Project Empties #26

This month's empties consisted of a lot of skincare items - Hydraluron, Ten Instant Lifting Cream, Superdrug Deep Cleansing Mud Mask, Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm (the HUGE 200ml tub!) and Alpha H Liquid Gold. The majority of these products I loved and would definitely repurchase - some I already have - However, there are two items that I don't think I will be repurchasing. The first being this Superdrug Deep Cleansing Mud Mask. When I used this, I didn't feel like it did anything to my skin, let alone deep cleanse it. I've been getting into using masks more recently and I really like clay masks, so I will be on the lookout for a new one to try. I was thinking possibly the Origins Clear Improvement mask... I also don't think I will repurchase the Hydraluron, as I didn't think this product was as amazing as others seem to find it...

I also finished the Nioxin Shampoo from the System Kit 2, which I am definitely going to repurchase as I have noticed since I have stopped using the Nioxin system and the L'Oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer, which I really liked when I bought my first tub, as it smooths out your skin making foundation application lovely, but recently I have been preferring a primer that has better mattifying and makeup prolonging properties, like the Body Shop one I reviewed recently.

Amount for the piggy bank: £12.00

What did you finish this month?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Review: Superdrug Dry Shampoo (Heart On Your Sleeve)

I wouldn't advise spraying dry shampoo on your arm, it feels super cold and kind of hurts!

I use dry shampoo almost everyday, whether it's on clean hair for a bit of texture and volume or on second day hair to revive and freshen my hair. When I saw these Superdrug own brand dry shampoos on offer for 'Buy 1 get 2 free' a while back, I snapped them up as they only cost £1.99 each and I was interested to see how well they would fare.

The first one that I have used is Heart on your Sleeve. I also bought Head in the Clouds (Orange) and Away with the Fairies (Purple), which I haven't used yet. Heart on your Sleeve has a pleasant sweet-floral smell, which is quite nice but doesn't linger too much in the hair. The consistency of this product is more wet than powdery. As you can see from the picture above, it is colourless and doesn't leave any white residue, which is great. It gives a nice bit of added volume to my roots, however I don't think that this leaves my hair feeling as clean and fresh as some other dry shampoos. I also haven't experienced too much build up with this product.

I would recommend this product if you want to get some extra volume in your roots, however I don't think it's the product for you if you mainly use dry shampoo to freshen up your hair.

What's your favourite dry shampoo brand?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Review: Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Renewal Mask

I've recently been going a little mask mad. I have been loving using the Origins Out of Trouble Mask, but I fancied a change and picked this one up from Superdrug back in November for an introductory price of £2.49, because I thought it sounded a little like the REN Glycolactic Mask, which everyone raves about and I want to try.

This mask has a gel like consistency, which doesn't really dry as after 10 minutes or so, it still feels tacky on the skin. It doesn't really have a scent, which I was a little disappointed about, as it contains fruit acids, kiwi fruit extract, mulberry fruit extract, so I thought it would smell nice and fruity, or something along the lines of Origins Drink Up Intensive Face Mask. After washing the mask off, my skin looks no different but it felt incredibly soft. I tend to use this sporadically when I feel my skin needs a boost, so I can't comment on whether it has helped even out my skin tone. I think that it would need to be used regularly, e.g. 1-2x a week, to see a difference.

What are your favourite face masks?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Project Empties #19

This month I have been focusing on working through the stash of sample size products that I have. I was saving them for occasions where I travel and need smaller size products, however I haven't got any travel plans for the near future, so it made sense to use them.

Of the products that I finished this month, I would repurchase the L'Occitane Essential Oils 3 Shower Gel, which I really liked the scent of, even though it isn't a scent I would usually go for. It has a mix of mint, pine and rosemary essential oils in and smells like a lovely mix of them and almost has a citrusy twist to it. I would also repurchase the Boots Vitamin E facial oil. I have a review of the Superdrug one here, but it also applies to the Boots one as they are basically the same thing. The Superdrug Aqua Hydrating Serum is another product that I would buy again, as it left my skin feeling soft and hydrated all day long. It has a light-weight consistency and sinks into the skin really quickly.

I'm undecided about whether or not I would repurchase the Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover, as it did a fairly good job at removing my eye makeup. However I don't usually like oily makeup removers, as they tend to leave an oil residue. The Avene Redness Relief Moisturiser is another product I'm unsure about. It has a rather plasticky smell, which I didn't really like and at first I didn't think it had much of an effect on my skin. However, after about 10 minutes, the redness in my skin did look decreased and my skin looked evened out, but on a day to day basis, I don't have the time to wait 10 minutes for my moisturiser to sink in and even out any redness. I can't really remember the scent of Thierry Mugler Alien, as I finished the sample at the beginning of the month. It's definitely a scent that I wouldn't have chosen straight away, as I tend to opt for sweeter perfumes. However, as far as I can remember, I grew to like it but unfortunately the sample ran out once I had changed my mind! I'll have to go and have a sniff at this next time I'm out shopping to see whether or not I actually like it.

I wouldn't repurchase the Clinique All About Eyes eye cream. I got this free with Glamour magazine a while back and when I first started using it, I really enjoyed it and bought a few back ups. Now, I'm not sure about it as I don't feel like it really did much.

What have you finished this month?

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

Review: Superdrug Aqua Hydrating Range

I have dehydrated skin, which means my skin is lacking in water rather than oil. This is probably due to me not drinking enough water throughout the day... *Slaps wrists* On one of the many times where I mooch around Superdrug (Does anyone else do that?), I came across the "Simply Pure" range specifically designed for dehydrated skin. As far as I'm aware, the "Simply Pure" line also has products for oily and dry skin. I decided to pick up the 'Aqua Hydrating Serum' and the 'Aqua Hydrating Cleansing Gel' from the dehydrated skin range. They were both priced at approximately £4.50 each.

Aqua Hydrating Serum
This is the real gem of the products I picked up. It's non-scented, light and absorbs into the skin nicely. The texture is quite thin and you only really need a bit to cover your whole face. I use this in the morning and it makes my skin feel comfortable and hydrated all day, without feeling greasy. I will definitely repurchase this when I finish this.

Aqua Hydrating Cleansing Gel
The cleanser is a standard gel cleanser, with no perfumes or parabens. It's a nice and effective cleanser, but doesn't feel like anything spectacular or luxurious when using. It doesn't foam at all, so I didn't find that this worked very well with my Clarisonic as I prefer to use it with cleansers that foam. My skin never feels dried out after use, but instead feels clean and soft. While it's a good cleanser, I don't think I will repurchase this as I generally prefer creamier cleansers which foam a little.

I think there's also a day cream, night cream and eye cream within this range, so I'm definitely tempted to try these out.

My skincare routine is a mixed combination of high street and high end brands. I'm a big advocate of trying own brand products, as they're reasonably priced and usually tend to be nice products. Afterall, what store wants to release own brand products that don't work and will reflect poorly on their reputation? What's your skincare routine like? Have you ever found any brilliant own brand products?

Thank for reading. xoxo, Joy

Blog Birthday and May Favourites 2012

Hi! Today's post is primarily about my May Favourites, however before we jump into that, I wanted to make a quick announcement...

Image: Google

My little blog turned two earlier this month and I sincerely cannot believe how fast the past two years have flown by! Thank you to all the old and new readers for your continued support. I truly appreciate all of your comments and thank you to those who take the time to read my little blog. To celebrate my blog turning two, I have given the design an overhaul. What do you guys think? For some reason, I couldn't sleep last night and ended up working through the night to make the design perfect and personally, I am rather proud of it :)

Moving onto my May favourites. This month I have been loving a variety of things, ranging from make-up to nail varnish to skincare. I have also included a 'random' favourite of the month too. 

From left to right: American Apparel Nail Lacquer in 'Office' - Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in 'In Style Coral' - La Roche Posay Effaclar K & Solait Mattifying Face Sun Fluid - H&M gold hair cuff - Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub - NARS Laguna

Sleek Life's a Peach

What products were you loving 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 #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

Project Empties #5

I had barely any empties at the end of May, so I've combined the past two months together. I might continue to do that for 'Project Empties' posts...

Throughout May/June, I've been a little lazy and used face wipes to remove my make-up. I normally buy cheap own brand face wipes, but after using the Neutrogena ones, I don't think I can go back!

Neutrogena Deep Clean Make-up Remover Refreshing Oil Free Wipes
Review: I absolutely loved these! They took off my make-up easily, including waterproof mascara, and didn't leave any residue on my face. They didn't make me breakout and have a pleasant, non over powering scent. I haven't seen many places stock these particular face wipes, which is annoying. For face wipes, these are quite expensive at approximately £3-something, but I think they're worth it!
Would I repurchase? Yes

Tesco Vitamin E Cleansing Wipes
Review: After using the Neutrogena ones, these felt inferior! I found that they weren't particularly moist and it took more effort to remove my make-up than the Neutrogena ones. But for approximately 75p, you can't really complain! They didn't leave a residue on my face and since they are from the Vitamin E range, they smelt nice.
Would I repurchase? No

I have so many moisturisers, that it takes me ages to use them up. But I find I always finish a couple at the same time. Does this happen to anyone else?

Garnier Youthful Radiance Night Moisturiser
Review: Here
Would I repurchase? Probably not

Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream
Review: Here

Would I repurchase? Yes, if I can find it!

Superdrug Vitamin E Face Exfoliator
Review: I really didn't like this. It had large oat particles (I think they were oats or something like that...), which went everywhere. I'd occasionally wake up the next day with a piece of oat stuck in hair! I felt it was too abrasive for my face, so I started using it as a body exfoliator.
Would I repurchase? No

L'Oreal Full Restore 5 Replenishing Conditioner

Review: I guess it was ok... It made my hair feel soft and I really like the smell of it. I didn't feel that it lived up to its claims of targetting weak, limp, lifeless, non shiny and non silky hair to become replenished and restored. I bought some Aussie conditioner recently and have been loving that, so this was made redundant and I've been using this when I shave my legs instead!
Would I repurchase? No

Finished Items: 6
Accumulative Finished Items from December 2010 to June 2011: 19

What have you finished up recently?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Review: Superdrug Vitamin E Gentle Eye Cream

I just wanted to quickly share with you a product that I won't be repurchasing.

Superdrug Vitamin E Gentle Eye Cream with SPF 15

What they say: (From the back of the tube) This light, non-greasy formulation containing naturally sourced Vitamin E will help deliver essential moisture to the delicate eye area, whilst the additional protection of SPF helps combat harmful and skin ageing UVA and UVB Rays.

Price: £2.49

What I think: This eye cream is incredibly cheap and doesn't seem to have much of a scent. The eye cream claims to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, puffiness and dark circles, I found it worked a little on the puffiness, but had no effect on my dark circles. I can't really comment on whether or not it reduced the appearance of fine lines. It had quite a thick consistency, which I occasionally found difficult to blend in, especially if you applied too much product to the area. Another major dislike is that it contained a lot of glitter, which is really strange and a completely undesired effect.

Have you ever tried this product? What did you think of it?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Review: Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Oil

What they say: (From the back of the bottle) Our naturally sourced Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant which not only revitalises and protects the skin, it also helps combat the damaging effects of free radicals and shields it against the environment. This light, yet penetrating oil will help skin feeling soft, smooth and young looking.

Price: £2.49

What I think: I love this product, it's pretty much a dupe of The Body Shop's Vitamin E Facial Oil but at a fraction of the price. I've used this since November last year and have only just finished my first bottle, which surprised me, since I apply this so liberally.

My skin felt so soft after the first time I used this and has continued to feel soft for the whole time I've been using this. I think this is mainly designed for older people, but I'm finding it perfect for my skin. Plus I like the smell!

I have combination skin and am prone to acne, however this product has not broken me out at all. I apply this after I cleanse/tone and before moisturiser in the morning and evening. Upon applying it, your face initally looks a oily. But after a short time, it sinks in and you can apply make-up etc.

I will most definitely be repurchasing this when it runs out again. Now that I've found this, I don't think I'll ever be able to go without it!

Have you ever tried any skin oil products or anything from the Superdrug Vitamin E range?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Recent Purchases

I am at home for reading week at the moment, while the rest of my friends at uni have exams. (I am doing an NHS funded course, so it runs slightly differently to other courses at my uni - The terms are like school terms, where I have long terms, short holidays and half terms and my exams are at different times).

I had to pop into town today to buy some groceries, but somehow managed to come away with a lot of skin and hair care products as well. Oh dear, I think my debit card is beginning to hate me.

The Body Shop

Facial Brush with Lid - £3.00

Superdrug


Dove Pro-Age - £4.99
Vitamin E Skin Oil - £2.99
Vitamin E Eye Cream - £2.49
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lip Balm - £1.69
Anti Shine Sheets - £2.49
L'oreal Elvive Shampoo- £3.40 [BOGOF]
L'oreal Elvive Conditioner - £3.40 [BOGOF]

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy