Finished! February Empties

My little no buy project is going well. I did get a whopping £140 worth of Boots points after sending some old phones to their recycling scheme (you can find out about it here ) so I did pick up some stuff but it’s going in a drawer until after my no buy ends and technically it was free so I maintain it doesn’t count :p This month I tackled a load of almost empty products that were lying around and managed to finish quite a lot! 

Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche – A lovely light fragrance that was my daily perfume for university. I tend to get bored or sick of perfumes though and by the end I was completely over this. I may repurchase but not for a few years. 

No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Serum – I’m 23 and I think my skin is just too young to feel any benefit from this so I won’t be buying it. 

Botanics Daily Hand Therapy SPF10 – One of the cheapest hand creams with SPF I’ve found so I’ll keep repurchasing (I have gone through several of these).

Jergens Extra Softening moisturiser – as a night hand cream I really do like this. It’s thick and very moisturising. 

Random Korean Oil Control Tissues – From eBay I got 3 packs of 25 for £2.05 (inc postage). These don’t leave a powdery residue and do a good job at removing oil without removing makeup. Fab! 

L’Oreal Lash Renewal Serum – This lasted over 6 months and I have reviewed it here. It did help thicken my lashes out and added some length which was more than I expected from this especially given that it’s well under £15. It’s whetted my appetite for a more heavy duty lash serum though. I think I’ll get Rapid Lash next instead. 

Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion – Worked fantastically but the formula is a little dry. I’m looking to try other lip primers. 

Maxfactor Masterpiece Mascara Sample – Loved this. It gives plenty of definition, it’s a possible future purchase. 

Mini No7 Lipgloss in Marshmallow – This didn’t really provide any colour but was extremely moisturising so I just kept it in my hand bag and slapped it on. It was essentially a glossy lip balm. I probably won’t repurchase as although I liked it I was wowed by it. 

The Body Shop Shower Gels – These were hanging around from a Christmas minis set I must have gotten a couple of years ago. I can’t stand Coconut and the other one was kind of manly smelling. Hubby didn’t like it though so I just used it up. I like some of the other scents but it’s a resounding meh for the shower gels in general. 

MAC Pro Eye Makeup Remover – Loathed it. Read my review for more info.

Clinique Take The Day Off Eye Makeup Remover Sample – Like this and will probably purchase a full sized bottle at some point. 

Estee Lauder Day Wear Plus Sample – Loved this but can’t really afford £30 for the full sized at the moment. 

Boots Vitamin E Night Cream – It’s a good little product for not many pennies. It doesn’t sink in very quickly but as it’s a night cream it doesn’t really bother me. I wouldn’t mind repurchasing again. 

LUSH Dream Cream – Moisturises really well but I really don’t like the scent. 

LUSH Iced Wine Shower Jelly – Don’t think you can get this now as it was part of the Christmas line. Smelled lovely but the jelly is a bit of a pain to use. 

Simple Soothing Facial Toner – I like alcohol toners so I liked this one. Cheap and cheerful but I want to try other toners. 

Batiste Brunette Dry Shampoo – Definite repurchase once some other have been used up. 

If you’ve done a similar post be sure to link it in the comments! Xx

Sample Sunday – Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream

This project is slowly getting there. My sample box is looking full as opposed to overflowing like it did when I started. I wanted to address some questions that I’ve been getting about all these samples before I launch into my review of the Clinique exfoliator. Firstly how the heck did I get all of these? Mainly gifts with purchase actually. Brands like No7, Clinique and Estee Lauder have gifts with purchase that you get it you buy two or three products at a time. I keep an eye out for these offers and only buy from these brands when they are on. I got a few from magazines and a few from lovely sales associates. There is a lot to be said for being friendly and chatty to the girls serving you. Mention products you’re curious about and more often than not they will pop a little sample in for you to try. This works best if you are actually buying something else at the time so they know you are a paying customer and not just chancing your luck for free stuff lol. Sometimes you just have to be cheeky and outright ask, after all samples are there to be given out! (Are you listening Benefit?)

Yes I do know that using a trial sized (often sachet) of a product isn’t going to give me enough experience for a thorough review. With skin care I normally like to use it for a month before reviewing it and you can’t do that with samples. The point of this exercise is to try the sample out and decide whether I would purchase the full sized based on the sample. Surely that’s the point of samples? 

Anyhoo the 7 day scrub. It’s a very thick cream with small but fairly rough exfoliating granules. I can’t detect a scent (though I am sick at the moment). I’ve been using this every other day as it is a bit harsh for everyday use for my sensitive skin. The claims are:

“Skin looks translucent, clearer brighter; takes edge off tiny lines. Better stimulation; promotes even skin tone. Helps control oil-related problems. Gives a light reflecting look to mature skin. Allows better makeup application. Moisturiser absorbs more easily. Will not scratch. Gentle; leaves no residue on skin after rinsing. De-flakes, polishes, clears pores.” 

Erm that’s a lot for a little sample to achieve. I will say that my skin felt squeaky clean after using this and the blocked pores on my nose were clearer. It did a good job of shifting the flaky dry bits and as a result my skin did look less dull. Overall I like it though I certainly wouldn’t recommend it for very sensitive skin. At £16.85 for a 100ml tube it’s a little pricey so it’s a possible maybe future purchase for me x

*Received as part of a gift with purchase*

KKCentreHK Lashes

I was sent two more styles of the cheap but very cheerful falsies from KKCentreHK to try out. I’ll start out with my favourites. These are the LLS Brand Cross 7 Natural Lengthening Eyelashes which cost $12.50USD for 10 pairs. The only issue I had with the last lot I reviewed was the thick clear band which I found a little difficult and heavy. These are on a black thread and are honestly the lightest lashes I have ever worn. They are VERY comfortable on. The lashes themselves are quite fine but long. I don’t need to trim these down much on my small eyes though you do need to snip the ends of the thread off.

The second style I received are LLS Brand A2 Dense Before Short, The Back Long Eyelashes which again are $12.50 USD for ten pairs. These are fuller and as a result slightly heavier though still much lighter to wear than most lashes I’ve tried. The band is very clear but thin with the lashes in small clusters at the base. Now I slightly over trimmed these and as always struggled to apply them to my left eye properly so please excuse the shoddy application. The tapered style with short lashes at the inner corner and longer at the outer edges usually suits me quite well but I think these might be a bit full on for me personally.

Now I genuinely like these (and no I’m not saying that because I was sent them, I really do). If you’re careful with them you will get a good couple of wears out of them and for a clumsy muppet like me I’m much happier spending $12.50 for ten pairs so it doesn’t matter if I muck them up than the same price for one pair of branded lashes. They sell a huge range on the site including some stunning looking feather lashes. You can find the site here x

*These were provided for review purposes. My reviews are always my honest opinion*

Beauty Blog Link Love!

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Want your own customizable magnetic palette without spending big bucks? Beauty's Bad Habit shows you how to http://beautysbadhabitblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/make-your-own-customizable-magnetic.html">make your own!

AOYV find her love and joy in http://www.adorableonyourvanity.com/2011/01/nars-lovejoy-is-my-love-and-joy.html">NARS Lovejoy.

Take a look at INGLOT's new Chelsea NYC Studio: http://makeupbykim-porter.com/2011/02/inglot-new-york-studio-grand-opening-party/">Kim Porter shares pictures from INGLOT's Grand Opening event.

Inspired by Parisian culture with Asian nuances, The Beauty Nerd features gorgeous beauty products from http://www.thebeautynerd.com/tokyo-milk/">Tokyo Milk. 

Revlon's Super Lustrous line has officially converted Angela at Do Want Makeup into a lipstick lover! Check out her review of http://dowantmakeup.tumblr.com/post/3439415906/review-revlon-super-lustrous-lipstick-in-wine-with">Wine With Everything.

Come over to http://jeweledthumb.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-essence-lipsticks-31-42-46.html">Jeweled Thumb to see some new lipsticks from Essence at a price point everyone will love!

Hot Beauty Health shares the best http://www.hotbeautyhealth.com/beauty/the-best-travel-makeup-essentials-to-take-on-vacation">travel makeup to stay gorgeous on vacation.

Love Rihanna? Musicalhouses attempts to http://musicalhouses.blogspot.com/2011/02/rihanna-whos-that-chick-eye-look-dupe.html">dupe her "Who's That Girl" eye look!

Hot thermal springs, healing white silica muds, soothing spas...sounds a bit like heaven, right?  While most of us can't get to Iceland, check out Socialite Dreams http://www.socialitedreams.com/blog-posts/product-review-blue-lagoon-silica-mud-mask.html">review of the Iceland Blue Lagoon Spa Mud Mask that you can use at home.

Take a peek at the http://queenofturquoise.blogspot.com/2011/02/skincare-toner-and-moisturising.html">toners and moisturisers in Rachel's current skincare routine.

Retrodiva shows how easy it is to use the http://www.retrodivasbeauty.com/2011/02/video-of-the-week-kiss-premium-lash-tutorial/">Kiss Premium Eyelashes. Gorgeous lashes in just a flash!

Blush Fiend Tracy at Beauty Reflections reviews http://www.beauty-reflections.com/2011/02/blush-week-tarte-amazonian-clay-12-hour.html">Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush and other blushingly beautiful blushes during Blush Week!!

Sarah from IHeartCosmetics reviews the new http://www.iheartcosmetics.co.uk/2011/02/naked-skin-new-range-from-naked.html">Naked Skin line of 97% natural facial skincare.

Missed out on New York Fashion Week? Make sure you check out http://www.kraseybeauty.com/?p=7378">Krasey Beauty's recap on fall beauty trends.

Ever wondered how to pick the right blush to go with red lips? http://www.the-lip-print.com/2011/02/the-red-month-what-blush-should-i-wear-with-red-lips.html">The Lip Print gives you a few pointers.

At Music and Make Up Jo has lip swatches of her http://jobetterdays.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-favourite-red-lipsticks.html">favourite red lipsticks.

Jellyminx shares her first http://jellyminxthinks.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-first-adventure-into-nail-art.html">nail stamping experience!

Cindy over at Prime Beauty happily referees the http://www.primebeautyblog.net/lip-crayon-smack-down/">Lip Crayon Smackdown! See who comes out on top between NARS, Tarte and Clinique!

Do http://www.spicedbeauty.com/2011/02/revlon-creme-glosses-review-swatches.htmll">Revlon creme glosses live up to the hype? Check out Spiced Beauty to see how she scored them for 2.50 each!

What's the http://bit.ly/fevPze">hottest new lipstick in the drugstore? Find out over at theNotice (and don't miss Rae's http://bit.ly/hhB5Qj">swatches of the entire line!)

Do men moisturise? Isn't it too macho for them? hellcandy's bf guest posts and reveals all...http://www.hellcandy.com/2011/02/guys-do-moisturise-guest-post.html">Click here to read his post.

Katie sounds the dupe alert siren when http://mylipsbutbetter.com/2011/02/dupe-alert-kat-von-d-beethoven-vs-nyx-jazz-night/">comparing Kat Von D's Beethoven palette ($34) to the NYX Jazz Night palette ($8) on My Lips But Better.

What did you buy from Mac’s Wonder Woman collection? Check out http://pleasureflush.blogspot.com/2011/02/mac-wonder-woman-haul.html”>Anita’s Wonder Woman haul over at Pleasureflush.

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Feel like there isn't enough nail polish in your life? http://www.beautycrazed.ca/2011/02/happiness-is-winning-whole-bunch-of.htm">Beauty Crazed has a nail bonanza contest going on that you should enter! What are you waiting for?!

Phyrra's Indie Spotlight for February is http://wp.me/pWTUj-2Yf">Sobe Botanicals! Learn all about Lex, and don't miss out on entering the giveaway, too!

What’s in my makeup bag?

Honestly I was kind of frightened to find out although I did find a button that came off my coat about 1 month ago and I haven’t yet bothered to sew back on. Tramptastic! Currently I using an Estee Lauder makeup back because erm... it’s purple? I switch it up a lot though. 

First we have the essentials. Hand sanitizer, Airwaves gum (I’m a little sniffley at the moment), blotting paper, Too Faced retractable Kabuki (LOVE), compact mirror, rogue buttons and some loose change. Exciting stuff! 

Lips: It escaped my bag for this shot but usually in there is a tube of Carmex with SPF15. It must be lurking in my hand bag.... There is also a NYX gloss in Mauve, No7 Lippie in Waterlilly, some random Max Factor lippie sample, Rimmel Moisture Drench lipstick in Summer angel, Clinique sample lippy and Maybelline Watershine gloss in Strawberry Carat. Oh and Urban Decay lip primer potion too. 

Perfumes: Paco Rabanne Ultraviolet and a Givenchy Very Irresistible sample. 

Other stuff: Bourjois Double ended liner. It doesn’t last all day so I top it up at lunch. MAC MSF Natural which irritatingly doesn’t have a mirror in the packaging.... Botanics SPF 10 hand cream which I go through constantly. 

Do you do your makeup in the morning then forget about it or do you touch up throughout the day too? I’m always fiddling with my makeup. I blot and powder several times a day thanks to my oily nose and I usually find either lip products or eyeliner need reapplying then too. What about you? 

*All bought by me*

The Balm Hot Mama Blush (with Coralista/ Orgasm comparison)

I picked this up in TK MAXX for £5.99 instead of £15. First impressions are good. The packaging is adorable and feels relatively sturdy despite being cardboard. you get 7.08g of products which is not bad at all and the pigmentation is good so you don’t need a lot. 

In the pan is it a deep peachy coral with gold shimmer running through it. The shimmer is quite full on in the pan but thankfully doesn’t translate too much to the cheeks. I’m not a fan of glitter bomb blushes! Wait... peachy coral blush with gold shimmer? We’ve seen these before surely? I pulled out Benefit Coralista and NARS Orgasm to compare. 

They look similar in the pan, more so than I was expecting actually. The shimmer in chunkier and more obvious in Hot Mama and Orgasm than it is in Coralista. The swatches confirms that these aren’t really dupes though. 

Please excuse the shoddy picture. Al l the ones with flash were washed out and the lighting is nonexistent here at this time of year. I’ll replace it with a better shot when the lighting improves. Anyway in person you can clearly see that Coralista (in the middle) is much softer and pinker. Hot Mama (bottom) is more peach with larger flecks of sparkle. Orgasm (top) is deeper and pinker though again has quite significant gold flecks.

Do you need all three? I think Coralista is significantly different but if you have Orgasm you can probably skip this. I think Hot Mama looks slightly more flattering on my pale neutral skin x

*Bought by me*