Empties: Make up, skincare and more

Getting slightly overwhelmed by all the empties in my bedroom at the moment, so desperately needed to do a post. I love reading and watching youtube videos on these, enjoy.

Dr Organic Pomegranate Toothpaste
Yep, fruit flavoured toothpaste people. I went through an organic stage earlier in 2014 and tried this out. It's very lightly flavoured and has mint too. I really liked it and would definitely buy again.

Soap & Glory Righteous Butter
All of the soap and glory body butters are amazing. Love, love, love the scents!

Boots Nail Polish Remover Pads
I liked these. I don't think they are the best ever like compared to the Bourjois ones, but they are cheap and perfect to pack in your bag for when you're travelling.

Nivea Powerfruit refresh body wash
I don't really get excited about body wash. Who does? This however, smells so good. So much so, I genuinely thought I need to repurchase it. I think it's always on £1 offers too, even better.

Lancome Bi-Facil
This removes eye makeup really well, especially if you have a smokey number on the go. It's really oily though and not the kind that disappears very well. I probably wouldn't repurchase.

Sanctuary Creme Souffle
Confession? I am a really lazy moisturiser. It pleases me more than you can imagine that I actually finish body butters. The Sanctuary products are a real treat and I loved the souffle style of this one.

17 BB Balm
Always got one of these in my stash, perfect for the summer months. Still has good coverage and doesn't break me out or get oily.

MeMeMe Fat Cat Mascara
I haven't used any other MeMeMe products (that I can remember), but I was impressed with this mascara and would be interested to try more products from the range. Have you used any that you'd recommend?

Rimmel Wonderfull Mascara
I don't rate this mascara at all. It gave my eyelashes length, but seems to make them stick forward and very straight.

Rimmel Scandal eyes Mascara
This Rimmel mascara on the other hand was good. Other than the Wonderfull one I think Rimmel have a great affordable range.

2True Liquid eyeliner
Repurchased a million times. If you like liquid liner, try it as it's super cheap and easy to use. I'm using a 17 one at the moment and it's nowhere near as good.

Mac Prep+Prime
I have a fairly oily t-zone, so a primer (especially, on a night out) is a must if I want my makeup to last. One of my friends got me this as a gift and it's great, lightweight with a silky finish.

Mac Mineralise concealer 
Another Mac product bites the dust. I have a real love-hate relationship with concealer and yet to find my perfect one. This one is good and probably top of my list out of all the empties in this post. I'm looking to try the Nars creamy concealer or Clinique one next.

Collection Concealer 
I really like this on blemishes, but not really for under the eyes or around the nose area as it's a but drying. It's probably one I'll always have in my collection though.

Rimmel Wake me up concealer 
This concealer worked better under the eyes, but not really on blemishes as it's much lighter in consistency. I feel like I'm having concealer drama...

Soap & Glory It's about Prime eyeshadow primer
I've already reviewed this over here, alongside some of my other fav Soap&Glory makeup products, so check that post out if you're thinking of getting some.

Rimmel Wake me up Foundation 
I like this, especially in the summer months. It's always really hard to find the right colour though as they sell out quickly and the range is quite limited.

Hugo Boss Jour Perfume
This is gorgeous. It's a floral fruity fragrance, super feminine. 

Burberry Body Perfume
I just got a mini 'My Burberry' perfume and can't recommend the Burberry perfume range more. The fragrances are really fresh and sophisticated.

We made it! Please leave your links below to empties posts or concealer recommendations to help with my #concealerdramz

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What I got for Christmas

Can't believe 2015 is upon us. Time definitely goes quicker when you get older and not to get deep, but the older I get the more I realise how something can suddenly just be a moment or blip in the grand scheme of it all #ShitJustGotReal

Whilst we wave goodbye to two-kay-fourteen, here's a sneak peek into what I got for Christmas this year. I was totally spoilt and got tons of gifts, so thought I'd just mention the beauty ones else we would be here all day.

Naked Flushed Palette - Love this! My brother gave me a replacement for my current one. Bro points.
Dior Addict Mascara - This is amazing, super long fluttery lashes and it feels very luxe.
Dior Nail Polish (limited edition) - Oh my gawd, this packaging. Heaven. Haven't used it yet, but will report back.
Dior Hydra Life Pro-Youth Cream - Dior face creams are so luxurious. I'm not sure if it's just the packaging and the brand, but there is something about expensive face creams that draw us all in. I got this cute little sample, so currently trying to squeeze every last bit out.
Pure Moisture Mask - I was really excited when I saw these Pure products in my stocking. I've used the hot cloth cleanser before and been really impressed. They are all natural and so affordable. Plus, made in the UK. Well done M&S.
Pure Hand Cream - Again, I'm so chuffed to have my hands on these products. Geddit? Hands...
First Aid Beauty gift set - Been using this so much, the exfoliator pads and cream are becoming real favourites.

The Body Shop Hand Cream - Love these hand creams, especially as they aren't gigantic tubes.
The Body Shop Shea Lip Butter - These are great. You have to keep watch they don't leave a residue of lip butter in a line on your lips though. Not a good look!
This Works Dream Team - Use these all the time, perfect for anyone who can't sleep.
Urban Outfitters Nail Polish - Haven't used this yet, but its a beautiful metallic purple, very wintery.
Kate Moss Lipstick - I really like the Rimmel lipsticks. If you're just starting out your makeup collection or strapped for cash, these are a great little treat (more bro points here too!).
The Herbs Moisturiser - I think this is from TKMaxx. I'm a lazy moisturiser, so having a big pump means for some reason I do it more often. I'd recommend TKMaxx if you're not too fussed about which on you get.
Lush Snow Angel Bath Melt - This smells amazing. I don't normally buy lush products as I'm not a huge bath lover and the shop gives me a bit of a headache after a while! However, I think I might get converted...
Calvin Klein Reveal Perfume - Salt, Pink Pepper, Black Pepper, White PepperLush are the top notes in this perfume apparently. It's like 'sexy skin', either way it's worth a spritz.

Hope you all had a great Christmas with your family and friends. I'm starting 2015 a stone heavier and with no regrets. Let me know in the comments how you'll kick off the next adventure.

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For the one who can't sleep

Slippers
Notebook
Candles
Bath Soak
Eye Cream
Eye Mask
Dream Believers

Shopping for gifts over the festive season can be a challenge. There are so many factors to consider beyond the persons likes and interests, like budget, style, what they already own, what other people are getting them...the list goes on. 

I personally find it easier to think about the type of person I'm buying for and my tip would be to force yourself to think of the top 5 things they love to do/use/eat/see etc. Once you've done that, you can look for gifts that fall into that category. 

If it all sounds a bit daunting, have no fear as I will be putting together some gift guides for you, starting with 'the one who can't sleep'. We all know one. Here's what they need:

Comfort

One of the reasons we get a bad night's sleep is because we just don't get ourselves comfy enough. Ill-fitting pj's, not enough blankets and a dodgy mattress are top culprits. Of course, you aren't going to buy your mate a new mattress (are you?) and pj's can very much be a personal taste type item. However, an eye mask and/or some slippers can make for a cosier transition into a blissful sleep and a super cute gift. 

Environment 

"It's just so not zen enough." said nobody, ever. Maybe they should of though, because the right environment can get both your body and mind into the zone. Having a tidy clean space (the dream) where you can light your favourite candle or spray a spa-like scent on your pillow is just perfect. These are also inexpensive, but luxe gifts that you don't think to buy yourself. 

Relax

If you're not relaxed, no amount of ylang-ylang scented anything is getting you off to dreamland. A great way to clear your mind is to relax your body first. Having a hot shower or bath, a chilled skincare routine or some light exercise can really help (again, the dream). The Body Shop have some equally delicious options to square up to any higher end products. 

Another great gift, is a notebook. If you're stressed, physically writing down your to-do lists or whatever mental dream you're having really helps remove it from your busy mind. Stationary for the win. 

When all else fails...

Fake it. Drink loads of water, apply lots of eye cream and wear sunglasses indoors like a celebrity. 

Hope you liked this gift guide, let me know in the comments if you have any 'types' you would like to see covered in a post.

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Current Favourites

It's soooo dark in the mornings at the moment and to take photos I need to get up a little bit earlier. I know, #firstworldproblems but does anyone else struggle with even just an extra 10mins? Anyway, I got up and took some photos, so here's a run down of some current favourites.

GoneGirl

I finished this book in around a week. It. is. amazing. I won’t give anything away, but it's a psychological thriller that constantly makes you go ‘woah, seriously?’. The characters are brilliant and each one toys with your emotions throughout. After falling in love, I decided to go and watch the film, which is so worth a watch. Rosemund Pike is incredible and it’s really true to the book, which is usually hard to achieve.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation

I have terrible skin at the moment. The sudden change in weather seems to have taken its toll and a good foundation is a total must. Answer? MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation. This is currently doing wonders to my blemished, red, bumpy skin.

UrbanDecay Naked Palette 1

I finally got this palette! Few years behind everyone else, granted. When I was in New York I took a cheeky and pricy (oops) trip to Sephora and took the plunge. I don’t actually think its overpriced at all for the quality and range of colours, so if that’s putting you off…buy it. Go on!

UrbanOutfitters Bras
Small breasted people, unite! I have a few of these little lacy numbers and not only are they really comfy, but if you have small boobs they are really flattering too. I say small because I don’t think you’d be able to contain your lady lumps if you’re blessed in that area.

What have you been loving lately?

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Review: & Other Stories Makeup

If you haven't popped into & Other Stories then you really should make a trip. It's a shop for the cool cats, full of high-end inspired fashion cuts and a great vibe. For the beauty buffs, there are testers galore and cute sinks where you can wash off all the lipstick swatches (why isn't this everywhere?).

On my latest trip I picked up two eye shadows and a lipstick to test out the beauty range available. First off, I love the packaging. The lipstick especially feels pretty lux, but it's the font and style are right up my street. I plumped for 'Birrus Rust' a gorgeous coppery red shadow, 'Shetland Brown' a dark bronzy brown shadow and 'Sempiternum Brick' a peachy coral lipstick. All totally beautiful, with 'Birrus Rust' being my fav.

Onto the details. The shadows are £7.00 each and lipsticks £12.00 each, so not exactly cheap. I probably wouldn't recommend the lipsticks over other alternatives at that price and the shadows, whilst being gorgeous don't have the best lasting power. I can't deny my love for 'Birrus Rust' tho, so if you want to cast your own verdict I would recommend this particular shade. 

Have you been to & Other Stories? What were your thoughts?

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Currently loving...

I have been so MIA on my blog, sorry guys! It was my last week at work before my new job on Monday and everything was super hectic. Leaving somewhere is pretty stressful right? I thought I'd do a quick blog post about things I am currently loving...

These shoes. I picked these up from clarks yesterday and they are so comfy. I think it's hard to find 'stylish' and comfortable shoes that aren't really expensive or potentially owned by your mum/nan. Apparently these have been featured in Elle and Grazia, so even if your mum does get a pair you are both uber style babes.

I recently started watching Anna Jaffrey on YouTube and wanting to do everything she does because she is so stunning. Her hair and skin are amazing and in her recent videos she has been talking about going greener with her beauty products, which got me thinking...cue Google search. Top product? A jar of coconut oil. What can you use it for? Everything. Taking off make-up, cooking, moisturising, hair mask and even deodorant. If you are thinking of going greener, get this to the top of your list!

I've been making small life changes in terms of greener products because I can't part with all my gorgeous make-up yet. One of my favs at the moment is the Maybelline Colorsensational Glosses, which everyone else hearts too. My favourite will always be Stellar Berry which you can see in a FOTD post here.

Sunshine! It has been so lovely in the UK recently and my sunglasses have nabbed themselves a permanent spot in my bag...winning. Life is just better in the sunshine isn't it?

What are you loving recently? 

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January Favourites

It's the end of January already and I feel like this month absolutely flew by. Sometimes, I start to worry that I'll blink and be 80 years old! Anyway, here's what I have been loving this month...

I won't bang on about these two too much as I did a post 'Get ready with Revlon' here, which is worth checking out if you're thinking of picking up a few of their products.

I got a subtle grown out roots/dipdye this month and a bit of a chop. My hair is in such better condition after having an inch off, so I have been purchasing hair goodies to help it look tip-top. First up, this banana conditioner from The Body Shop (haul here) is so lovely! My hair feels super nourished and I love the scent. When they finally get the shampoo back in stock I will be grabbing one for double banana time.

The second hair product I picked up was an Amelia Liana induced purchase and it's really good. The Charles Worthington Texturizing Spray has great hold and actually makes your hair bigger and better. There is no way I am spending billions on the Orbe dry texturing spray and this is much better than the Bumble & Bumble one too, as well as being wayyyy cheaper.

I'm not hugely into baths, but I have really enjoyed them of late, thanks to the Therapie Himalayan Bath Salts. The smell of these are incredible and instantly relaxing. I keep sniffing them whenever I walk past the pot, weird huh? I am intending to check out my local health shop ones though, in case they are a more affordable dupe!

My skin has been breaking out and being a bit temperamental, so I've been using lots of skincare products. I've really been enjoying the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer after I have cleansed. It leaves you skin feeling fresh and revitalised and I think it's helped to calm my skin down and get it looking a bit less stressed out.

Link me your favs below, I'm always on the look out! 

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Recently Bought: Beauty Haul

You got me! I might have done a little online beauty shopping the other day. Enough to justify a haul, so here's what I recently bought, why and a little bit of what I think of them so far!

I got the Caudalie Beauty Elixir from Cult Beauty. Not going to lie, I got this to push me over the free shipping mark (ridiculous really, but i'd rather get something than pay shipping ha) and this was an affordable highly recommended product. I am really glad I picked it up! Firstly, because it really does refresh and brighten your skin and secondly because Fleur from Fleur De Force likes it too. It's a herbal scent made with no parabens and 100% natural fragrance, lots of skin goodness.

What I actually went to Cult Beauty for was the Therapie Himalayan Detox Salts, a Vivianna Does Makeup induced purchase after seeing her mention it in her videos. I used this the other night and it was absolute bliss. They are suppose to help if you suffer from insomnia, which I don't...but everyone has a bad night's sleep here and there! I have actually seen some wayyyy cheaper Himalayan salts in our local health food shop, so I might get those to do a comparison/dupe style post, as these do set you back £35. 

This is my cat, Perri. I didn't buy her recently, but she decided to keep getting her fur everywhere and nudge my products all over the place, so I'm guessing she wants a shout-out. What a diva.

Then I went a tad crazy online at The Body Shop. All of the above (plus, a pink grapefruit body wash that I forgot about) only cost me £22.40 with shipping though, which is pretty epic. Here's what I got:

Banana Conditioner. I have been using the Banana conditioner for just over a week and it's so good! On the website it has crazy good reviews and is one of their bestsellers. It works well as and every day conditioner or a mask overnight, as it's not too heavy and really nourishing. Obviously, if you don't like the smell of bananas, don't get this!

Pink Grapefruit Lip Butter. This stuff is so good! It's one of the only lip balms that really does anything when my lips really need saving. It's pretty thick, but once blended your lips feel and look lovely. I'm not a fan of super shiny balms, so if you aren't too - try this.

Satsuma Body Polish. Again, this had really good reviews. I love my Soap & Glory scrubs, but I do find them a pain as they come in tubs rather than tubes. Looking forward to giving this a whirl!

Rain forest Balance Shampoo. This clarifying shampoo has no sulphates, silicones, colourants or parabens. I thought I would give this a go as a kind of mid-week shampoo to help get rid of any product build up. It smells very fresh and the 60ml bottle is just £2 in the sale at the mo.

White Musk Sun Glow Eau De Toilette. I like to have a few cheap perfumes in my collection that I can spritz away without picturing £5 notes every time. Zara do some great cheap perfumes, but the nearest one is 40mins away, so I thought I'd see what The Body Shop had. I'd never smelt this before, but the description seemed alright and I liked the bottle. In short, it's a musky, zesty, floral smell and I am pleased with the mystery fragrance. It doesn't last all day, but who cares when it was £7.50 for 60ml!

What have you been buying recently?

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Empties: Skincare Reviews

I really need to get some lamps for lighting, my photos are so rubbish at the mo. It's like I am taking them inside a cave #bloggerprobz Anyway, I have managed to accumulate a pretty hefty amount of empties, so I thought it was time to run through them all. First up, I will be tackling all the skincare products I have used up...

La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution. I really enjoyed using this Micellar water. It removed my makeup well and left my skin feeling very refreshed and cleansed. It's £12 for a 200ml bottle, which I don't think is bad at all for the quality of the product. Big thumbs up! 

La Roche-Posay Physiological Soothing Toner. Exactly the same size and price as the Micellar Solution and equally, if not better in terms of quality. I like using a toner in my skincare routine as I feel it adds an extra stage of the cleansing process and 'perks' my skin up. This toner isn't drying at all (I have oily skin and even I notice that some are super drying!) and I will be re-purchasing fo'sho. 

L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution. This is what the La Roche Posay Micellar Solution has been replaced with and I think this is my 4th or 5th bottle already. As much as I love the La Roche Posay one and feel it is better quality, this really does the job well. Also, I just get through so much of the stuff and it's way more purse friendly at £4.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. I liked how literally baby soft my skin was after using this product. It's an incredibly gentle exfoliator that is basically a powder that turns into a face wash with water. It would be perfect if you have sensitive skin, especially because there are no artificial fragrances or colours shoved in there. However, it was a bit of a faff for me and it's super pricey, so I won't be repurchasing. 

The Body Shop Seaweed Night Treatment. I heart The Body Shop. I've got a lot of time for ethically legit brands and the best thing is their stuff is actually really decent too. I got a set of the Seaweed skincare range and I absolutely loved it. I had a few things re-purchased for me from this range and one of the highlights is this night treatment. The whole range is for combination/oily skin and I found it to have visible results as well as being super fresh. They also have a huge sale on right now. 

The Body Shop Seaweed Day Cream.  As I have already mentioned, love this range. This cream is perfect if you have oily skin as it's not too heavy so your primer sits nicely on top!

The Body Shop Vitamin E Night Cream.  Another bestseller from The Body Shop  and rightly so. I really love the scent of the Vitamin E range and it's aimed at all skin types. Take my money, body shop, take it all.

Yves Rocher Hydra Vegetal Instant Aniti-Wrinkle Moisturizer. Ahh, I really enjoyed using this cream. It's very luxurious, but still affordable (£18ish). It's a deep moisturizer, so the sort of thing I would use before bedtime. It's packed with Hyaluronic Acid and botanical-based ingredients like organic agave sap extract and witch hazel water. All of which are da bomb for helping you stay spot free! It smells lovely unlike some organic products and I would deffo repurchase this. 

Sanctuary Spa 30 Day Thermal Transformation Mask.  I got the sachets of this in a Glossybox and I am so in love. I used these this week and my skin felt ridiculously good during and after the treatment. I managed to get two facials out of the sachet, which shows how little of the product you need. The first step is Peptide Serum and the second is the Thermal Rose Clay Mask. The initial heat you get when you apply the second step is insane! It doesn't stay too hot the whole time, so it's not uncomfortable and afterwards my skin felt glorious. The full sized set is only £27.50 which would definitely get you loads of use. I'm so tempted, but I just bought a load of stuff from The Body Shop halfway through this post...oops!*

Are there any skin care saviours you have been loving lately? 

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*Ps, none of these products are PR samples and I'm not being held at gunpoint by a Body Shop representative, I promise! 

Everyone is getting the chop!

Images from Google, bottom three from Lily Melrose, I Covet Thee & Vivianna Does Makeup

The new year means a new look for many people and it seems like one of the biggest trends to kick-start 2014 is the mid-length chop. After seeing some of my favorite blogger/youtubers embrace the trend, I have to say I am a little tempted...

I've been 'growing' my hair forever now and all I ever seem to be left with is a disappointing straw-like barnett. I think it might be time I gave the ends of my hair a little life before I continue the quest for Rapunzel locks. A bit of a chop might be in order - watch this space!

Are you tempted to go for the chop? Or are you a long-converted mid-hair lover already?

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