour and I loved it. It has a very glossy finish, which was nice but could be blotted down so it wasn't as obvious. The lipstick has a sweet watermelon-esque scent to it. I haven't seen this shade in stores for a while, so I am not 100% sure whether or not they still stock it...

Would I repurchase? Yes

Estee Lauder Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

Review: Here

Would I repurchase? No

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

Review: I loooved this moisturiser!! It smells absolutely divine and the scent lingers too, which is great as many moisturisers have scents which don't linger. My skin felt soft and moisturised after use, without feeling greasy. I found the 50ml tub lasted me about 1 month with daily use.

Would I repurchase? Yes

 17 Nail Polish in 'Party Animal'

Review: As you can probably see, I haven't actually finished this but it has unfortunately been relegated to the bin as I have had it for many many years and it has turned into a gloopy mess. It's a lovely glittery nail polish. In the bottle, it looks like a plain silver polish. However when applied to the nails, it had rainbow reflects.

Would I repurchase? If it was still available, then definitely!

What have you finished recently?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Project Empties #10

This month has been quite successful on the skincare/body and make-up usage. I'm slowly, but surely working my way through everything. Although it doesn't help that I recently bought some new La Roche Posay items!

Clarisonic Nourishing Care Cleanser
Review: This is designed for dry skin, so it was nice and rich without being too heavy. It had a sort of artificial sherbert orange scent, which I initially liked but eventually grew sick of! The cleanser worked well with the Clarisonic, and worked just as well on it's own.
Would I repurchase? Maybe

Neutrogena Multi Defence Daily Moisturiser
Review: Here
Would I repurchase? Already have

Soap & Glory Clean, Girls Body Wash
Review: This is a lovely body wash. It smells amazing and leaves your skin feeling soft and clean. The smell lingers a little on the skin, which is lovely. I did find that sometimes this didn't foam well and I would need 4-5 pumps to make it lather up nicely. However the bottle lasted me ages, but annoyingly I couldn't get the last dregs from the bottom as the pump didn't reach it and I couldn't tip it out easily due to the bottle shape.
Would I repurchase? Yes

The Body Shop Vitamin E Sink In Moisture Mask
Review: Here
Would I repurchase? Yes

Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara

Review: This mascara is brilliant! It's super lengthening and adds a little volume as well. It layers brilliantly with other mascaras - I have layered it with Max Factor False Lash Effect and Rimmel Lash Accelerator and it worked a treat. The formula does not smudge at all, so you get a nice long wearing formula without having to buy a waterproof mascara. I did find it difficult to remove the last few traces of mascara at night, so that goes to show that it really hangs around.

Would I repurchase? Yes

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara

Review: Here

Would I repurchase? Yes

Collection 2000 Extreme 24hr Felt Tip Liner

Review: This is a fantastic, pigmented felt tip eyeliner for a great price. It's so easy to use and would be great for anyone that is a little shaky when applying liquid eyeliner. The nib is quite big, so it may be difficult to get a thin and precise line, but it's perfect for cat eye/winged liner. I thought it dried up quite quickly, however if you press the nib onto the back of your hand, it would bring more fluid to the nib and it would work again. I never found this smudged on me, however it was easy to remove.

Would I repurchase? Yes

These are just a few mini samples that I received from a magazine (I think). The shampoo and conditioner were nice and left my hair feeling clean and soft. However the winner was the deep conditioner/mask. It left my hair feeling so soft and shiny, without making it weighed down.

What have you finished this month?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Collective Haul

I'm sorry I haven't been blogging very regularly lately. I have had writer's block for a while now, which ultimately made me post less as I didn't know what to blog about. I have also been super busy with uni, as I am in my final year (eek!). Hopefully posts will become regular again soon - Probably around March time :)

Today I have a collective haul from the past few weeks to share with you. I say it in the video, but sorry that some of the stuff has been worn! I think it's nice to keep the labels on for hauls, but I can never wait to wear new clothes! Is anyone else like that? Hope you enjoy :)


Thank you for watching. xoxo, Joy

Project Empties #6

Over these past two months, I have managed to finish quite a few things. I know I've said this before, but I am making an active effort to minimise my spending with regards to make-up, skin care and hair care. Hopefully I can keep it up and save up for something lovely!

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment

I washed it out by accident before taking a picture of it, oops!

Review: When I started using this, I used it with every wash instead of conditioner (even though it states to use it between shampoo and conditioner) and then after about 3 weeks, I used it every other wash. The packaging says to use an egg sized amount, which is a ridiculous amount to use! I used a grape size and found that sufficient. This made made my hair feel so soft, even after the first use. Even though I applied it all over my hair, it didn't make my hair feel greasy or weighed down. I can't comment on whether or not it helped my hair grow longer, as I trim my hair quite regularly, but I did think it made it feel stronger and less prone to breakage. As with all Lee Stafford products, this is highly scented with the signature smell. I really like the scent and loved that I could smell it on my hair even once it was dry, but some people might not like it as it's one of those love it or hate it scents.

Would I repurchase? Yes

Boots Expert Build Up Removal Shampoo

Review: Every so often my hair goes through a stage where it gets greasy after 1 day and looks weighed down and limp. Upon using this shampoo, it clears any build up and my hair feels squeaky clean. I tried using this once every week to regularly get rid of build up, but found it a little too clarifying. I eventually settled on once every 2-3 weeks and found it worked a treat. It's a great shampoo for a great price! Plus I love that it's easily accessible and isn't a special salon brand.

Would I repurchase? Yes

Boots Baby Shampoo

Review: I mainly used this to deep clean my make-up brushes. It did a good job of cleaning them and left them feeling soft. I found that it didn't lather up very much and took quite a lot of product to make it lather well. I didn't really like the scent of this shampoo, so it was a little annoying that my brushes smelt like it after they had tried, but it was bearable.

Would I repurchase? No

Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturiser

Review: This is a great moisturiser! I have combination skin and found it was light enough for my oily areas and moisturising enough for the dryer and normal areas. I also found it left my skin nice and soft. It claims to help prevent spots and blemishes and although I wouldn't put it solely down to this product, I did find I broke out less when using this. This is a great moisturiser for a fantastic price.

Would I repurchase? Yes

Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Oil

Review: Here

Would I repurchase? Yes!

Clinique All About Eyes Eye Cream

Review: This is a lovely, light eye cream which has done wonders for my eye area. I used to get dry patches around my eye, but this has sorted them right out! I found that helped my dark circles a little, as they started becoming less obvious. I don't tend to get puffy eyes and I have very few fine lines around my eyes, so I can't comment on how well this works for them.

Would I repurchase? Yes. I got this free with Glamour magazine and bought a few copies as it was so cheap!

Neutrogena Multi-Defence Gently Purifying Wipes

Review: Here

Would I repurchase? Yes

Soap and Glory Flakeaway

Review: Here

Would I repurchase? No

Korres Quince Body Butter

Review: Here

Would I repurchase? Yes

Finished Items: 9

Accumulative Finished Items from December 2010 to August 2011: 28

What have you finished recently?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Review: Soap and Glory Flakeaway

What they say: (From Boots.com) Superhero-strength skin smoothing body exfoliator with shea butter, sweet almond oil, peach seed powder, sea salt and sugar. Flake Away™ a spa-strength dry skin body scrub.

Price: £2.35

What I think: I know so many people that love this product and consider it 'holy grail' material, but I think I'm among one of the few people to not like this product.

I won this 50ml tub of Flakeaway in Leah's giveaway. I think it's great that Soap and Glory make full size products, which are perfect for use at home and mini sizes, which are great for travelling and/or testing out products before committing to a large tub.

Flakeaway has large salt particles in it, making it super gritty. I loved this, because it gives me the mindset that it's actually polishing my skin. It smells amazing and I found that the scent really lingered on the skin after stepping out of the shower. I was in Boots recently and noticed that you can buy an eau de parfum of the scent! That's definitely going on my wishlist!

Positives aside, here are my grumbles about this product. Firstly, I really wish it was in a tube! I hate using things in tubs when I'm in the shower, because you have to be careful not to get the water into the product, while holding the tub, getting the product out and putting the lid back on. I also find that tubs are less hygienic. I guess an advantage of having it in a tub is that you can get every last bit out.

Next, I really hated the oiliness of the product. It feels greasy in the shower as you spread it out over your skin and leaves this kind of residue on your skin. I'm guessing it's down to the sweet almond oil or something. I used this before shaving my legs and I found that the residue was coming off as I ran the razor over my legs and clogging up the razor head. I really don't like oily exfoliators, because all the residue makes me feel like I haven't washed properly/I'm not clean enough, if that makes sense. My skin did feel moisturised after getting out of the shower, but I put moisturiser on after I shower anyway so I didn't really care for that.

All in all, I really wanted to like this product. But I just can't get over the oily residue left on my skin. If you're considering this product, please don't let me put you off! There are so many people that love this.

Have you ever used Soap & Glory Flakeaway? Did you love it or hate it?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Recent Purchases

Although I didn't get much of a response on here when I posted my last video, I decided to do another one because I enjoy doing them and quite like editing them. I was thinking of doing a 'What's in my bag' video, so if anyone wants to see that, let me know :)

Thank you for reading/watching. xoxo, Joy